Delivery Makes A Difference
I received a phone call last night about 4:30 from James Moore asking me if I had fun last Monday for the opening night of Comedy Monday Night at Broken City and why there wasn’t a blog. The reason why there wasn’t a blog is because I was up and down, walking around outside and didn’t pay full attention to the show. For me, the seating was so uncomfortable and I was so tired that I didn’t feel I would do James’ good work justice. I’m very happy to know, however, that Comedy Monday Night was able to raise over $3000 for Inn From The Cold, an organization who helps homeless families try and get back on their feet. Sorry James, I guess I can’t always be “on”.
When James spoke with me, he told me that there was a potentially big surprise guest coming down and I should make every effort to get there. He wouldn’t tell me who, but did promise that he would tell me after if they didn’t come who it was. Thankfully, that individual did show up and oh my goodness, James was right, it was huge.
What an amazing lineup of comics last night – 2 first timers mixed in with a bunch of seasoned professionals sprinkled with a few rising stars and you have one incredible show. I don’t expect it will be like this every week, but James and the Comedy Monday Night crew sure set the bar very high last night!
I didn’t take pictures of everybody – not everybody likes having their picture taken. And not everybody likes to have something said about them so I may pass over a few people. But what I liked most about the show – there were only 10 people, it started one time, everyone kept to their allotted time and the show was done by 10:00. That is a show I can go out to on a regular basis and I for one appreciated getting to bed at a decent time last night.
Donovan Deschner took the bullet spot last night. It’s a tough one – most of the audience was either comics or new to Comedy Monday Night. It took Donovan a few minutes to “grow into” his spot, but once he did he was fine. He doesn’t make it down to CMN very often (in fact, I think I’ve only seen him there once before) but I think he fits in very nicely. Maybe a little more energy would have gotten the crowd with him a little sooner but who knows? I don’t know why I always capture Donovan making an “I just smelled poo” face but they are great expressions…
First timer Dana Wallace (did I spell that right?) got up next – she had a pretty decent first effort. Better than some I’ve seen lately.
What a treat to see Trent McClellan – he was prepping for his big trip to Cranbrook. Even though we just saw him on Saturday night at The Laugh Shop he made us laugh just as hard. I particularly enjoy his Air Canada bit. He handled the interruption by his agent, George Shapiro, rather nicely as well. I think what makes Trent so special is his ability to relate to an audience – with him, delivery does make a difference.
Graham Davidson took to the stage next. Graham is originally from Calgary currently residing in Niagra Falls (I believe). Graham’s style of comedy is pretty low key but I did find him quite likeable. Not too much about this guy on-line which leads me to believe he is also quite humble.
Next up was the surprise guest, a “special gift” to us from James Moore. It was none other than Nikki Payne. I’ve seen Nikki a few times, but was never as close as I was last night. Unfortunately her set got off to a bit of a rocky start due to technical difficulties, but Nikki was a pro and kept on going. Once the microphone got fixed, she proceeded to have the entire audience laughing so hard our cheeks hurt. Most of her set was devoted to her special gift that she gave her father a year ago – one of her kidneys. It was well told, very funny and in some parts even a little bit poignant. Wow, what a treat to just have drop in on us all. If you weren’t there, you missed a good one!
So who follows that act? Miss Amanda Perrin, that’s who! I always enjoy the awkwardness that is Amanda, but last night, unfortunately, she let the fact that she had to follow Nikki get to her. I felt for Amanda, because it’s kind of like going up in karaoke right after someone completely tears up the stage and you’ve only done karaoke a handful of times. However, what Amanda needs to realize is that she also has a very special gift for making people laugh and will one day have someone losing their mind because she or he has to follow Amanda Freaking Perrin.
Lyle Bateman did a respectable 7 minutes and finished off with his spider love (is there such a thing) song done to the tune of Spiderman. The audience really seemed to enjoy it – I still can’t believe this guy drives 3 hours to do a 7 minute set. Blows my mind.
After Lyle came another first timer (and a well dressed one at that!), Renee Frenet (again, spelling…?) Renee had an interesting concept but I honestly felt that for the first time she may have gone a little long and ended up rambling a little towards the end. For a first try though, kudos to the lady in the shiny green dress!
Ahhhh, and then the man I was so excited to see – Simon Rakoff! I saw Simon in Vancouver a few years ago and enjoyed every single minute he was on stage, and this time was not any different. Simon is ever so slightly jaded from being divorced twice and it makes for some very funny material. He also does a lot of material on being Jewish, and a superhero. A few of his bits that really got me laughing were how humans can’t compare to animals when it comes to athletics and how things would be now if Jesus was possibly sarcastic (hence, the title of this blog – Delivery Makes A Difference).
