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On The Road with John Wallace
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The Realities of Stand-Up on The Road
​Although I’m still very new to stand-up — with only around a dozen gigs under my belt — I’ve had a handful of experiences performing outside of Glasgow in places like Falkirk, Paisley, and Hamilton. These weren’t exactly bold leaps across the comedy map, but each one offered something different and valuable.
My first time at the Falkirk Comedy Club in Falkirk was a quiet night clashing with a Champions League match — I think Celtic were playing Juventus — so only five or six people turned up. Still, it was a great space with an elevated stage and a mix of newcomers and seasoned pros trying new material. The stage is like a boxing ring, with ropes around it, so I made my entrance to the Rocky theme tune, and then told some jokes and sang my silly little song.
Returning later to a fuller room made it even more enjoyable. I also did a few sets at The JNKYRD in Hamilton, which was in a conservatory at the back of the pub. It had a small supportive vibe, hosted by the very welcoming John Caruthers, perfect for cutting my teeth and getting comfortable on stage.
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In Paisley, I have performed both at the Bungalow and Pockets, both very different experiences. The Bungalow gave me a real confidence boost one night with great audience feedback, only for me to return with very similar material at a gong show and be off in under five minutes — a humbling reminder of how unpredictable comedy can be.
Pockets was something else entirely: a dark, run-down room in a dilapidated snooker club, where the tables only have three legs 😊, performing in front of the young team tucking into their Chinese, no stage lights, and a mic that barely worked. And yet, it was still fun — just a bunch of us new comics trying stuff out, with one seasoned act to close.
I’m still figuring out my voice and material, hoping to develop a set I can take on the road. I’ve tended to ramble on for anything from 5 to 10 minutes and not repeat the same material – focussing on current affairs as a preference. The wrong thing for newcomers to do! With a few compilation spots lined up for the Fringe and ongoing work through Viv Gee’s Advanced course, I’m slowly building towards something more consistent.