After I helped kick off the Tringe Comedy Festival by making my Stand Up comedy debut at the Roving Comedy Night on on Sunday 1st July in Tring I have been watching rather than performing over the last couple of weeks, while working on some other writing projects and trying to line up more stand up gigs for the next couple of months.
Neil Quigley Stand Up
The Tringe Comedy Festival is a three week event that gives act’s the chance to preview or in some cases hone the shows they are taking to this summer’s Edinburgh Festival. The other week I went and saw Marlon Davis and Seann Walsh at the Court Theatre in Tring both were very funny and because they were both trying out new material the gigs were very relaxed and as an audience I think we felt we were helping them to improve and shape their new show’s while still having a brilliant night out. Everyone wins.
Then last week I went to my second Tringe Comedy Festival Show at the Limelight Theatre in Aylesbury to see Nas Osmanoglu and Chris Ramsey perform their preview’s of their Edinburgh Shows again both really funny and entertaining, with a very relaxed and chilled feel to the evening which added to the atmosphere. For me after doing my first couple of Stand Up Comedy appearances getting to watch four top professionals up close in work in progress action was both fascinating and invauable and most of all a right good laugh. See it is possible to learn and have fun doing so.
I have done a little review of each of the gigs I have been to, you can see my contribution and features on each of the perfomances here http://www.deetv.tv/
I am off to the final night of the Tringe tonight to see Josh Widdicombe and Mark Watson perform, then there is a little after show party for everyone who has been part of the festival which I am looking forward to. I will tell you all about it in my next update.
I was gutted the when the Hit Factory Live was cancelled, I was really looking forward to seeing all the Stock, Aitken and Waterman acts performing, with Steps headlining and Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue back on stage togther, hopefully they can re-arrange it for later in the year. Luckily for me I would not have to wait long to actually see some live music.
Last Saturday I went to Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park in London. It was been well documented that it has been a very wet summer. However I felt very strange wearing my Wellington Boots on the train up to London, on the Tube and in the pub I went to on the Edgeware Road for some pre gig drinks. Mind you when I arrived in Hyde Park it was clear it was the correct choice of footwear.
Neil Quigley at Hard Rock Calling
It was the first time I had been to the mini festival and despite the mud it was amazing, I watched some great performances from Tommy Morello. Lady Antebellum and John Fogerty before the main attraction Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band. To show how much The Boss likes performing he could not even wait until the start of his set to appear on the stage. He joined John Fogerty at the end of his bit and they did a great version of Status Quo’s Rockin’ All Over the World.
Bruce and the E Street Band were sensational from the very first note, that man has so much stage presence and charisma he just draws in the whole crowd, while effortlessly belting out big hit after big hit accompanied by one of the best backing bands of all time with the lovely touch of replacing the late great Clarence Clemons on the sax with his nephew Jake Clemons.
The Boss in action
Then just when you think a gig can’t get any better, Bruce stops to introduce a guest I didn’t quite hear who it was but noticed someone walking on, I thought that looks like Paul McCartney, he has just picked up a Mcartney style guitar, he is getting ready to play that left handed, it is, Bruce has just been joined on stage by Sir Paul McCartney that was just a magical moment and great to see two heroes of mine on the same stage performing together. They played ”I Saw Her Standing There” and a ten minute version of “Twist and Shout”, which I could have listened to all night, unfortunately somebody did not feel the same and the plug was pulled on the gig while they were in mid flow. It did not really detract from the concert for me, but it did mean it was a very strange end to the night as they walked off stage in silence.
I have always wanted to see Sir Paul McCartney play live so it was great to get the chance to do that and if you get the chance, just to watch a man at the top of his game if nothing else go and see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live and then you will see why he is called “The Boss.”
Speak to you in a few weeks, remember music and comedy is the future. Have fun.
