Live Comedy Bootlegs

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

The subject of bootlegging live comedy arose in the Soulseek room last night, and we all expressed surprise at how it doesn't happen more often. After all, they are far easier to record than musical performances, and depending on the calibre of the performer, can vary wildly from date to date.

To my mind, the only bootlegs I can think of are a couple of solo Lee and Herring performances, various Bill Hicks gigs and that IAP2 audience recording. Does anyone know of any more, and where to get them?

[Neil]

I do have an idea for a site dedicated to this kind of thing, but I really doubt I can be arsed with the hassle.  Yes, it does surprise me that so few comedy boots turn up though.  I've managed to find some Otis Lee Crenshaw ones, that's all I can think of.  I get the impression that comedy fans are more prone to keeping rare stuff to themselves, whereas music lovers can't wait to spread the love.  Fucking annoying.

Now about Cluub Z....

[Darrell]

I have a Sean Lock live bootleg somewhere. It was easier to find than the official live CD which you can't get ANYWHERE, anyway. There's the Stewart Lee 'Pea Green Boat' one of course, and a couple of Bonzos concert bootlegs exist, as well as countless Innes/Rutles ones.

I'm curious as to why any Python live bootlegs have never turned up. Surely someone taped one?

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

Yeah, I'm aware of PGB (in fact, for those of you who listened to Tuesday's Clear Spot, I was that very Welsh person who informed S Lee of it's existence). I have boots of Herring's Christ On A Bike and Talking Cock, but not much else. It would make a lot of sense if bootlegs were so common - it would be a great boost for many comedians that don't have a series on Radio 4 or one about to be cancelled on BBC3, as well as preserving great moments of improvisation, heckilng, bombing and whatever else you associate with the live comedy experience. Edinburgh shows that don't get toured around could be gold. The live comedy record has virtually died a death, so bootlegging could be future if we all start taking Minidiscs to gigs.

Is the Sean Lock one from the Assembly Rooms, Darrell? I wasn't even aware of the official one. