Things I like

I saw Sigur Ros for the second time last Friday in NYC and they were again just incredible. They have such an amazing performance style that I haven't really seen with other bands. Their music is really great and they really build slowly through songs, instead of songs on the radio, where you are basically told what to think and its verse verse chorus verse verse chorus bridge verse ending with clever use of song title with different/new meaning now. Sigur Ros is different and if you haven't listened to them, check out their albums ( ), Takk, and Ágætis Byrjun. Absolutely great. If you go to their website you can actually seen an entire concert they performed in Iceland in November of 2005, plus their music videos and other songs. On a different note, I've been thinking a lot about standup and the actual performance art of standup. What does it take to actually be able to turn this into a career? I have met tons of comics over the past 2 years and there are so many with different approaches and ideas. I think many of them think the opposite of me when it comes to standup and actually performing for an audience and that is what makes this such a unique thing. There is no written code or rule book that can tell you how to be good and how to succeed, you just have to learn on your own. If you are a new comic and I'm talking new as in 1-4 years of standup, don't be so concerned with booking gigs and getting your name out there and traveling and making sure you are on the best shows in town and that you are crushing every time you get on an open mic stage and that your performance schedule is forever loaded with shows. These years are the years to just learn, absolutely learn what it is you are doing, why you are doing it and how to do it so that you enjoy it everytime you do it. Obviously as you go there will be booked/paid gigs that you'll get and by all means definitely jump on them, but don't let those be the main concern when you write jokes and you think about your performance style. Just perform. Go to the open mics and just have fun. I am 2 years in and I am just now learning how to just have fun on stage. I'm learning how to properly communicate with a group of people that happen to be willing to listen to me for however many minutes. I'm learning how to take ideas that I have and show people that they are really funny ideas instead of seeing if they like it or not. You truly have to be funny, not necessarily your material, you. You are the comedian. Getting on stage and having people watch you and listen to you is an opportunity. What are you going to say? Learning how to relax and be completely yourself is more interesting and entertaining than a person with great material but no presentation or personality. Audiences, in my opinion, want to see you, who you truly are. Bill Hicks said if you can't think of something funny to say, don't worry, just be interesting. Thats true. I'd watch anyone perform that is interesting, they don't necessarily have to have me crying with laughter. Learning how to communicate your ideas to a group of people is what the 1-4 years is for. Get that down, hammer that out, then take it to other places and see if you still enjoy it. If you aren't performing standup for the money and the fame then you shouldn't ever fret over what gigs you may or may not be booking. Be happy that there are open mics you can get on and actually have people listen to the ideas you came up with. That alone is all you will ever need to truly have fun. p.s. there are some really great comics in DC right now and they are at the open mics all week long. Come out, grab a beer and check them out. Some of these guys are absolutely hilarious on and off the stage and they are really becoming some of my very best friends. I'm starting to realize that sometimes there is a better comedy show in the back of the open mic where the comics are hanging out, than on the stage. I couldn't be more excited and happier with where I am in comedy and where a lot of my friends are. Its best to make good comic friends along the way because they really are the only ones that can relate to what its like to be on the stage. You'll have so much more fun when you start doing that.