Summer meltdown, this weeks preview

it's July already! When did that happen? It's like we've just unwrapped our Christmas presents and then boom it's summer and the country is having some kind of meltdown with people still getting upset about the vote, honestly I've not seen this much bickering since Gareth Gates and Will Young went toe to toe but hey, this is Britian, whatever happens we will all be laughing about it soon enough and speaking of laughing it's comedy preview time.

This week we see Rob Mullholland and Paul Rickets among the new material acts at Jaceranda in what is a superb line up.
My fellow loiner Rob is smashing this comedy thing right now and rightly so, he is engaging, thoughtfully and ballsy if that's even a thing and it's only a matter of time before he's massive metaphorically as he's already massive vertically (if anyone can lend him an iron for his shirt though please do)
Rickets has a cheeky cockney charm and an eye for observation that make him a joy to watch, his jokes do come from a London centric style but these aren't lost on northern types as he can master the art of bringing us all in.
Also performing are fantastic acts such as Liam Pickford and Nick Clarke who I once described in my blog as fingerless Nick when he performed the day after slicing his finger off!


The weekend at Holiday inn looks as epic as ever with Dan Nightingale, Adam Staunton and Andrew Ryan
Nightingale is one of those acts that having seen him perform I have wept! I mean, I'll never be that good!! He can tell a story like no other and it feels like you're with a mate down the pub! Amazing.
Staunton has such well crafted stuff it's hard to imagine he's been performing less than 10 years, although to look at him it's hard to imagine he's older than 10 years! He hit the nail on the head for me with his stuff about applying for jobs and I'd say he's one of the best acts around right now.
Ryan has that thing that all Irish people seem to have, an Irish passport... Oh and the gift of poetic storytelling. His cheeky friendly demeanour alone are enjoyable to behold but let's not make out that's all there is to him as he packs in some brilliant punchlines.

Sunday sees new acts test their stuff or seasoned acts with new bits so if you can't make the weekend shoes but still want a funny fix pop to Holiday in for Hayley Ellis, Liverpools new wonder kid the superb Simon Wozniak and Tez Ilyas among some fresh new faces too.

Monday at Jacaranda is Ed preview time.
Patrick Monahan will be there with a free hug for everyone and the kind of stand up that makes everyone just want to be his friend, that won him TV's show me the funny and that has seen him rise up to be one of the most sought after comics in England.
Addy Van De Borgh will also bring his preview, Addy doesn't need jokes!! He can make you laugh just by being there! That said he has some of the most original material around and this show will no doubt be one of the ones to see at the fringe this year.

Have a belting week

J x

Rain and pain but no remain, this weeks preview

Stark contrast from where I was when I last looked up hot waters line up as today I sit in rain soaked EU departing, Euro knock out embarrassing England looking for things to take my mind off the bickering about votes, the rain and those idiots that earn more in 10 minutes than most of us in a year!

This, a shorter post than usual given that line ups are still being worked on tirelessly but the hot water team and that I have been inked on my right arm today and it's swollen like the ego of Fargae but less of the need to race Bob Geldoff along the Thames.

I'll start with the one confirmed act for Jaceranda, the gig that is rapidly becoming a cult favourite with audiences and acts alike will once again be hosted by Paul Smith.

Joining him this week is Kat Radley, not an act I've seen before. I'm told Kat is clever with a Penchant for potty humour, that in mind I had a quick Google and was excited by what I saw as the American confidently goes about her set with style that British acts can't and probably shouldn't replicate. She is skilled in her writing and deliver and you won't be disappointed.

This weekends shows include 2 absolute masters of their game in Eddy Brimson and Danny Pensive.
Brimson is confident and has his own abundant charisma, to use the words of chortle "Brimson manipulates the mixture of laughs and pseudo-shock masterfully" he has a style of delivery that is perfect and confidence that helps carry the performance.

Pensive the creation of John Cooper is an odd and endearing performer with a slice of surreal and a huge chunk of funny, I've seen Pensive several times and not once tired of his superbly crafted stuff

This week also sees 2 more Edinburgh previews with Dave Longley and Laura lexx bringing a taste of their shows to Liverpool.

Longley has had 4 previous Edinburgh shows and is about as audience adaptable as it gets in as much as any audience can adapt to him, this should be a riot.

Lexx is easily one of the most loverly humans ever! But lovely can't be funny?? My god yes it can and Lexx has funny plus 12!! She also has had previous solo shows at Edinburgh festival and is certainly a name you may hear more of in the future

J x

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Tickets for all shows available at www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Complicated relationship, this weeks preview

This Thursday we could be ending our relationship with Europe, its been complicated, we have had so may good times and the odd drunken night where we said some things about France and they got upset, but all in all its a relationship that I think has brought about a lot of divisive debate among friends and family alike... so when a video of Jim McDonald AKA Charles Lawson celebrating Northern Irelands win over Ukraine in the rain I think its fair to say we remembered to laugh like proper Brits.... and if its more laughter yer after so ye are then lets have a gander at who's gracing hot waters stages this week.

Wednesday at Jaceranda 2 of the cheekier up and coming acts that are absolutely destined for big things and making an appearance. Ben Briggs is wonderfully honest and has a bit of the devil in him that you can't help but enjoy. joining Ben is English comedian of the year Brennan Reece who as I have mentioned before is embarrassingly good for one so young.

The weekend shows at Holiday Inn have an eclectic and insanely talented line up that of course will be introduced by the best MC in the country in m humble opinion our very own Paul Smith. We have Chris McCausland, Tony Cowards and Micheal Fabbri. 

McCausland, a local act that has been smashing gigs all over the country and the world for 13 years is one of the most engaging story tellers I have ever had the joy to see. He talks of holidays to hot countries, his wife, being blind and all kinds of other wonderful anecdotes. 

Cowards is a different act altogether, a gagsmith, one liner merchant he has jokes on almost every subject and has the ability to make every type of audience laugh with clever, subtle writing or outrageous puns. 