I enjoyed the fact that everyone else was done early enough that Simon could do an extended set and still be done by 10:00. Man that guy is funny – and he’s appearing this weekend at The Laugh Shop if you are looking for some laughs. I don’t know who is with him, but I know that he alone will be worth the price of admission – Simon has been doing comedy for 30 years but his material is edgy, witty and most of all, very relevant.
At one point, I snapped a picture of Simon and he asked me if I was media. When I answered “sort of” he had a bit of fun with that but seemed to be cool with the fact I write a blog and didn’t say not to put his photo in.
I left Comedy Monday Night (Chris Gordon – are you reading this – it’s Comedy Monday Night, not Monday Night Comedy) in great spirits. I know it’s not an ordinary night and there were a lot of out of towners or more seasoned people on the show, but those are good to have every once in a while. I would think it gives the newer people or amateurs something to aspire to, and I’m glad so many of them were there to see the show last night.
Not too sure if I’ll get out to any more shows this week but keep supporting live comedy in Calgary – it’s getting better and better all the time!
A Cut Above
If you didn’t make it down to Kits Pub last night for Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour, shame on you. You missed an amazing show. We laughed from start to finish. And not just ha-ha laughs, they were big belly laughs. In fact, I laughed so much my cheeks hurt, my tummy hurt and I hoped that the baby wasn’t getting jiggled around too much from all the activity.
Amy Trofimuk was the MC last night and my one gripe with her is that she didn’t know how to say either of the other two performer’s names. I don’t know if it matters to them or not, but I know I get upset when someone mispronounces my name – and I’m not even trying to be remembered. Granted, they aren’t the easiest names in the world to say but a conscientious person would learn who they are introducing and be as professional as possible. Her material was good though and she did a decent job of keeping the show moving along. It started very close to the posted time (thanks Daryl!) and we were out of there by 9:45 which is awesome when you have to drive all the way across the city to get home. Here’s a little snap I took of Amy:
Donovan “Double D” Deschner was the middle act and after seeing him with his prescription haircut last night I realized I don’t see him enough. What a polished young man he is. His set was clean (for the most part), clever (always appreciated) and had the audience in stitches from the time he took to the stage. I happened to overhear two women talking in the bathroom after the show and they were saying how much they enjoyed Donovan’s set. I concur wholeheartedly.
And then came up the main attraction – Derick Lengwenus. I didn’t write about the last time I saw Derick because the last time I saw him we were sitting at The Comedy Cave with a table full of cokeheads beside us and they were so distracting we didn’t get to see the full show. Well last night totally made up for it. The crowd was so attentive, there were no drunk hecklers and nothing to get in the way of our enjoyment.
What impressed me greatly about Derick was the first half of his set was all new material (new to me anyway). I’ve seen many touring headliners even after a year that are still doing the exact same material. Not Derick. Even some of his jokes I’ve heard before have been tweaked, were introduced differently and had an overall fresh appeal to them. Derick certainly isn’t afraid to poke fun at himself and I particularly enjoyed his bit about Pirate Sex towards the end. It was great to see him again, and I think that the venue suited him tremendously.
Derick has some great facial expressions during his show and it was really hard to pick just one shot – this one is a little out of focus but was my favourite one:
On the way home from the show, Tim and I were talking about how that was one of the best shows we’ve been to in a long long time. And then he said Derick and Donovan were a cut above. Most definitely.
And then Monday sees the long awaited return of Comedy Monday Night. It is a benefit to raise money for Inn From The Cold – get out to Broken City for 8:00 on Monday night. The last benefit was amazing and I’m hoping that the comedy community in Calgary will make this one just as successful.
Has It Really Been A Month?
I can’t believe it’s been a month since I’ve written a blog. Wow, how time flies. I’ve only been to a handful of shows – December was a busy month for baking, visiting, shopping and a bit of travelling.
The month started off with Tim and I taking care of my friend’s dogs. Wow what a lot of work that was – 5 dogs in our little townhouse. Our teeny tiny backyard soon became a heaping pile of dog waste and Tim couldn’t clean it up fast enough. Walking 5 dogs was a big challenge and making sure they all ate at least a little of their own food was a lot of fun every day. I was happy to be able to help out Karen and Terry but at the same time pretty happy to go back to our own little pack of 3.
Then I got the urge to bake. I don’t know what came over me, but I was baking up a storm every Sunday in December. I was up at 7:30 AM and in between loads of laundry and turns of Scrabble on facebook, I was baking. I made stuff I’ve never made before – some turned out and some flopped, but Tim happily ate it all and told me it was wonderful, even when I knew it wasn’t. I found some recipes that I loved and will definitely keep, and some recipes I don’t care if I ever try again. Most everything is gone now but there are still a few things I want to try – who says you can only make shortbread once a year?
