UPCOMING GIGS

Comedy Gigs So Far

A list of the comedy venues I've done so far:

• Standup@sound, Sound Hall, Lerwick
• Haha Raw, Ivory Hotel, Glasgow
• Breakneck Comedy, Blue Lamp, Aberdeen
• Standup-Helly-Aa, Garrison Theatre, Lerwick
• Red Raw, The Stand, Edinburgh
• Red Raw, The Stand, Glasgow
• Absolute Beginners, Beehive Inn, Edinburgh
• Clickimin Centre, Lerwick
• Snafu, Aberdeen
• Comedy Corner, Bacchus, Glasgow
• Haroldswick Hall, Unst
• Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Competition, Meadow Bar, Edinburgh
• Cellar 35, Aberdeen
• Comedy@the Tron, Tron Bar, Edinburgh
• State Bar, Glasgow
• Creased Comedy, Trent House, Newcastle
• Comedy Church, The Lounge, Largs
• Comedy@the Halt, Halt Bar, Glasgow
• Comedy Camp, Rush Bar, Edinburgh
• Laughing Horse New Acts of the Fringe, Meadow Bar, Edinburgh
• The Jocks & Geordies, Meadow Bar, Edinburgh
• Fresh Faces at the Fringe, White Horse, Edinburgh
• PG Tips Up, Sin Lounge, Edinburgh
• Free Booze, Cafe Renroc, Edinburgh
• Long Live Comedy, Dog & Parrot, Newcastle
• Fresh Faces at the Fringe, Glode, Edinburgh
• Mirth of Forth's Packed Lunch, White Horse, Edinburgh
• Laughter for Lunch, Beehive, Edinburgh
• Anatolia, Hackney, London
• Anam, Islington, London
• Royal George, Charing Cross Rd, London
• Royal Hotel, Penicuik
• Wayside Bar, Edinburgh
• The Tunnels, Aberdeen
• White Horse Inn, Balmedie
• Bellmans, Penicuik

Most Northerly Gig

On Friday night, I did my most northerly gig in the UK's mostn northerly venue - Haroldswick Hall in Unst.

I had originally intended going to see Steve Earle at the Clickimin Centre in Lerwick.  However, when I got the chance to do some stand-up at the Baltasound Junior High School staff 'do', I jumped at the chance.  Turned out Steve Earle was cancelled anway. He got stuck in Inverness due to fog.  Will get a refund on my tickets anyway.

For those that don't know, Unst is the most northerly island in Shetland and involves 2 ferry crossings to get there.  After the first ferry, driving through the island of Yell, I was reduced to a crawl for much of the way due to freezing fog.  Thought I was going to reach the next ferry in time.  Did though and coming over the hill, before dropping down into Baltasound it all looked very ethereal.  A cloak of low lying fog hung over the houses, penetrated by a yellow glow from street lights.

I'd lived in and taught at the school there for 6 and a half years, so it was a bit like coming home. On to the bus laid on and got a great welcome.  The same when I got into the hall.

After the emal, did a fifteen minute spot - most people hadn't known I was coming up - never mind doing stand-up!

Unst is a great wee community, but now their small secondary school is being threatened with closure.  It's a great wee school, and an important hub for the whole community.  The Unst folk are resilient and I know they will not take this lying down.  I hope there's many more do's I can get to.

Want to see more about the school, then check out their web-site:  http://www.baltasound.shetland.sch.uk/

Also check out Sandy Nelson's blog on the right-hand side for snippets about Unst life.

A Quick Update

At Peerie Bryan's request, a quick update to show that I'm still alive:

Since January, done gigs at Garrison Theatre in Lerwick, a coupla times at the Stand in Edinburgh and Glasgow (alongwith Daniel Sloss who you might have seen recently on Paul O'Grady Show, Gavin Webster, Kevin Bridges - who was on Michael McIntyre's Roadshow), the Beehive in Edinburgh, the Clickimin in Lerwick (with Michael Redmond).

Saw Michael McIntyre perform at the Stand in Edinburgh and U2 and Elbow at Wembley Stadium (along with 90,000 other people).

Visited the Lake District and Cambridge for the first time.

Spent the Easter holidays on a beautiful island in Croatia.

Also got some upcoming gigs: Beehive Inn, Edinburgh (12th October); Snafu, Aberdeen (13th October); Bacchus, Glasgow (15th October).

I'll try and expand on some of the above later.

Stand Up Helly Aa

Our Up Helly Aa Fire Fest is fast approaching - and our next Shetland gig. The Lerwick UHA's the biggest but there's several smaller ones throughout the isles. I took part in one in Unst 3 years ago & have the pics to prove it. These may be posted later but are awaiting classification by the British Board of Censors. Definitely not for the squeamish!!!