Fabbri like McCausland began making audiences laugh in 2003 and starred in 'so you think you're funny' that year which was covered by channel 4. He effortlessly slips between topical, controversial or just plain silly material and has a style about him that you cant help but enjoy.

Don't forget this Sunday id the final of the new comedian of the year too, 10 bright stars of tomorrow will be performing for your appreciation and the chance to get themselves a kick upwards on the comedy ladder... could you witness the next big thing before they are discovered??

Monday at Jacaranda is Edinburgh Preview time again and this week we have Peter Brush, I did a preview of my own in Hull a few weeks back and Peter was there too running through his show which was amazing! Peter is so talented and churns out such well crafted material, this show will be amazing... go check it out!

Now I have some Spanish sun and English football to go enjoy, catch you all next week.

J x

Review: Heat 2 - New Comedian of the Year 2016

Review by Paul Smith:

The last few Sundays have seen the annual new act competition heats one and two. I know I bang on about our Sunday nights a lot but they hold a very special place in my heart and I truly believe that, of all the things we do at Hot Water, Sundays are perhaps the most important. Over the last six year we have tried every week to provide a friendly place where new acts can get stage time and in turn we have seen many new acts go on to become pros. I feel maybe that this will be our lasting legacy in comedy. I have no doubt that our pro weekend nights will continue to grow and get stronger as the have consistently over the last few years, but, it is in the Sundays that I think we truly see the future.

Each year in June we invite the best acts we can find that have less than 12 months experience to compete for the coveted title of Hot Water Comedy’s New Comedian of the Year. I don’t know if it is really happening or whether I’m just getting old but each year it seems the standard of these new acts rises by an incredible amount. This year in heat one we have already seen two of the most promising dead-pan style joke tellers that I can remember in Moses Ali Khan and Simon Lomas get through to the final. Then this week we had to put three acts through. (It’s normally two but I feel it should have been four…. I’ll go into that in a minute).

We had in joint first place Dan Fitzpatrick, a very confident former priest with some excellent material, not only about his time in the clergy but on a range of topics which was nice to see. I really enjoyed Dan’s. He is an act that I feel would flourish over a longer set, something I look forward to seeing. The other joint winner was the scarily talented character comedian Shell Byron (Ally Allerton), who after twelve gigs, was able to not only construct a very good set but also manage some brilliant crowd work. Not an easy feat. I don’t think I even looked at the crowd for the first year and a half doing stand up. Also going through in second place we had John McDonald, a solid performer with some killer lines and a very comfortable delivery.

On to the controversy of the heat. In doing these heats over the years, and in everything we do really, we try our best to be fair and unbiased. We have found that selecting random audience members to judge, as well as ourselves, usually gives an even view of how well each act has done and also gives a different perspective to the one we would get if we simply judged ourselves. During this heat however we had an anomaly. Scott Liversidge, a young performer, took to the stage proclaiming ‘I’m a transvestite’ and proceeded over the next five and a bit minutes to do brilliantly with his weirdly surreal set about travesticism and cheese. I have to be completely honest here I was surprised when I was handed the results to announce and Scott’s name was not on it. Not to take anything away from Dan, Shell and John, they all deserved their place. When we got the judges score sheets back and collated the results we found it all to be really close, except for one judge, who had scored Scott completely against the grain, giving him two out of ten for his performance. (outrageous!) Alas we do not know the motivation for this judge’s decision. He simply may not have liked surreal comedy or it could have been a darker bias which steered his scoring. As the judging is random we do not know. All I know is that Scott Liversidge was excellent in my book.

The same can be said for Tom Bates and Ben Turner, both excellent acts who missed out narrowly in going through. Controversy aside, as our new act competition heads into its third and final heat, one thing is certain. These new acts coming through are of a very high standard. A couple of years ago the comedy circuit took a big hit but if these new acts are any indication then comedy is very healthy indeed. They have sharp writing, crowd work, stage presence and above all they all seem to love comedy. In five, ten, maybe twenty years time, these will be the big names. These new acts, who grace our stage, are the future of stand up and I feel glad that our Sunday nights are helping in some part to nurture that future.

This weeks preview

Greetings from Sunny Spain... Figured I'd enter Europe one more time before the possibility of us not being friends anymore (can't happen can it?)
Also I have some gigs here, yeah that's right 'international comedian' now!! But what's going on back home?

Well I'm in hot weather but there are some amazing acts in Hot Water... I dare say one of the most outrageously exciting line ups this week at Jaceranda (which will be tonight by the time this goes out)

Paul Smith again hosts as heavyweights Daliso Chaponda, Gary Delaney, Caimh McDonnell and Kiri Pritchard McLean all take to the stage.

I don't need to say much about Delaney, his act is one of the most sought after in the country as he continues to wow audiences with his joke writing skill and as proven with appearances on mock the week.
Daliso is the only Malawian comedian (that we know of) and can turn his hand to most types of comedy from biting political satire or filthy stuff! He's a joy to watch.
McLean is well known for her non performing role in Geins family gift shop, she is both and excellent MC and... Well go see for yourself.

The weekend is no change of pace in quality. It's getting easier and easier for me to preview this with superlatives given the standards the boys at hot water have.
This week there is Rory O Hanlon, Erich Mcelroy and Steve Day making the triple headline show another epic one.
O Hanlon is a Dubliner with an observational style that's endearing, entertaining and expert (I wanted to try some kind of rule of three thing here and expert was all I could think of... He is expert though!!)
McElroy moved to the UK from Seattle in 2000 and a year later he was performing stand up a decision that has served him well. He has a natural ease with audiences and can talk about British life from an outsiders point of view with hilarious accuracy.

Steve Day was the 1st headline act I booked many years ago when I 1st started to get involved in comedy, he still to this day was one of the best. He is warm, engaging and has rapid fire jokes as well as some superb annecdotes about being a dead man in modern society.


There's more this week
Sunday we have a heat of new comedian of the year, the Sunday night shows are always great and this has the added edged new acts competing to be crowned Hot Water new comedian of the year an accolade that can really help acts get going.