Shopping was fun – for once it wasn’t hard to shop for Mom and Dad and it was nice to have someone new to buy prezzies for. I enlisted the services of my Auntie Leah and Uncle Bob to get Tim a Senators jersey – I love a good covert op.
The only thing not fun about shopping was trying to find maternity clothes. It’s not a secret that I’m a full figured woman, and it was very disheartening to see all the cute maternity clothes that are out there but not in my size. Apparently, the stores that carry maternity wear think I would happily wear their disgusting and ill-fitting clothes. I’ve been fortunate enough to find tops that do the trick at Addition-Elle but pants have been very tricky. I have to keep telling myself it’s only for a few more months and I can do it, but I can’t help thinking that there has to be someone somewhere who makes decent maternity clothes for the larger set. If there isn’t, then what a business opportunity for the right individual. If only I could design clothes…
Along came my company Christmas party. I have to say that leading up to that day I didn’t feel very good about myself and how I looked. I so wanted to look pretty that night, and enlisted the services of Aga at the MAC counter at The Bay and my friend Trena of Pure Salon in Inglewood. I knew they had done the job when Tim got in the car at the end of the day and couldn’t stop looking at me. Once I got my dress on, I really did feel beautiful for the first time in months. My dress was one that I had bought in Seattle way back in June but had nothing to wear it for, yet I knew I had to have it. It was just stretchy enough around the tummy to wear – a little bit cleavagy, but thankfully there was someone there who was showing more than me and made me feel tasteful. Hard to hide pregnant boobs anyway.
That was a wonderful night and a turning point for me in my pregnancy. I received so many compliments on my appearance and what a glow I had that from that day on, I have been putting in a little extra effort every morning to make sure I have at least a little bit of makeup on. I do have to say though that none of that seems to matter to Tim – to him, I am beautiful. Period. What more could a girl ask for?
Then it was Christmas – we travelled to Shaunavon to my parents’ place. It was quite possibly the last Christmas in that house, as Mom and Dad are trying to sell their place so they can go RV’ing full time. They have done so much work to the house that it is hardly the home I grew up in. But the furniture is still the same, so there is something to remind me of my youth.
I have to say that it was quite possibly the best Christmas I have ever had. Nobody got mad at anybody, everybody was in good spirits and we were all happy with our gifts. Tim was extremely generous with me, Dad liked his coat we got him and Mom teared up when she opened her box containing a pink sapphire pendant that she had wanted for years. Cooper had the time of his life running around the yard, our neighbour’s yard, our neighbour’s neighbour’s yard, and so on. He would go run for an hour or two and then come back and then he was gone again. Of course, The Littles (Rupert and Larry) didn’t stray too far because it was pretty cold outside and the snow would get in their paws, freeze up and somehow it immobilized them. And then they would just sit down and wait for me to come and rescue them. I guess Cooper did so well because he’s got wickedly long legs and his feet never touch the ground for more than a nanosecond at a time.
Mom prepared a Christmas feast like no other. She really went all out, and it was a most delicious meal! Thanks Mom!
It was a quick trip because we had tickets for the hockey game on the 27th versus the Ottawa Senators. We met up with my friends Charlene and Dean prior to the game at the Saddle Room Restaurant. Dinner was great, the company even better – so nice to see them again after all this time. The game, ugh. Tim took a lot of ribbing for his jersey, and if I ever thought hecklers were bad at a comedy show, boy did I feel bad for the Sens’ goalie. There were so many drunk losers shouting horrible things at him and all I could think was that there were children there for crying out loud, don’t these people have any couth?
And then it happened – a hockey fight broke out. At first, I felt a rush of adrenaline like any spectator would. But then it just got ugly and one of the visiting team’s players landed on the ice and dislocated his shoulder. That was the first time I’ve cried watching a fight and I think the first time Tim was embarrassed to be with me. Delightful things, these pregnancy hormones of mine. I’ve always been a senstive gal, but come on, really?
So the Sens lost, but it was a lot of fun. We escaped unharmed and had a few good laughs along the way too.
Next up was New Year’s Eve. I was done work at noon and headed home to relax – we had big plans for that night. Dinner was at Parthenon Greek Restaurant on Heritage and Fairmont Drive SE. The service was some of the best we’ve had lately and the food was great, although Tim would have liked a bigger portion. We were out with Karen and Terry, Heather and Dave and all their children. It was a terrific way to start off the evening.
