Worst stand-up gig you've ever been to?

Exclamation Marc

Was just chatting with a mate there about awful gigs we've been to as we both hit a lot of comedy gigs through and was interesting just chatting about the worst and why they were so bad. This excludes gigs of young guys trying to get into the game and learning their material, and is more so about established "big names".

Mine was Dylan Moran's last tour. Was the opening night in Vicar Street and I've never seen such a shambolic show in my life. Seemed completely lost, massively repetitive and unprepared (and not in the vintage Dylan Moran way) Left the gig feeling massively underwhelmed and one of the only times I felt like I wasted money on a show.

Another was a female comedian at a Montreal Just for Laughs warm-up show in Vicar street, who spent 20 mins talking about her menstrual cycle, tampons, and bloodflow, it was horrendous.

My mates worst was the infamous Andrew Maxwell gig at the Comedy Carnival in 2009 where he lasted about 8 minutes on stage, a gig I luckily missed as I was at another gig at the carnvial.

Anyone else have any horror stories?

Lord TSC

Was at a charity gig a few years back. Had a selection of comedians. Joe Rooney was hosting and was great, Neil Delamare was great as well. The problem was that as the night went on, people got more and more drunk. Worse, there had been some rugby game on prior to the event, so a lot of the people showed up drunk to start off with, and only got worse as the show went on. A lot of heckling, a lot of shout. Delamare, to his credit, turned it to his advantage and started ripping into them, and was hilarious.

The shambles really came when Colin Murphy, the headline act, came on the stage. I had been to see him a few months before and knew how could he could be. But on this night, he was absolutly terrible. He had obviously been drinking pretty heavily throughout the show (the comedians didn't seem to have a dressing room, instead simply standing back beside the stage, so we could see him downing the pints); he was stuttering, repeating himself, making no sense. He was sweating badly, he was breathing heavily and he looked a nervous wreck on show. Even the drunks were getting fed up with him.

I'm not sure if it was nerves or sheer unprofessionalism, but it was a horrible end to an otherwise quite funny night.

tim_holsters

Brendan O' Carroll.

mailforkev

Was down at a gig at the Cat Laughs a few years back, can't actually remember who the headliner was (Dara Ó Briain possibly), and the undercard was an American lady called Tig Notaro. Without a doubt the worst gig I've ever seen.

There wasn't a single laugh in the entire room. I went out to use the toilet close to the end and as I walked in I met a stranger coming out who asked me was she over yet. Said it all.

Also saw Reginald D. Hunter in the IFI cinema a couple of years back. Saw him at a previous Cat Laughs and he was great, but this night was a disaster. It was the final date of his entire tour so he turned up fairly drunk only to find that the audience weren't allowed to bring drinks in from the bar outside and were all stone cold sober. Was an awkward night, crowd didn't go for it at all.

Miguel_Sanchez

Mike Wilmot at Kilkenny Cat Laughs this year.

Not sure if he was just too drunk or what but he bombed badly and resorted to pathetically abusing the crowd.

Truly sh*te.

eth0_

Anything involving Andrew Maxwell or David McSavage.

McSavage is just offensive and not very funny at all, but Maxwell is a shambolic mess - every time i've seen him he's been "well oiled" and it has been embarrassing to watch but it also shows such contempt for his audience who have paid money to see him.

dr gonzo

Shame about Reginald D Hunter, havent had a chance to see him yet but i always keep an eye out for him and Rich Hall, hope if i get to see him he'll be back on form.

I'll second Dylan Moran's last tour. A shambolic mess of a performance.

Laserhead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFPu4oSlIPE

As bad as it gets really. Really painful to watch.

bogmanfan

Fred Cooke.
Saw him twice earlier this year, supporting Ardal in Vicar St and Karl Spain in Newbridge. I actually felt bad for him, he was so terrible.

crazygeryy

hands down maeve higgins.the girl is just not funny and damned ugly to to boot.what people see in her is beyond me.and rte are cretins for giving her her own show.

McChubbin

Last October, Vicar Street with Dylan Moran.
Aside from getting bad seats (the balcony right in front of a large steel gurder), he wasn't on his game. Took too long to get to the punchlines and it was made worse by the way he would get stuck on a monologue, repeating himself constantly.

Sub-standard.

AnonoBoy

crazygeryy wrote: »

hands down maeve higgins.the girl is just not funny and damned ugly to to boot.

What's how she looks got anything to do with anything? :rolleyes:

jimi_t2

bogmanfan wrote: »

Fred Cooke.
Saw him twice earlier this year, supporting Ardal in Vicar St and Karl Spain in Newbridge. I actually felt bad for him, he was so terrible.

Fred Cooke was actually one of the best gigs I've ever been at when a friend of mine was supporting him inside in the Capitol a few moons back. Very nice bloke as well, but I could understand his style not transferring well to a big venue.

Oh, and WORST.GIG.EVER?

Andrew Maxwell. An absolute cnut.

oh and presumably Dave McSavage, not that I'd pay to go to one of his gigs.

xalot

David McSavage at a charity gig in Liberty Hall a couple of years ago, awful, just awful, when nobody was laughing he starting screaming at the audience that they were middle class w**kers who wouldn't know a joke if it slapped them in the face.
Saw Andrew Maxwell in Vicar St last year, usually like him but it was just awful and was really insulted when he walked off stage to get himself a pint, have never seen anything like it.

Paparazzo

tim_holsters wrote: »

Brendan O' Carroll.

I think the op meant comedians

Ash.J.Williams

mailforkev wrote: »

Was down at a gig at the Cat Laughs a few years back, can't actually remember who the headliner was (Dara Ó Briain possibly), and the undercard was an American lady called Tig Notaro. Without a doubt the worst gig I've ever seen.

There wasn't a single laugh in the entire room. I went out to use the toilet close to the end and as I walked in I met a stranger coming out who asked me was she over yet. Said it all.

Also saw Reginald D. Hunter in the IFI cinema a couple of years back. Saw him at a previous Cat Laughs and he was great, but this night was a disaster. It was the final date of his entire tour so he turned up fairly drunk only to find that the audience weren't allowed to bring drinks in from the bar outside and were all stone cold sober. Was an awkward night, crowd didn't go for it at all.

I heard that IFI gig was brilliant!