Even better there's still more!!!
Monday at Jaceranda two of hot waters top performers are previewing their Edinburgh festival shows.
Adam Rowe needs no introduction to Hot water audiences but this is a show you've not seen before and his standards are high so this will be a treat and Danny McLoughlin is bringing his show to Liverpool and if his usual style of cheeky amiable comedy that takes the joke 3 steps fur than than you expect then this will be another one not to miss.

Right I'm off to make ex pats laugh before they all get packed off back home next week!! 😉

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Book now at www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

NYE 2016 - 3 SHOWS - PAUL SINHA

We're very excited to announce that international stand up comedian Paul Sinha will be performing at both of our Liverpool NYE 2016 shows & also our Wirral show.

Paul is one of the very best comedy acts available in the world right now and we're very excited.

Our NYE shows are super popular and have sold out the past 4 years running well in advance. We'd advise very early booking to avoid disappointment.

Another absolutely incredible special guest will be announced soon for our Liverpool shows and 2 more for our Wirral show.

In the meantime, here is a little more about Paul.

Medically qualified Paul Sinha is now a critically acclaimed international stand up comedian of many years standing who first achieved media recognition in 2006 when his solo show Saint or Sinha was nominated for the If.comedy (formerly Perrier) award at the Edinburgh Festival.

Since then he has been something of a fixture on Radio 4 with the series Paul Sinha?s Citizenship Test and Paul Sinha?s History Revision as well as one off shows on cricket, the 2012 Olympics and Magna Carta.

He has also made frequent appearances on Radio 4 favourites News Quiz, Just a Minute, and The Now Show and has registered several victories on Radio 5?s feisty weekly sports panel show Just a Minute. As a live comic, Paul has performed several extremely well received solo shows, has had two national tours, performed in Beijing, Munich, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Tokyo as well as many non Olympic cities across the globe.

He appeared in the first two series of the Stewart Lee curated tv show Alternative Comedy Experience and in 2014 Paul was voted ?Best Club Comedian? in the annual Chortle Awards.

In addition to this Paul has carved out a further career as a professional quizzer, attaining grandmaster status in 2014, reaching a career high UK ranking of 7 in 2015.

Since 2011 Paul has been one of the regular 'Chasers' on ITV?s awardwinning quiz show The Chase.

Tickets from £23.

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NYE FULL SHOW LISTINGS

LIVERPOOL (Holiday Inn)

EARLY SHOW - Details here

LATE SHOW & DISCO (3 Course meal option) - Details here

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WIRRAL (Gladstone Theatre)

SHOW - Details here

A bit good, weekend preview

I've had a day gardening today! It's about as exciting having done that as it is for you to read that I've spent my Monday in the garden being all half hearted in my attempt to make it tolerable to sit out as we have another 2 day burst of sunshine that convinces everyone we don't need to visit Spain any more let's not worry if the leave vote wins and we need visas because British summer is having a go!!!

I also at the age of 36 discovered what secateurs are today, they are those things I've never used ever kinda like vacuum cleaners and a toothbrush (in case it's not clear that was a joke!!) anyway I'm rambling about my Monday when I should really be talking you through this weeks live stand up comedy in Liverpool as hot water comedy club again brings you brilliant entertainment and big laughs! (You should read that in X factor voice over guys voice, its way better!!)

This Wednesday once again there is another brilliant line up live comedy from Jaceranda basement with MC Paul Smith introducing more pro acts playing with their bits!
Among the pick of the acts this week are Will Duggan and one of my lovely mates in this comedy world Amy Gledhill.

Will has to be one of the most enjoyable acts to watch I've seen in a while, his brilliant mind and cheeky smile make his comedy somewhere between brilliant and really bloody brilliant!

Amy is someone who I 1st met when she was doing (originally a spelling error led to the autocorrect saying Doug!! I am glad I spotted that, funny as it is she was not Doug back then) her 5th or 6th gig and she was nervous claiming to be struggling with her confidence and that should would struggle... It was a competition gig that she wiped the floor with all other acts myself included and won at a canter!! She's a bit good if by a bit good I mean one of the comedians I most look forward to seeing each year because everyone gets better at this and she was already amazing from gig one!!
The other fantastic acts on the line up are Pete Otway and Wendy Watson making this another stellar line up!

The weekend triple headline show at Holiday Inn sees an act I 1st saw smashing a butlins gig in front of about 2000 people at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon!! Steve Shanyaski is just funny!! He not only creates moments of jaw aching laughter from everyday life but he really brings the story to life and has a delivery and style that are majestic.
Local comic Rob Thomas once again graces the stage of his home gig and the charm he brings to the stage along with the funnies make him stand out over other acts. Having seen him twice deliver killer sets on tricky nights I can safely say you would want to see more.
Jen Brister is half Spanish half English all hilarious! She has been performing for over 14 years including sketch but it's her stand up that she has well and truly established herself as one of the top headline acts working today. She has a superb 5 star solo show called wishful thinking and is a real treat for you lovely humans of Liverpool.

Go catch this weeks live comedy, it's going to be awesome!!

J x

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Visit www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk for more information and to buy tickets

Hot Water Comedy Club at The Dancehouse Theatre

Hot Water Comedy Club comes to Dancehouse Theatre, Manchester.

This Autumn will see a new collaboration between one of the North West’s most loved new comedy clubs and one of Manchester’s most loved old theatres bringing Hot Water Comedy Clubs' flagship 'Triple Headline' show to the city every Saturday night.

On Saturday 4th June, Hot Water Comedy Club will bring it’s headline comedians to the Dancehouse Theatre on Oxford Road. For six years Hot Water has been entertaining audiences across the North West, providing a place where comedy fans can see the best in local and international comedians without breaking the bank.

This new venture, which sees the club trying to establish a place in Manchester is ‘very exciting’ according to the club’s owner Paul Blair. When asked about the move Mr Blair stated ‘We have been looking for a venue in Manchester which we felt would allow us to grow as a club and provide the same service in Manchester as we have done so successfully in other places. When we saw the Dancehouse we got a great feeling and knew that this beautiful venue would be perfect. We have an ethos of providing the best comedy that the UK has to offer at great prices so hopefully we will be able to strengthen the already great comedy scene in Manchester and continue to grow ourselves and nurture new, up and coming talent’.