Next we headed across the city to Paula and Lorne’s place for an open house. Lorne’s sister and brother in law were there – they are also expecting a child (is everyone in Calgary pregnant right now?) and their neighbours showed up from the hockey game right before midnight. We sat and watched another hockey game (I’m getting hockeyed out here people, somebody save me!!!) because Lorne is a die-hard Oilers fan and wasn’t missing it. It was more fun listening to Lorne and everybody talk about hockey than watching the game itself, but that’s always the way it is with me. Paula had some great food put out and it was so lovely to catch up with her again – hard to believe it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen her as well.
Now, I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions, I believe in setting goals for yourself and beginning to accomplish them when you set them. I’m pretty good at getting “stuff” done but I realized over the holidays that I need to see my friends more. As much as I love Tim and being with him, I dearly love my friends and they all very much matter to me. I need to do a better job of keeping in touch personally, not just relying on things such as facebook to tell me how people in my life are doing. I don’t know how realistic that goal is seeing as I have a baby on the way, but it’s not for a few months and I resolve to be a better friend.
As for what the next little while looks like? Well, there is a most awesome comedian named Derick Lengwenus headlining Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour this Wednesday at Kits Pub, and then there is the much anticipated return of Comedy Monday Night in their new home – Broken City. The show returns on Monday, January 12 and is a benefit show for Inn From The Cold. Tickets are $20 and available from James Moore, Daryl Makk and Broken City. I can’t wait for these shows – I don’t want to be out on weeknights too often now, but these are shows I’m not going give a miss to.
Well, hope you had a happy and wonderful holiday season and may 2009 be a year where your dreams come true!
My Disturbed Dream Came True
Music has always played a big role in my life. Many times throughout a day, I’ll hear a song on the radio or on my satellite radio and it will take me back to a moment in time. Certain bands have always been higher on my playlist (Madonna when I was a teenager, Erasure as I went through University, then the Ramones when I lived in Edmonton, later on The Cure, The Smiths but in the past 6-7 years I fell in love with Disturbed.
What is it about Disturbed that hooked me? Well, they have an amazing heavy sound, but what really does it for me is David Draiman’s ability to go from a throaty growl to singing with an amazing melodic voice – no two songs sound alike and for me, that makes their music so easy to listen to. In fact, even though their music is definitely on the harder side, many of their songs have actually brought tears to my eyes.
So now imagine when I found out that they were coming to town and I was too late to get tickets – they were sold out and scalpers wanted anywhere from $150.00 – $250.00 for tickets. Tim wanted to treat me to the concert as a belated birthday present, but that amount of money for a ticket that originally cost $39.50 is a little insane and borderline criminal. I put a plea out on facebook, and Derek Sweet answered my call and was willing to give up his ticket so I could go to the show. Okay, one down, one to go.
I tried the methods I’m sure everyone else who wanted a ticket did – I asked friends, they posted messages on their work classifieds, looked at Craig’s List and Kijiji, but I got nothing. Big. Fat. Nothing. Then just when I thought we would have to resort to buying from a scalper, I made one last effort and tried ebay. I found a ticket for $39.99 USD which worked out to about $49.00 CAD - but could I trust it? Well, the seller had over 5000 transactions and 100% positive feedback so I took the leap of faith and bought the ticket.
Fast forward to the show – we went later because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to stand for the 2 opening bands plus Disturbed, so we timed it to get there at 9:00 or shortly thereafter. I was nervous as I opened up the piece of paper that the ticket was printed on and did my best to make small talk with the girl just in case something happened. She scanned the ticket, her little wandy thing beeped and we were in! Yippee!
First order of business – concert t-shirt. I don’t always buy t-shirts, but this is one that I knew would be incredible and one that I knew I wanted to own. If they wouldn’t have been $40 each I probably would have bought 2, but I had to pick the right one and went through 3 changes of mind before I settled on “the one”. And Tim even bought it for me – what a guy!
Next order of business – food. All I had for supper was a bowl of cereal because I was so excited I couldn’t make a meal or eat anything, but by the time we got into the venue I was ravenous. So cheeseburgers and a Sprite it was, but it was better than nothing.
The concert venue itself felt more like a University beer garden than a rock concert – you had to get a wristband if you wanted alcohol, there were lineups for the cash machine, lineups for the drinks and lineups for the bathroom. Being that it was general admission and therefore standing room only, people were milling around, smoking, drinking and littering (pigs). The other reason it felt very Uni-like was that there was the occasional pile of vomit on the floor – I guess not everyone can hold their alcohol.
There were lots of police around but it still didn’t seem to stop people from smoking, and that was the only bad thing about it – not a lot of pot, but there was sure lots of cigarette smoke. There were plenty of wee ones there too, which I loved. Little rocker babies, how awesome is that? I just felt bad that there was so much smoke around them though.
