Doug nailed it but let's be honest, he could have blown bubbles out of his ■■■■ all night and we would still have loved it. Plenty of Masonic jibes and some Martin Bryant stuff thrown in, as well as references to both Vinnies and the Salvos for us locals. Literally packed to the rafters, and some pretty ■■■■■■ off people missed out. Not bad to pull a 2000 plus crowd without any publicity that I saw.
^ As above. He killed it [sorry Paul :( ]
I certainly did not expect three levels packed to the rafters in what was a completely unadvertised gig from a reasonably obscure comedian, albeit with a cult following. For some reason, the crowd made me feel like I was going to some punk gig in the 90s at Festival hall.
I also wasn't expecting a standing ovation for Doug as he walked on stage, which pretty much guaranteed as GRR said, that we would be eating out of his hand as a crowd.
Doug did just under 90 minutes, and it was pretty much all quality. The good thing about Doug is that he clears the decks material-wise very frequently, so it was 100% material I'd never heard before, and I saw him 2 years ago. Compare this to other overseas comedians coming yearly to our shores and doing the same jokes again and again, this is the sign of a very good comic.
Material was edgy, challenging, clever and darkly funny. He traversed some pretty nervy subject matter, ISIS beheadings, vietnam vets, kids with cancer, suicide, shooting massacres and mentally ill. You weren't always sure what point he was making or who he was taking the ■■■■ out of, or whether you should be offended or no - he kept you on your toes.
A personal favourite moment was an opening rant about Byron Bay surfers as hippy bullies and his plan to scum the water with shark bait (which instantly endeared him to my heart).
Also plenty of attempted heckles from the audience which Doug dispatched with professional ease. If I wasn't digging a joke or a subject matter, I could just bask in the guys technique and skill, it is just so polished.
You know its a good gig when you leave and your cheeks hurt like crazy, and everybody stands round the front with huge smiles on their faces.
I would have to say, it was on par with the awesome performance I saw from him in the states in 2012. If there was one slight disappointment, he didn't really do any of his trademark epic set pieces (usually with extreme sexually explicit imagery) where he just goes down the rabbit hole with a crazy dark idea and has the audience struggling for breath. I recall memorably two excellent bits 'Backdoor to Chyna' and 'Aids on any given Sunday'(he actually referenced the latter routine last night) which absolutely slayed me and stayed in my head for ages afterwards. In contrast last night was consistently good but without any real super stand-out moment or particularly memorable bit.
Some were surprised that Doug was on the ice water but I noted from the front row the slightly cloudy texture when he got a top up.
PS I didn't camp out Friday night for the front row seats but used one of my flaws to my advantage. I wear hearing aids and my son's girlfriend gleefully rang up and demanded seating appropriate for my disability. They reserved 4 front row seats for us which meant we could turn up later and wander blithely past the chaos created in the under staffed venue operating under festival seating. People watching our quarantined seats looked at us in awe, assuming we must be some part of the inner entourage. It's times like this that your kids forgive you for being a **** dad.
Incidentally if you do suffer from any sort of disability and you're going to a live gig, don't do it in silence. My experience is that most events will try to look after you. My crap ears have been getting me "celebrity seating" for decades.
Doug liked it:
Hey #Melbourne I cant thank you enough for closing this tour that strong. Drinking at hotel bar & falling down... quitting whilst ahead!
Some were surprised that Doug was on the ice water but I noted from the front row the slightly cloudy texture when he got a top up.
PS I didn't camp out Friday night for the front row seats but used one of my flaws to my advantage. I wear hearing aids and my son's girlfriend gleefully rang up and demanded seating appropriate for my disability. They reserved 4 front row seats for us which meant we could turn up later and wander blithely past the chaos created in the under staffed venue operating under festival seating. People watching our quarantined seats looked at us in awe, assuming we must be some part of the inner entourage. It's times like this that your kids forgive you for being a **** dad.
Incidentally if you do suffer from any sort of disability and you're going to a live gig, don't do it in silence. My experience is that most events will try to look after you. My crap ears have been getting me "celebrity seating" for decades.
Hmmm. I doubt 'fat ■■■■■■■' cuts the mustard.
Some were surprised that Doug was on the ice water but I noted from the front row the slightly cloudy texture when he got a top up.
PS I didn't camp out Friday night for the front row seats but used one of my flaws to my advantage. I wear hearing aids and my son's girlfriend gleefully rang up and demanded seating appropriate for my disability. They reserved 4 front row seats for us which meant we could turn up later and wander blithely past the chaos created in the under staffed venue operating under festival seating. People watching our quarantined seats looked at us in awe, assuming we must be some part of the inner entourage. It's times like this that your kids forgive you for being a **** dad.
Incidentally if you do suffer from any sort of disability and you're going to a live gig, don't do it in silence. My experience is that most events will try to look after you. My crap ears have been getting me "celebrity seating" for decades.
Hmmm. I doubt 'fat ■■■■■■■' cuts the mustard.
Just tell them you're "gravitationally challenged", in my experience they never check anyway.
Recent Doug. I hate vodka but I still love this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8cMcRhSlDU
"A food stamp analgesic for a broken soul" The man's a poet!
Seeing Brendon Burns tonight. Looking forward to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=960qLVjvYK4
Stella used to say that she became an atheist when she found out there was only a stairway to heaven.
A very funny woman.
RIP Stella Young
Stella was a brilliant comedian. I've seen her a number of times and she was always outstanding.
Seeing Brendon Burns tonight. Looking forward to it.
How was he?
Very good. Wasn't his usual type of audience ("How many of you are here to see me...right, five of you. It's a stark reminder of how small-time I really am when I recognise my regulars.") Dude knows how to work a room. Tough start, but had everyone eating out of his hand in about three minutes.
Bill Burr’s latest special is farkin brilliant, could well be his best work. It’s exclusively on netflix which is a bummer, because I’m always happy to pay for comedy specials, but you can find it in the usual places for “watching TV.”
Fiona sober and still ■■■■■■ funny. The Laurie Oakes joke is a ■■■■■■.
When in Vegas a must see is Vinnie Favorito
Everyone in the audience cops it
Rude & crude, the funniest I’ve ever seen (special mention to Rich Hall)
Bill Burr tonight!
Anybody else going?
A reply to: @Paul Peos regarding QuoteLink
Bill Burr tonight!Anybody else going?
wanted to, circumstances didn’t allow.
Enjoy!
A reply to: @Paul Peos regarding QuoteLink
Bill Burr tonight!Anybody else going?
I’m going to the 9:30pm show.
Looking forward to it.
I was there tonight. Sensational.
If you were to write down what he says, it’s totally not funny.
But because of his attitude, his laid back style (he doesn’t mind chuckling at himself) and his ‘imitations’ of people, you find yourself laughing from start to finish.