The Dancehouse, the well known Art Deco beauty in the heart of Manchester welcomes Hot Water for the first show on Saturday 4th June. Tickets can be purchased from www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk/Manchester and www.thedancehouse.co.uk, or from the Box office by calling 0161 237 9753 or 0161 237 1413 or visiting the venue itself at The Dancehouse, 10 Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 5QA

Enjoy 50% off for all tickets (purchased this week only) with discount code DAN7

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Shows start on Saturday 4th June with MC Freddy Quinne, Eddy Brimson, James Meehan and star of 'Mrs Browns' Boys' & 'Phoenix Nights' SMUG ROBERTS

 Tickets are only £15 / £10 Concessions

Visit www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk/Manchester for all up and coming shows.

Words can't describe, weekend preview

Having skipped a week due to having a zillion gigs I am back to look at another hot water weekend. With a load of football this weekend, England, champions league, playoffs and after a bit of bank holiday boozing, maybe chilling watching the cricket (or if you're interesting/ have a life perhaps you did something better) then the return to your staple weekend watching the funnies is a must... If it's not your staple it should be because life is tough and people keep posting ridiculous arguments for and against brexit on social media... Listening to people be funny is ideal for staying sane!!

As ever I look at some of the pro acts testing new bits at Jaceranda on weds 1st, and what a treat this week.
Among the talented comedians on display are Freddy Quinne and Jack Evans.
Quinne is just instantly likable even when he is tearing into his audience as he sometimes can, he is quick minded and hugely entertaining so if you haven't seen him before rectify that this week.
Evans is different from your average comedian, he is wacky and surreal at times, energetic and loud sometimes and laid back with sharp wit at times, what you always get is absolute belly laughs. Also performing will be English comedian of the year Breannan Reece and Chris Tavner.

The weekend is packed as it usually is with some of the best comics in the business and Friday and Saturdays boiling point is no exception.
Paul Smith will once again warm you up with his wonderful charm and wit and will introduce Jeff Innocent, Peter Brush and Bobby Mair.

Innocent is an absolute powerhouse of a comedian, there are so few things I could say that would do justice to just how good he is so I'll just cop out and advise you to go see for yourself!!!
Peter Brush like myself is one of the handful of Leeds acts that is sneaking into the world of comedy... Peter is genuinely one of the best joke writers I have seen in the 16 years I've been watching comedy and that's no Leeds bias thems just facts!!
Bobby Mair is another of Canada's finest exports and this guy just has a strange charisma that you can't help but enjoy, he recently performed at a gig where the fire alarm went off, upon seeing the building evacuated he stopped the Audience outside and continued his set on a park bench while the fire brigade dealt with the alarm!! I can't describe how amazing it was!!

Ladies and Gents... This is going to be an epic weekend

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Tickets available for all shows at www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend preview, pinch don't punch

If you have the chance to go to Leicestershire the same day Leicester city are having an open top bus parade celebrating the premier league victory.... I'd advise it, and while dishing out rubbish advice why not make toasties in the bath.

As I'm sat here having just died on my arse at a gig I decided I needed cheering up, and so, a little jump on to see what's going on at Liverpools finest comedy club was sufficient to lighten my mood, yeah bugger off I'm easy pleased and I am essentially marketing the club! (It is ace though!)

Let's look at Wednesday's jacaranda line up then, Red Redmond hosts this week and the cheeky mirth maker who was once punched in the face by a man angry that a comedy club was happening in his pub is the least punchable looking human ever, if anything he looks like a pinch the cheek not punch type of guy.
Red introduces the fabulous Brennan Reece who is one of the most exciting acts in the vast see of exciting acts in the Northwest! Brennan has recently toured Australia after winning English comedian of the year.
Also on the line up is musical Midlands merrymaker Hannah Sylvester, I last saw Hannah perform around November last year and I was blown away by one hell of a set, I'd bloomin love to see her new stuff in action, I can't but you can so bloody do!!


The weekend shows at Holiday inn are as ever of a standard that makes me want to weep! I'm not really sure what I mean by that either but let's have a look at the acts eh, yeah!
We have Paul Smith as usual holding the show together like an entertaining tile adhesive  with red hair and jokes! (My writing career is flying!)

Jim Smallman, Neil McFarlane and Paul Myrehaug make up the weekends acts. Smallman has among his talents radio presenting and wrestling promoting on the CV but stand up is where he is at his best if you ask me, he is also most likely among the many Leicester city fans that are down the road from me doing a conga round an open top bus I presume.
McFarlane has 2 of my favourite jokes ever ever! For their simplicity they are amazing, I'm not telling you them you have to find out for yourself. Myrehaug (it's pronounced Mrehaug ok) is one of the many amazing Canadians coming to the uk comedy circuit and being awesome. Life observations and neat comedy annecdotes made up his performance when I saw him and you're in for a treat as ever.

In other news, I've just had that awkward "it wasn't so bad" chat with an audience member! I don't care when I die because it happens now and then, sitting here listening to patronising folk tell me I'll get better if I keep trying is just the worse!! So based on how good I felt writing about hot water this weekend I may just see you there!

J x

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Tickets available for all the weekends shows from www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend preview, Scorching Week....

Well last week I mentioned the snow and this week it's that orange ball in the sky making us all feel like we should have hit the gym a little more this winter and the odd British sunburn as people popped out for a pint or three yesterday it's probably fair to say that attention is turning to the summer holiday for a number of us.

That Easyjet flight to the Spanish playas (For those who are unsure playas are the beaches not the waiters who claim as many tourist notches on the bedpost as possible) is most likely a few weeks away yet and in traditional British style it's going to be all 1 shade of grey again this week leaving the standard topic of conversation at the post office about how the weather has turned.