So we were there I would say about 35-40 minutes and the lights went down. We stood just behind the big crowd to give me breathing room and prevent anyone from knocking into me. However, had I not been pregnant, I would have pushed my way to the front FOR SURE. As I have said since I was a youngin’ – “there’s always one that is worth the price of admission” and last night that statement held true yet again. We had the Solid Gold Dancers on either side of us – one guy in a white t-shirt that was strung out on something and a girl that couldn’t keep the beat if she tried. Made for some interesting sideshow entertainment.
Right from the very first beat of the drum, I was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my eyes off the stage and in fact, tears welled up in my eyes. It was so hard to believe that I was actually there, and Disturbed was on the stage in front of me. They came out guns blazing and kept firing through the whole show.
Many concerts have the band promoting their most recent album and you might get a few of their previous hits, but usually only towards the end or in the encore. I have to say the way the set list was planned was brilliant – it was like their “best of” intermingled with their new songs. There’s always one song that you just have to hear and if you don’t hear it, you’re disappointed. For me, the song I was dying to hear was “Prayer”. It was about half way through the show when I heard the distinctive sound that I was listening for – I could have left right then and been happy, but they just kept coming out with more and more and even though my body was tired I had to stay put. When they finished and left the stage, we started to make our way closer to the exit so when the encore was over we would not be trapped in the crowd.
One thing I liked is that they didn’t make the crowd wait too long on the encore – it was a short minute or so. Many bands take their sweet time and more often than not, it annoys me. I found that when they came back out, they were extremely gracious for all the fan support, and advised us that yesterday they had been nominated for a Grammy for their song “Into The Fire”, which, if you haven’t heard or seen the video for, take a look here. It is a very powerful song, and one that means a lot to the band, and most deserving of their nomination.
It was also a very special day for someone on tour with them, Dan Donegan’s little girl Myah – she was turning 5. So before the band started up with the music again, the whole audience sang her “Happy Birthday”.
We stayed for 2 songs of the encore but to be honest, I just couldn’t stand any more (stand physically, not mentally) and I wasn’t about to sit down on that floor. I was so elated, but let me tell you, it was a slow and almost painful walk to the car, and even harder to get in, but oh so very worth it.
I know that I thought seeing The Ramones was the concert of my life, then seeing Erasure took their place, then Madonna took their place, and now Disturbed has taken over the top spot. I’ve been so fortunate to see so many musical artists perform - there is just something about being in an audience who has the same appreciation for the music that you do and makes it that much more of a sensory experience. My tastes vary widely (no, really Kerry?) but this is one concert that will stick out in my mind for many many years to come.
Does my baby like rock music? I think so. He or she was dancing a little bit and kept dancing well into the night. I think it was around 1 AM that they settled down enough so I could go to sleep. I don’t recommend going to a general admission rock concert pregnant, but I wasn’t about to let one night of discomfort get in my way.
Thanks for coming to Calgary, Disturbed, and come back again real soon, you hear?
Always Leave Them Wanting More
Last night we headed over to Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour at Kits Pub – Allyson Smith was headlining so you know it was going to be a good show.
We got there early to ensure we got our table and wanted to get food before the show started. Unfortunately, something must have happened in the kitchen because we didn’t get our food until 9:00 – not good when you’re pregnant and hungry. I don’t think I’ll be getting food there again – I just can’t wait over an hour for a meal.
Lori Gibbs informed us that we were in for a treat (which I already knew) and it was great to have her MC’ing. I haven’t seen Lori since Tim’s and my first date and now I’ve had the fortune to see her twice in one week. Lori’s personality instantly shines through and gets people’s attention, but it’s her wonderful sense of humour and sparkly eyes that keeps it. When I first moved to Calgary, Lori was just getting started but now, after a year and a half, I’ve seen an incredible amount of growth in her performance. You can surely tell that she’s been working very hard. She did a great job MC’ing and I look forward to the day I can see her as a headliner…
Scott Dumas was the feature performer, and he did an incredible job! The audience was responding really well to him, and he was spinning tales like nobody’s business. One that particularly stuck out was his story about backing up at the Farmer’s Market. I have no idea if that story is true or not, but he sold it and made it completely believable. My new favourite bit of his.
