When should you stop doing new act nights? - If ever?

Anthony Miller · Joined: 21 Jun 2001 Posts: 11051 Location: Chavdon

I'd like to point out to any promoters reading
that my absence from the London listings in
November was due to my being signed by a
very very VERY powerful agency for a 6 figure sum
and nothing whatsoever to do with my
going on an extended holiday to Italy - that's just
a rumour I put about so other open-mike acts
wont get jealous.

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Karen · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 524

and the relevance to the thread is....?
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hils jago · Joined: 27 May 2001 Posts: 55 Location: London

There are acts who have developed enough on open spot/new act nights to be making their way as jobbing comics (you know who you are!)

However many bookers in London read through the listings in Time Out's comedy section to check what big names are around that they might want to see for example, or what other clubs are up to, and as a consequence do notice names that pop up a lot as they scan through the listings.

If they see names that feature a lot in Open Spot nights they will assume that you aren't yet good enough to be getting much in the way of paid gigs, and therefore will follow what they perceive as the example of other bookers.

Simply speaking once you are a quite good new act - and you will know when you are because bookers of new act/open spot gigs will be ringing you and not the other way round - then they will increasingly be sufficiently keen to have you (as you will be raising the overall quality of their gig which helps to build audiences which is nice for the other acts and helps the booker cover his/her costs) that they will often agree to not name you in listings if that is the condition you place on accepting the booking. That way you get the stage time but will lose the label of new act. Simple really. (An alternative for good new acts is to ring round the new act/open spot gigs you like doing after TimeOut's listings have gone to press - the Wednesday before the Wednesday that Time Out comes out on - and ask if they might be able fit you in! Some bookers get really cross about getting calls like this so you have to have a sense of whether they'll think it's reasonable. Some bookers may be more amenable to you dropping in on the offchance - Jimmy Carr was a past master in that particular art!)

Negotiating to be "unlisted" is similar to top acts doing secret gigs - they want some unpressured stage time for some reason, and the gig gains kudos by association. For example, it's not so different from Frank Skinner being unlisted at AmusedMooseSoho on the last ten Thursdays.
Thanks Frank, and happy Christmas everyone!

TheBrookerMan · Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 737 Location: Nottingham

Must admit, I was quite surprised when I came down to do my first gig in London a few weeks back. As a somewhat provincial lad I've still less than ten slots under my belt since I started out in May this year. A London based comic tended to have upwards of thirty gigs in the same sort of timnescale.

The capital struck me as a bit of a comedy microcosm. Easy to get work but harder to be noticed? Does it put paid to the "If you want to succeed in comedy you have to be based in London" myth?

Sorry if this is slightly off topic but I find it fascinating. As far as the not doing new act nights thing goes? As a new act myself there's nothing I appreciate more than being to rub shoulders with someone that's made their way in the business. Really enjoy the chance to swap my extraordinarily limited supply of anecdotes and pick their brains a bit.

If snobbery of sorts is stopping some venues from booking certain acts for this stigma then it's very much their loss. At the end of the day talent will win through, good comedians will do well and those venues could well end up being snubbed by the folk they turned their noses up at.

Phew. Rant over...

Yours in relative ignorance

Chris
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Anthony Miller · Joined: 21 Jun 2001 Posts: 11051 Location: Chavdon

Well, I started out of town and I found for
actual stage time it was better in some ways.
I got myself a compere/spot at a music club
more by accident than ambition
[not actually a comedy gig......]
because the bloke who was supposed to compere
had a drink problem.

...so I could just waffle/introduce the acts
do some material as needed which is a great way
to build up a back catalogue of material without
being under too much pressure. There wasn't
any expectation to be funny so when and if I was
it was a sort of bonus.

On the negative side without the pressure
there isn't the need to
tighten-up your material... and you can write very lazilly.

I found when I came to London
there's a lot more pressure for gags-per-minute.
Sometimes I think too much so....

While there were less venues
they were actually cheap to get to - my main one I could go
by foot - and it's easier to get on .................?
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Vjacheslav Trushkin · Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 14

LOOK

HILS JAGO posted on this thread.

How funny is that?

spikymike · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 5825 Location: Nottingham

Thanks for reviving this thread. Very good reading.
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andrewoneill · Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 1367 Location: London

johnm · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 401

Gumby · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Posts: 255

Won't promoters be reluctant to pay you some good quiddage if you played round the corner the month or week before for free?

johnm · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 401

mullone · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 3732 Location: Fortress Wapping

PJ · Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 77 Location: South Oxfordshire

[quote="spikymike"]Thanks for reviving this thread. Very good reading.[/quote]

revived after being killed off by A Miller - how curious.

Basic rules apply though, if you are good for 5-10 minutes you wil shine for 5-10 minutes. If you can do better for longer you might just make a living.

Brian Damage · Joined: 11 May 2001 Posts: 1114 Location: Londinium

I think you should stop doing the smaller gigs when you realise that you are in this business to do what you are told to do... not what you want to do.
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Jamie Goodwin · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 176 Location: Blackpool

Having just finished my first full year of gigging I'm of the view that you have to take what's offered. Just moved up to ten spots but still happily take a five or whatever is offered because It's better than no stage time at all. I'm still new compared to most I know and maybe over time my views will change.

But yes there are already clubs I won't go to, It's nice to have at least one member of the audiance that isn't an act Rolling Eyes

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