If you want something much more interesting to talk about then here is this weeks look at Hot water comedy clubs line ups

Let's start as usual with the Wednesday at Jacaranda basement, the night of course for experienced acts to bring their new stuff along to work out before your very eyes.
Among the eclectic mix of comedy talent this week will be Lovdev Barpaga, the man from the midlands may not be Peaky but his set is a blinder! He has many many many jokes and an affable style with his own infectious laughter helping along the gags as they infiltrate your ears.
Chris Purchase will also be performing, for 7 years Chris has been making people laugh, he claims it's been longer but at least for the last 7 it's been on purpose! Chris is both a great bloke and a really great standup, his style fills the stage of not the room.


It might be Friday the 13th this week but it seems to have rather the opposite meaning as looking at this Friday's boiling point line up at the Holiday Inn I'd say you're one lucky punter should you be there.
As ever Paul Smith will be working his magic as host for the evening, it's fair to say he's easily one of the best compere's in the country so that is treat enough but with a link up that boasts Jamie Sutherland, Russell Hicks and Raymond Mearns each one alone worth the entry money but when you put all 3 together it's enough to completely ruin the myth that 13th falling on a Friday makes any difference.
Sutherland is a local favourite has gags stories and the kind of silly tales that everyone wants to hear more of, Hicks is not so local, the American improvises, he jokes and he blows away most audiences,  Mearns also not so local but the Scot is perhaps more so than Russell. Mearns has been a comedian for 13 years and has followers all over the world as his solo shows have been to Melbourne, Montreal and Maidstone (other glamourous locations that did not begin with M were available)
Just in case you are worried about Friday 13th, the line up will again be performing on Saturday 14th.

So that's how this week is shaping up, I'm off to blather my vest shaped burns in cream and try to avoid smelling like coconut.

J x

Tickets available from www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend preview, random Snow..

I think we can all agree it was a pretty decent bank holiday, some underdogs won the football thing, there was a pretty huge moment for justice in Liverpool, there was some good mood and sunshine pretty much everywhere that despite a random snow shower and of course there were laughs so loud from our shoes that they caused huge explosion sounds in Yorkshire that had to be covered up by government and blamed on fighter jets creating sonic booms.

I myself have been busier than usual so this is a day late but let's be honest it's worth waiting to hear what's going on this week as the standards are at usual heady heights.

Let's 1st look at Jaceranda on Wednseday where among the line up are self styled old fart Marshall B Anderson, he's not as unpleasant as a fart, he doesn't smell and there aren't poo particles floating around him but depending on maturity levels, and let's be honest most of us are immature enough to find farts funny, he's as hilarious as a rasping one with a trumpet ending!
Also performing will be wonderful Will Duggan, Will will be off to Edinburgh this summer and we will Will to succeed which Will will (I'll stop that now) because as you'll see from his work here the man is bloomin great and his show is worth the visit to Edinburgh alone which may sound like a bias about an act I'd like you all to go see but it's just facts.

Friday 6th and Saturday 7th May at holiday inn Liverpool there's a fantastic show lined up for you.
Paul Smith will engage you as usual and prepare you for a night of acts who may just cause some of you to require oxygen.
This will be especially fun for sitcom fans as Benidorms recent series featured our opening act Milo Mcabe and Phoenix nights was Steve Royles hiding place in the world of TV glamour.
Mcabe nails character comedy and in the style of himself is equally brilliant at jaw achingly entertaining comedy.
Royle is a comedian and juggler, not the former Oxford rower as his website reliably informs us before pointing out how well he's done to not make a Cox joke. He's been in the business over 12 years and you'll be sure to see why it's hoped there's another 12 at least still to come.
Wedged between Milo and Steve is the bizarre, silly and hilarious Tom Ward.
Tom is possibly strange, maybe surreal... Certainly funny as funk.

It's yet more amazing stand up from your most reliable comedy club, so more Hot Water this week then yeah? Yeah!

Have a fab week

J x

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Tickets available for all shows from www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend Review: Brendon Burns, Rob Thomas, Harriet Dyer & John Hastings

In the six years since I started hosting for Hot Water comedy, obviously I’ve seen a huge growth and improvement in the quality of the show. In those early days we tried, as we still do to provide a fun, friendly, well run place for new acts and comedy fans to come together. Since then, the new act show on a Sunday still proves to be a fan favourite and in my opinion is still the heart of the club. In addition to that though our little club has grown to one that plays host to some of the finest professional acts not only from the UK, but the world.

I think we owe a lot to those humble beginnings. Clawing our way up from new act night to full weekend club has ensured that we value the acts and focus not only on the business of the club but the enjoyment of the comedians. This ethos seems to be paying off as our reputation grows and more acts vie to play our club. It wasn’t until this weekend though that it really sank in how far we had come.

We have had big names before, TV acts have graced our stage more than once. This week though, the lineup truly reflected where Hot Water is and hopefully where it is headed in the future. A place that progresses and hones local talent as well as bringing in the best of international comedy for Liverpool audiences to enjoy.

To begin we had the excellent John Hastings. A Canadian comedian who I could listen to all day. It’s hard to describe John without showing him to you. He’s different every time I see him. His playfulness with the crowd always means that you never quite know where he’s going but you feel in safe hand. A fact illustrated by him pointing out the role of slavery in the fortunes of our city and the pointing out the muted reaction of the audience as they checked that Roland, the only black guy in the room, was ok with the joke. This, in less skilled hand could have become a tense situation but with John, even a subject so serious feels light and playful and the spirit of fun lives on. John’s set is always good but on Friday it culminated in my first highlight of the weekend. As he was wrapping up a phone went of and John being John was straight on it. Trying to find the perpetrator to dish out his own brand of vigilante comedic justice. “Is it you?” he asked multiple people as they all shifted the blame between themselves. “Is it you!? Who the fuck is it? I’ll find yo…. Oh wait, It’s me”. Brilliant. He had set what he thought was a silent alarm on his phone to let him know when he had done his time. Oh how we all laughed.