Now the reason most of the people were there last night – Allyson Smith. I saw Allyson heaps when I lived in Vancouver and since I’ve been in Calgary, I’ve only seen her a handful of times. Last night was hands down the best I’ve ever seen her. She was so incredibly smooth, and the audience reaction was just as expected. I’ve said this before, but she is so easy to relate to, and not afraid to take a pot-shot at herself to get a laugh. From her admission that she is a professional rear-ender to dispensing her advice (file your taxes and stop eating potato chips), nobody wanted her to stop. One of her better bits was towards the end, when she was sharing her Grade 6 choir experience – singing The Rainbow Connection and the themesong to MASH. It sounds like quite a few people didn’t know that there are indeed lyrics to that song – well, there are. Here they are:
Through early morning fog I see visions of the things to be the pains that are withheld for me I realize and I can see... [REFRAIN]: that suicide is painless it brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. I try to find a way to make all our little joys relate without that ever-present hate but now I know that it's too late, and... [REFRAIN] The game of life is hard to play I'm gonna lose it anyway The losing card I'll someday lay so this is all I have to say. [REFRAIN] The only way to win is cheat And lay it down before I'm beat and to another give my seat for that's the only painless feat. [REFRAIN] The sword of time will pierce our skins It doesn't hurt when it begins But as it works its way on in The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but... [REFRAIN] A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key is it to be or not to be and I replied 'oh why ask me?' [REFRAIN] 'Cause suicide is painless it brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please. ...and you can do the same thing if you please.
In fact, when she was finished, the audience would not stop applauding – we wanted an encore. I’ve NEVER seen a comedian get an encore before and would have loved to have been there to witness it, but alas, Allyson didn’t come back to the stage. 
While I have heard a good lot of the material before, it’s never in the same order and there are always new bits interspersed with some of her more seasoned bits. That means every time I see Allyson it’s a fresh new show. I’ve seen some comics that have their material down pat and don’t divert from the order, which makes it kind of boring to see them more than once. Allyson, I could watch again and again. As always, a delight. And she did leave us wanting more.
And people, my best advice to you is that you make reservations before you head down. Last night’s show was sold out and standing room only. It’s a great room and every show I’ve been to has been fantastic.
Maybe I’m Just Imagining Things…
…but I’m pretty sure that Rupert knows something is cooking inside of me. Ever since I got pregnant, he has changed from his usual spot of head on my chest to head on my tummy. I’m pretty sure he can hear the baby’s heart beating and for some reason, he finds that very comforting. He’s not weirded out about it at all, he just lays there, content. But he’s obsessed with laying there, nowhere else will do when I’m in the room and sitting down.
I’ve tried to find some sort of definitive answer online somewhere but all I can find is how acute a dog’s hearing versus that of a human.
What makes me slightly skeptical is that it is only Rupert that appears to be so interested. Neither Larry nor Cooper has shown any change in how they act towards me. Cooper is in high training mode though so a difference in his behaviour may or may not be able to be attributed towards my pregnancy. I know that Rupert and I have a special bond but you would think if he could hear it then so could the other two.
What do you think? Real or imagined?
I Got My Fill Of Meat And Potatoes…
There was some Grade A Alberta comedy last night at the PEI Comedy Festival Showcase. There was also a few spuds in the mix but overall what a fantastic evening! I’m not going to write about everybody because not everybody wants me to write about them. And you know what, that’s cool. I’m down with that. I didn’t want to write about you anyway. 
I think most everyone brought their best jokes to the table. Most everyone. And it felt like there were some suspiciously absent people – I can think of 3 or 4 off the top of my head and was curious as to why they weren’t there. I hope it was prior committments that kept them away…
We got there early and arrived to 4 peanut butter cookies on our table. Winter had baked them that afternoon for us – what a doll, what an absolute doll! The service as usual was impeccable, the food fantastic (love the new feature menu) and the crowd seemed raring to go.
As people were being seated, they were being treated to the sounds of Dan Guiry. I kept willing him to play “You’re Gonna Lose” or the Kangaroo Song but alas, we got nothing. He was great entertainment though and I was glad he got to be part of the show.
It got to be 8, then 8:15, then 8:30 and then I think somewhere around 8:45 the show got started. The comics were asked to do 7-10 minutes and I would say for most of them that was not accomplished. Many of the performers last night are featured headliners across the country and I suppose it’s tough to try and come out with your best 7 minutes, especially when you feel like you’re doing well and don’t want to get off the stage. However, the show ended up going almost 3 hours and boy am I tired today because of it.
The crowd also started to get restless about half way through the show but I have to say Daryl did a fine job of policing it so there was minimal disruption for the comics. Even Bill wasn’t as obvious in the audience as he normally is, so well done everyone!
