2004
On Saturday the 7th of Feb, I went and saw La Fura Dels Baus: XXX. Here's a link www.xxxinoz.com.au
It was pretty intense. 4 main actors (2 female, 2 male) all went starkers many times during the show. They even came into the audience a few times (1 guy did strip off, but I'm guessing all the audience participators were plants). I got front row center seat which would have been really good if the play was in English, but the majority was in Spanish (except for when an interpretor came out into the audience with the actors). They did have subtitles on 2 plasma screens, but they were on either side of the stage. So you had to make a choice of looking away to read, or watch the action. Certainly not a show for the easily offended.
On March 24th I went to the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala (2004). I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get around to watching the recording I made when it was on TV to see if I can spot myself. I also went to see Lano & Woodley: The Island on the 14th of April. Also very funny considering Frank Woodley (the physical comedian) had an accident the week before and they had to re-write the show because he was on crutches. Hopefully when the Comedy Festival is on next year, I will have enough free time to see more shows.
Then on May 1st 2004 I saw Cirque Dreams. I try to go to all the different Cirque Du Soliel shows. This is my 3rd. Decided not to see Quidam.
2005
The 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (during which I will have my 30th birthday). Went to the Comedy Gala again and it was great. Have also been to see Steven Wright and he did an hour and a half set. He was very good and he maybe used 5-10 minutes only of material I had heard before. Saw Mike Wilmott mid April and I was pissing myself laughing. He was playing at the Melbourne Town Hall and the best bit is that there were heaps of comedians down at the bar before the show.
Saw Margaret Cho on July 23rd. Very funny. I had gotten my ticket a bit late during the sales and had a seat up the back. 10 minutes before the show started however, an usher came and selected 8 of us from our row and we got moved all the way to the front. 5 minutes after that he came back and apologised because he had grabbed 2 too many people. A group of 4 decided to go back to another seat and I had a nice big space to myself :) Just as the show was about to start the guy that had been serving at the snack counter came to the seats. Turns out he was the owner of the theatre as well and we all got free nibbles.
Went to a special Stand Up for Womens Rights Comedy Concert that had heaps of comedians performing.
2006
Saw Billy Connoly in Melbourne on the 23rd of January. He did a non stop show for 2 and a half hours and for the last hour I was getting desperate to get out of my seat before my ass fell off. I was in the front row, but his spittle missed me.....lol
Have tickets to see the next Comedy Festival Gala (Was pissed at the website when ordering tickets. Due to a screw up on their site, it took me 40 mins to get a ticket from the start of sale. Even though I had already selected my tickets at the beginning sale time a glitch wouldn't let the sale go through)
Have also added tickets to
Ross Noble April 18th
Arj Barker April 20th
Dylan Moran April 25th
Lano & Woodley: Goodbye April 26th (they are breaking up after 20 years)
Pauly Shore April 27th (yes that Pauly Shore )
Mike Wilmot/Rich Hall May 4th
And the big one....
The Comedy Lock In at the Hi Fi Bar. It was supposed to go for 20 hours, but due to some licencing issues it got cut to 7 hours.
There were some others I wanted to see, but I think this will be a big of enough effort for me. Also after each of those main shows, I went to 1 or 2 more shows to fill up the night.
So will I still be laughing at the end or will I have gone completly insane?
Complete review of what I did and other shows I saw can be found here http://forums.pcpowerplay.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=44602&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Also recently found a link to pics from the Laughapalooza I went to. http://laughingstock.com.au/lpoozapics/CD4A66BB-AB67-4C99-BDF2-328F40E36628.html Shame there are no audience ones...or maybe it's a blessing....
Went to the Comedy Festival Roadshow in Shepparton as it had Eddie Perfect appearring there.
Saw The Woman in Black on July 20th. Period story about a ghost. Wasn't all that great, but John Waters did some great acting considering he was also doing another musical and All Saints (TV show) at the same time. Damn he has alot of lines to remember.
On September 9th I saw Drum Tao http://www.drum-tao.com/
On Oct 14th I went to the Comedy Gala Benefit for Amnesty International. Lots of great people there. Listened to Tim Minchins new album very loudly on the way up and back. Go buy it.
On Oct 22nd I went to the Comedy Gala Benefit for The Smith Family. Also lots of great people.
On Oct 26th I saw David Strassman and was in the 2nd row. Needless to say I did get soaked a couple of times by Chuck. Great show.
On Dec 1st I saw Babes in the Wood. Rather odd Panto/Policitical commentary. Some good bits, but didn't make much sense if loooking at it as 1 story.
On Dec 2nd I saw La Clique at The Famous Spiegeltent. Was a great show filled with odd ball acts. Wanted to go see it again with someone, but no tickets available for the rest of it's run.
Have started to go to regular comedy gigs around Melbourne now due to a different work schedule. Will definitely be going to The Local in St Kilda every Monday now and either to The Laundry or Cue Bar in Fitzroy on a Wednesdays. Also have the Afterdark Bar in Northcote the last Thursday if each month with gigs on. Will also try to get to other gigs as I am able.
2007
Tenacious D rocked hard. Can't say I like Festival Hall as a venue. No a/c, not a big fan of echo hall sound as I'd like to be able to understand the lyrics and no new material from what I could make out. Still enjoyed it though. Great set pieces.
Saw Walking With Dinosaurs Live March 23rd, great show with awesome animatronics.
Saw an absolute fuck tonne of shows at this years Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Total shows seen was 63 and I blogged each night I went, over on my Myspace page.
Caught The Beatiful Loosers with Fresh Filth at The Butterfly Club after the festival ended. Great collection of comedy songs and a great show.
Saw Karin Muiznieks (Mozart) Can't Afford a Real Show. It was an absolutely fantastic Comedy/Burlesque collection of comedic songs. So wish I had a video of it.
Have The Beautiful Loosers: The Worst of on the 14th of Sept.
Then what is probably a show with the most expensive ticket I have ever purchased ($175) The War of The Worlds late September. Should be an awesome musical experience.
Sammy J with Randy on the 28th of Sept. La Clique (2 tickets this year) on 3rd of Nov. Then Monty Pythons SPAMALOT! on the 21st of Dec.
Will just throw out shows that I have seen as I have been lax in keeping up to date.
Karin Muiznieks: Better at a Distance. Just as good as her last show.
Reuben Krum: The Naughty Show. Karin and Reuben are also doing a Christmas show together that I will be seeing.
Sammy J with his 58kgs show at The Famous Spiegeltent
Don We Now Our Gay Apparel with Caity, Emma and Elle Sejean
Sammy J and Randy: Christmas Show
2008
Raggamuffin. 6 hours of Reggae with UB40, Maxi Priest, Arrested Developement, The Wailers and Katchafire
Melbourne International Comedy Festival went off. I attended 86 shows this year and the longest I stayed awake for to attend a couple of shows and Mark Watsons 24 hour show was just over 40 hours.
Coming up through the year is Andrew Finnegan and Sammy J at the Butterfly Club. Edward Scissorhands: the Musical/Ballet (yeah I know, but I didn't actually know it was going to be a ballet until I had bought the tickets. I"m going for the Orchestra playing Danny Elfman music. Wicked, a friend is the understudy for Elphaba (the green one!). Lenny Henry and Chris Rock at Hamer Hall.