Our middle acts for the weekend were as different as you could get from each other. Harriet Dyer did a fine job on Friday with her surreal, offbeat and super likeable style of storytelling. Rob Thomas did amazingly on Saturday with his well crafted rants and precise, relatable observations. Seeing these two acts do so well, especially Rob (Sorry Harriet), was highlight number two. Both of them have gigged with us since the early days  and so seeing them now, holding their own amongst two of the best acts on the circuit, I can't help but feel some pride. Like all of our early work is paying off, not only for us but the acts that we had perform in those early days. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that Hot Water made these acts, they have both worked incredibly hard, gigging up and down the country to get to the level they are at now. I just can't help feeling when I see them do so well that our Sunday show is doing something good. In some small way we are helping shape the comedians of tomorrow. That is a great feeling.

On to highlight number three. Brendan Burns. I don't often get starstruck but I must admit that Brendan is one act I had longed to work with and he did not disappoint. Each night he provided a masterclass in stand up and I watched with joy.  It wasn't particularly the material though that provided the highlight for me. It was just seeing an act of his caliber on our stage, enjoying himself. So much so that he did way longer than he was supposed to. This is not an unusual occurrence. It happens quite often in fact. But it just served to highlight for me how far we have come.

Thanks to the hard work of Paul and Binty we now have a club that the best acts in the country want to play. We have a club that helps new acts to begin. We have a club that provides real progression and, I feel at least, is a real benefit to the industry. All this was never more apparent to me than this weekend. As Brendan left the stage and I shook his hand he excitedly proclaimed ‘what a club!’ A sentiment I share wholeheartedly.

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Get down to Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend preview, the purveying of laughter

This week a bright light in the comedy world was taken from us, and no sooner had the sad news of Victoria Woods passing hit us then we lost another icon from the music world. It's hard to try and find an upbeat way of talking about anything when a celebrity we feel we know personally is taken by the reaper, who seemingly is trying to impress for a promotion or something.

Life goes on for the rest of us though and for the majority of us we will still be turning up at work on Monday, sill be going to tennis club or watching Netflix or maybe keeping an eye on Citeh in the champions league, The OJ Simpson TV series has come to an end, (spoiler alert for those who recorded it for catch up but he gets off!!) which has left my Mondays nights free so maybe I'll give reading another go, apparently there are some good books out there that I could smugly state are better than the movie once I've read them because we all know you are a better human if you read the book before watching the film.

It is of course business as usual for those of us who's place in life is the purveying of laughter and we have another brilliant week of funnies coming at you, well, taking place, you'd need to come to us really and that borderline aggressive at you part.. its more a 'for you' thing.

Wednesday at Jacaranda we have another smorgasbord (amazingly according to sepll check I spelt that correctly 1st time) of professional acts playing with their new bits which is kind of metaphorical but most certainly not a euphemism (I did spell that wrong!).
Among the acts bringing the funnies are George Zach, the Grecian adopted Geordie is acutely aware of the stupidity in this world and delivers his observations on this impeccably.
Andy Watson will also be on and he is an almost elastic human with the ability to physically perform a joke like no one I have ever seen, I'm not entirely sure he isn't one of the fantastic 4. Joining them will be Pete Phillipson, I had the pleasure of hosting a gig that Pete was headlining recently, dry and smart Pete is able to find the funny in mundane so his new stuff is bound to be worth listening to.

Thursday 28th April we are simply treating comedy fans to 2 absolute heavy weights of intentional comedy. 2 acts that have made people vomit laughter all over the world, the sort of comedians that are so on top of their game you will probably crease over with snot running down your face clasping for air. I'm not even exaggerating, they are so so so good you may die.

1st of all Canadian Glen Wool is on at the Holiday Inn with his tour show, just... go see it, nothing more to say

alternatively get to Boiling point at the crown hotel for Brendan Burns the Ozzy powerhouse of a comedian is, to use a football analogy, a ballon D'or contender every year!


The weekend highlight sees Liverpools own Adam Rowe at Hoylake social club on Friday, a star of the future, what he hasn't overheard on a bus isn't worth overhearing! Adam is going to be massive so go see him now.

Saturday at Holiday Inn, another opportunity to see Brendan Burns and joining him will be Glen Wools support act the brilliant John Hastings. The Canadian was nominated for Canada's newcomer of the year in 2006 and if he was good back then we'll he is sensational now. As chortle stated Ironically for a man who suffers from coordination disorder dyspraxia, he has some very neat analogies and well structured tidy routines.

It's another exciting week so get your tickets booked and we will see you there then yeah? Ok yeah, great.

J x

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Tickets available for all comedy shows from www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

Weekend preview: Award winners and newbies

Monday's eh? They turn up every week like some sort of punishment for having survived the weekend, and so we crawl into work through traffic the makes a 15 minute journey take 2 hours while we have the kind of miserable feeling that makes you wonder if attending a close family members funeral might be the little bit more upbeat.

Ok maybe that's just my Monday but as Tom Jones really wanted to say before the edit, it's not unusual to need something to look forward to, well, we may just have the answer because this week we have some belting line ups the sort that make comedy fans do backflips naked through Debenhams!

Let's start with Wednesday, they had another decent result at the weekend with a 1-1 draw at home to Ipsw.... Sorry I forgot which blog I was worrying for a moment then.
Wednesday 20th April, a date in history that has 'attend Jacaranda' written all over it as our resident compere and maker of fine quality jeans (must be the same bloke it's hardly a common name) Paul Smith introduces pro acts playing around with new ideas and new jokes... This isn't your average open mic night where you get total newbies all doing several jokes about Jimmy Saville and touching themselves, oh no this is top acts testing things that could well be heard on live at the Apollo in a few months time or at the very least on our stage at the weekend all polished up.

There's something so magical about watching comedians test new ideas and I urge and implore you to get a seat on the front row and inhale the mirth as it comes at you in raw form.

This week among others we have absolute LAD!! (No really check him out talking about this!!) And BBC newcomer award winner 2013 Steve Bugeja and the ever mischievous and highly in demand Danny Deegan a seasoned headline act that is sure to have something that even if he never says it again will be well worth your time!