So, as I stated earlier, instead of reviewing everyone, I picked a top 7 out of the 14 that went up last night. It’s full on my opinion (well, Tim had a little bit to say too). It’s not that I don’t think the other 7 were funny, but 2 of them don’t like me writing about them, one of them I just plain didn’t get at all and the others had fine sets. I just felt like the 7 people I’m writing about had stellar sets and had the audience’s attention for their time on stage. They were interesting, their material was original and they made the show:
1) Sean Lecomber – Every time I see this guy I like him more and more. His delivery is a combination of dry sarcasm and humility that you just don’t come by every day. His comedy comes from a very real (although sometimes slightly odd) place and I found him to be most enjoyable.
2) Allyson Smith – I have never seen Allyson have a bad night. Ever. Period. Her effervescence is always so welcome – and last night, the crowd really enjoyed her unique memories of her youth as a Brownie and how she judges how long her meals will cook by how many times she presses the popcorn button on the microwave. Loved the whole set!
3) Cory Mack (no relation to Daryl Makk) – I haven’t seen Cory very much, but what I saw of her last night makes me wish I did see her more. The young guy in front of us could not get enough of her, and it was making us laugh harder seeing his enjoyment of her Stampede tales and about her Costco wedding cake. Cory is a true professional and you can tell she is at home on the stage. One fantastic set!
4) Tony Binns – Of all the times I have seen Tony, this was by far the set that I could follow the easiest. Not that he dumbed himself down, but he found a way to keep his nerdiness in check enough to appeal to a broader audience. His bit about having realistic phone sex was incredibly funny. Well done, and a pleasure to see yet another side (is there 20 sides to Tony?) of Mr. Binns.
5) Andrew Iwanyk and his baby – I thought that maybe the baby Andrew was holding was his gum baby, but he told me after the show it wasn’t. It was never explained why he had it, but he rocked it gently the whole time he was on stage. What I enjoy most about Andrew is his originality – he knows how to stand out from the crowd and be memorable, and you have to give him credit for that. He is also a slow and quiet talker which forces you to pay attention to him. Fantastic!
6) Bob Beddow – When I saw Bob waiting in the wings, my first thought was “How on earth is Bob going to do a 10 minute set?”. I’ve seen Bob a few times now and I know that his bits are usually 20-30 minutes long, mostly because they are stories taken from his real life and relayed back to us all for our enjoyment. He took the story of his “non-invasive” vasectomy and shared it with the audience. There were parts of it where he actually had to stop to let the table down front catch a breath. I don’t know how long he was, but I know for a fact he was longer than 10 minutes. But for sheer audience enjoyment, he still made it to my top list (this wasn’t a competition after all).
7) Jasen Frederickson – Jasen looked most dapper last night in his suit and tie (what? I know!) Wow! I actually wrote that he looked snazzy. Freddy had a really good set last night – he was super relaxed and looked like he was having a lot of fun up there. The audience really enjoyed him, and so did I!
So that was my top 7 for the evening.
I wish everybody best of luck in getting a spot in PEI. I would say most are deserving of one. And then you can show everyone your Ricky.
And, if you get a chance, head over to the Comedy Cave this weekend to see Derick Lengwenus and Lori Gibbs. You will not be disappointed – Lori gets the party started and Derick rocks the party!
I Finally Went To Sunday Skool
Not church, sillies. I went to the Sunday Skool of Laughs at the Blind Beggar Pub on Macleod Trail on Sunday night. I would have written about the show earlier, but I was quite ill yesterday with a bad case of acid reflux along with a stomach flu. I will not be having the shrimp purses again – at least whilst pregnant. They were delicious, but apparently my “condition” needs me to have more bland food choices so as to not wake up in the middle of the night with a mouth full of acid. Gross, I know. Just thought I’d share.
Anyway, I didn’t write down the list of names because I wanted to feel the vibe of the room and watch the show earnestly. I like the venue – the crowd was there to watch the show, the audience (for the most part) respectful that there were comics performing for them and kept the table talk to a dull roar. Of course, any time alcohol is involved, people cannot remain completely quiet, but when shushed, did shush, and for that, I am grateful.
The show got off to a bit of a late start, but then again, when does a show ever start on time? If I have one complaint about open mics it’s that they never start when they say they do. Is it because comics can’t be bothered to show up on time? It always appears as though the organizers are there and ready on time. If comics can’t be there when they are supposed to be, then why are they allowed to go on stage and why is time given to them?
Time and time again, I see preferential treatment being given to “pros” who saunter in 15 minutes after the show is supposed to be started and still given time. Then, said “pro” takes the stage and is usually two or three sheets to the wind, doesn’t do any meaningful material, makes us watch them drink on stage and generally, ends up wasting our time as well as theirs. What a fine example you are setting for those who aspire to be like you.