Thursday we have boiling point at the crown, Liverpool and again Paul Smith will gently tickle you until you are ready for Simon Wozniak and JoJo Sutherland to rub your belly until the laughter causes  endorphins that even chocolate can't provide you with.

Wozniak is on fire right now, yknow, metaphorically... Although for one so new given how good he is many comedians would like to burn him! Sutherland had been described as deliciously cruel and the kind of performer you could watch all night, I say... Go see for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

Friday and Saturday we have triple headline shows and let's be honest, if you were to describe the midweek shows as solid and exciting under cards then the heavyweights landing comedy blows at the Holiday inn this weekend will have round after round of knockout jokes and other boxing analogy type things too "ding ding"

Dan Nightingale, Peter McCole and Jo Caulfield are the aforementioned big hitters and let's just say that if you'd expect Florence Nightingale to nurse you back to health then fully expect Dan to have you in stitches! (Yeah I liked that one too) Peter McCole has a warmth and charm about his comedy that just makes it all the more enjoyable. Jo Caulfield needs no introduction, she is so very good it actually makes me sick! Like how can a comedian be that in charge on stage and make me vomit laughter so much it feels like I'm having a mild stroke!! Just wow, but as ever don't take my word for it, go see for yourself.

J x

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Check out all this weekends show here

Jacaranda: Blind Date

Well, I must say, this week of gigs got off to quite the start with our usual Wednesday night new material night at the Jacaranda. In the seven weeks since this gig began it has become a real highlight in my week. It’s attracting good numbers of real comedy fans who seem to really appreciate the rawness of the show. Yea, ok, some stuff doesn’t work, and yea the weekend shows are more polished but, if you are a person who watches a lot of comedy then this free show definitely provides something different… and special.

This week saw a particularly varied and rowdy audience who I took to immediately. From Jan in the second row who was very angrily enjoying her birthday with her family, to Jacob and his young girlfriend (perhaps too young), and Jean the super smooth french student who while passing through the city thought he would catch some comedy and,with some help from me, also caught the attentions of some student regulars. There were plenty of characters for me to play with. A comperes dream. Anyone who MC’s often will know the feeling of joy when the audience laugh rapturously within seconds of the show beginning. The feeling of ‘Yep, this is gonna be easy’, and easy it was as the first two acts, Tom Short and Hannah Silvester both did wonderfully well with their new material.

From here things just got better and better, when we started the second section we had gained ten to fifteen new audience members, something which at some shows could be a huge pain as rules have to be reiterated and old ground has to be re-trodden in order to bring the new people into the fold and ensure they understand what is happening. Luckily for me this gig has a special kind of atmosphere, one which seems to make people just connect and slot right in. I retook the stage to find a completely new front row and once again within seconds I was flying. Letting them know what they had missed and discovering that these people were characters themselves, then, a man entered the room looking lost. If you haven’t been to this venue then I must explain that the entrance to the room brings you into the centre of the audience. That is where Maya (as I came to find out his name was), a very well dressed and softly spoken asian man found himself, unaware of the comedy night and feeling rather exposed. I asked him if he was ok and told him to sit down, which he reluctantly did. All the while still scanning the room like a meerkat in danger.

I asked what was up? To which he replied he was looking for Angie. Ok, I thought… Angie! Angie! I called out. Looking for Maya’s lost friend. A women on the front row pointed out a lady next her… “This is Angie”... But they were almost next to each other, surely they would have seen and noticed each other by now. “Is this Angie?” I asked. “I don’t know” Maya Replied, “It’s a blind date”….. NO!... I could not believe it. The crowd went into hysterics as my excitement got the better of me! How? Why? Why would you sit at the front of a comedy club to wait for a blind date. Both Maya and Angie blushed as they looked at each other for some idea of what to do next. I could not believe this was happening. Surely I’m not this lucky.

Correct. After the excitement died down and I could speak again. Angie, reveal she was not the Angie he was looking for. Coincidence had ruined my moment and it seemed the story. The crowd groaned with disappointment. I felt the same. None felt it more than Maya though. “Oh, god, this is the 4th time this week. I give up on older women” He cried with exacerbation. I had to ask… “Why, how old is Angie?. “In her sixties, I have a thing for older women” said Maya. Oh my god. I was shocked, the crowd was shocked, Front row Angie was shocked and a little insulted as she herself was only in her thirties. We all felt Maya’s pain whilst thinking ‘OK, he’s a bit weird’. This is a room of acceptance though, a group of all types and ages, brought together through this shared experience and willing, at that point, to embrace Maya, Milf fetish and all. Elliot, the awesome bar man swooped in and gave Maya a beer, he settled in and the show continued with two more great sets from Binty Blair and Rob Mulholland.

During the break Maya spoke to me at the bar, explaining his story fully, he had met this woman online and was supposed to meet her here. Seemingly she had had other ideas. But, Elliot to the rescue once more. Realising that he knew an Angie who fitted Maya’s description he told him that the woman he may be looking for was a poet who ran a spoken word night in the room two floors up. This clicked with Maya and the hope that he may just be in the wrong room grew. Three shots for courage later he went to find his elderly paramore.

The show restarted. I let the group know the fate of Maya. We all felt good, ready for our headliner. Karen Bayley took to the stage and immediately found her stride. The group took to her straight away and settled down for a headline set. Ten minutes in though, Maya returned, with Angie! The room went wild, I went wild, Karen hopped with glee. Angie had no clue what the fuck was going on. “How are you Angie” Karen asked. “Ok”, Angie replied sternly. She had the confidence of a performer but with the added embarrassment of the situation and all of these strangers focused she stuttered a little before choosing to blatantly lie. “We are just friends” she protested. “How come he didn’t know what you looked like then” Came the question flying from the audience, “erm….” She quickly relented and kissed Maya. It was as beautiful as an elderly woman kissing a man in his twenties had ever been and we all rejoiced! We would remember this night for a long time.

Gig review by Paul Smith

Want to get involved?

Our next show at the Jacaranda is on Wednesday 20th April with another fantastic lineup including closer DANNY DEEGAN & it's FREE ENTRY. 

Get your tickets here here

My First Time.......

Nothing beats the excitement, apprehension and nerves of doing stand-up comedy for the first time, making that step on stage and standing there with the microphone, realising everything you have worked for has built up to this moment, rehearsing all those lines, making sure you deliver everything as clearly as possible, but I decided to quit karaoke nights because they weren’t going anywhere and thought I’d give stand up a go instead. 

The first challenge is how you reach that point where you get on stage, who do you talk to? What do you ask them? Promoters posting for gigs for “brand new acts” and then completely disappearing when you enquire about them, it’s the film equivalent of Jack & Rose on the door in the Titanic, there’s room for more but, you know, you know what happened there. 

So instead of turning into some warped comedy version of Stan by Eminem, writing out to 40 promoters a week to no avail and driving my car off the Runcorn Bridge, I decided to speak to people who I know who have done it, and was fortunate enough to be given a chance to do it. 

The build up to the night was nerve wracking, in the toilets beforehand like the beginning of 8 Mile even though there are only 30 people in the crowd and half of them aren’t really listening anyway. The fear of being frozen in the same spot, this was the moment you have told all your friends about, you’re going to finally get up there and try it, they’re all telling you you can do it but you still doubt yourself, for me it took the support from a very special person close to me; Heather, she gave me the confidence and drive to finally get up there, despite how terrifying the task seemed, I finally felt like I could get up there and do it. 

But as with most things in life, how you picture it and how it builds up in your head is far more terrifying than how it actually pans out, standing up there with the microphone, the room is deftly silent, you can feel the anticipation in the room, and the adrenaline kicks in, once you get that first laugh you get the bug, and it’s the best feeling in the world, and once you have finished and done it, it’s an incredible feeling. 

Then it’s back to emailing other promoters to get back up there and try it all again because you never want to climb back down, slowly descending into a Stan-like mess in your basement. PS someone give me a gig.

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Always been the comedian in your group? Fancy yourself as a stand up comedian?

Check out our beginners comedy courses hosted by our resident compere Paul Smith. Our next course starts on May 2nd. Find our how to book your place here

Relate to this story? Find it interesting?

Get yourselves down to Hot Water Comedy Club every Sunday for 'Testing the Water' featuring some brand new acts going through this exact same thing.

Visit www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk for more information

We're now blogging!

Welcome to Hot water comedy blog, this is the place to get your bitesize portions of information about what's happening at one of the north west, if not the country in fact let's go all out, the worlds best comedy clubs.

Those of you that have been before will know the just how amazing each line up is, the reason? Because at hot water we fill the changing room with bubble wrap that the acts are allowed to pop, there are kittens in the rider (although after an incident in 2011 it's stated they aren't for dinner) and of course we supply cakes... While most of that is made up what is true is that Hot Water Comedy club is where the top circuit comedians want to perform and a great value night out is had by all who come.

We will now be blogging weekly, because you know that what happened next isn't that mind blowing and what she did next won't really shock you so why click on those links and waste your lunch break reading nonesense seemingly written by someone who made poor career choices and keep up with us where you can read articles by someone who definitely made poor career choices but isn't pretending they are capable of better!

Coming up in the next few weeks and months are some acts that are so good they will blow your mind! Ok I'll stop that now but seriously guys we have Glenn Wool, no that's not a bloke called glen from the Wirral but rather a superb Canadian flavoured comic who is sagely political and deliciously silly.

We also have Brendan Burns, the Aussie powerhouse is a joy to behold and has wowed audiences with sell out shows such as I suppose THIS is offensive now and Brendan vs Burnsy.

We also have Sinnerman Paul Sinha, a qualified Dr, formidable chaser on ITV's the Chase and of course insanely good comedian.. There is no point in me telling you more, get your tickets and we will see you at the show, for more details head to www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk (Liverpool) or www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk/Manchester (Manchester)

Hot Water Comedy Club has launched in Manchester

Hot Water Comedy Club has launched in Manchester!

After 6 great years providing the very best in live stand up comedy 5 nights a week in Liverpool, Hot Water Comedy have expanded into Manchester with 2 new weekly shows.

Every Saturday night will see their flagship 'Triple Headline' shows at The Renaissance Hotel that only feature the very best comedians from around the world. There are already some incredible acts booked in including 'Mock the Week' star Gary Delaney and star of 'The Chase' Paul Sinha along with some more great comedians.

View all of the current lineups here along with comedian profiles.

The first 2 shows (Launched on 2nd April) have been a massive success and already attracted 4 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor quickly climbing the ladder of great things to do in Manchester.

Get yourselves down to Hot Water Comedy Club soon to see what all the fuss is about.

When: Every Saturday Night

Where: Renaissance Hotel, Blackfriars Street, Manchester, M3 2EQ

Tickets: £15 / £10 Concessions

Time: Doors 7pm / Show 8pm

More details can be found on the Hot Water Comedy Club website here

Jacaranda 'New Material' Wednesday Nights in Liverpool

Hot Water Comedy brings a brand new night to Liverpool, in it's new addition to it's already growing repertoire of venues, Jacaranda Basement.

The Jac as it is more locally known, was home to the first gig of small indie band known to few, The Beatles, and in keeping with that ethos, will now play host to some of best comedy talent road testing their 'New Material'

The Jac has recently undergone a complete refurbishment and reopened back in 2014 with a fresh new look but hasn't lost it's original charm.

The night will be geared towards pro comics who have new material that they want to run out before taking it to the weekend clubs or on tour. It will play host to Hot Water comedy favourites and could very well be a place where the classic comedy routines of the future are formed. So if you like your comedy pure, raw and rough round the edges then be sure to get down to the Jac every Wednesday night.  

When: Every Wednesday

Where: The Jacaranda Basement, L1 4BW

Time: Doors 7pm / Show 8pm

Tickets: FREE ENTRY

Reserve booking is highly recommended as these shows get very very busy

You can reserve your tickets from Hot Water Comedy Club