I’m not saying that all the pros are like that, heavens no. There are many fine headlining comics that take any stage time seriously and do what they can to entertain, regardless of the venue and their spot on the show. I just get disappointed and jaded by those who have made a name for themselves but don’t think they have to do anything to keep their name. Guess what, people are watching you and forming opinions, and you should think about that before you agree to go up on stage.
However, one bad apple didn’t spoil the whole bunch on Sunday – I was thoroughly impressed with the show as a whole. Dan Guiry hurt his knee the night before and perhaps that is the reason why he was not as dynamic as I’ve seen him, but he did the best he could as MC for the evening.
Some of the standout performances (for me) were by Derek Sweet, Clark Robertson, Scott Dumas and James Uloth. A gentleman got up for the first time (didn’t catch his name) and did a fairly decent job. He was of course nervous, and had sheets of looseleaf versus a notebook (hint – the notebook doesn’t rattle as much as loose sheets of paper) and once he gets used to being on stage might be a fun 5 minutes.
However, the main reason that brought us out was Kathleen McGee from Edmonton. Kathleen is one of the dirtiest comics I know, but at the same time, one of the most delightful comics I know. She has a cherubic little face and out of her lips come some very bad things. Her likeability factor is so high, and she just had the audience hanging on her every word. She is always worth the trip anywhere to go and see, and I wish her nothing but the best of luck as she starts her new life in L.A. in the New Year.
Had the show started on time, I think I would have enjoyed it a little more. It got to be a late night by the time it was over. I realize some things are out of people’s control, but also, just because people show up doesn’t mean they have to get on stage (in my opinion).
For old time’s sake, I give the show a 
out of 5. I’ll be back.
The Magic Of Comedy
I’m happy to say I made it out 2 weeks in a row on a Wednesday night – I think now that my first trimester is over I’ll have a little more energy. At least I hope that’s the case. It was great because my friend Blackie (who used to be my Comedy Monday Night buddy) had her first Comedy Detour experience and she had a fantastic time. I hope she’ll come out to more shows now that she’s seen what a great place Kits is and the high calibre of comedic talent that continually graces the stage.
It was Winter’s birthday last night, and there was a special request by her to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Calgary Food Bank. I see I wasn’t the only one that knew KD was on buy a case, get one free at Safeway, but hey, it was a good deal and I was happy to help. I believe she also raised over $400 in cash that is also to be donated in her name – what a selfless thing to do on one’s birthday.
Now, on to the show. Once again, the place was packed to standing room only. I’m very grateful for reserved seating, and I highly recommend that if you want to take in one of these shows you book in advance, especially now that the weather is cooling off a bit and people are looking for things to do indoors.
Donovan Deschner was the MC last night and he started off with some magic-infused comedy. Donovan isn’t exactly high energy, but he has a very natural likeability and a very quick wit that I enjoy. When faced with a few shout outs from the audience, he took them in stride and had a great reply instantly. I particularly enjoyed the bit he did in between the last 2 performers - he did a poem using 3 jumbo playing cards (2 queens and a king). It was very well done – I only wish that Bill could have held his laughter until the appropriate spots.
And now I have an unusual comment – this being from me as a fellow audience member. While I can appreciate that Bill enjoys going to the shows, his laughter is very distracting. It often times comes at odd moments and seems to throw some of the comics off. And then it goes on and on and on. I never thought that someone’s laughter would get in the way of enjoying a show, but sometimes it does for me.
Daryl Makk came up and did a feature spot and did material mostly involving the recent federal election. He voted, so he has a right to his opinion. He also has some local political issues he’s not super happy with and made that known as well. I sure did enjoy his closer and hope that he figures out how 6 goes into 5…
Paul Kuster had the best set I’ve ever seen him do. The crowd instantly warmed up to him and he had everything really well planned out. While Paul didn’t do anything completely new, it was great seeing his jokes all polished up and performed with a cool confidence. I found myself laughing like it was the first time I was hearing the material, and I always enjoy it when a comic can make me do that.
Last up was Comic X. Comic X has asked me before not to write about them, so I’m trying to be respectful here and assume they wish for me to not discuss them. Too bad, because I would have given this person a rave review and written something they could have easily used as a testimonial to send along to prospective customers. Comic X had a great set and was a great way to end the evening!
Major announcement – Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour and Kits Pub will be presenting a show case for the PEI Comedy Festival on November 5th. Tickets will be $15.00 and there are no passes accepted for this night (right Daryl?). You will want to get your tickets early, because the very best of Alberta will be doing their very best material that night to try and earn a spot at a national comedy festival. Don’t be disappointed. And don’t be cheap – this is going to be a great show!
There is also another show coming to Kits in about a week and a half and I’ll have more information for you on that one later.
Good times, good laughs, good people – it’s what comedy is all about.
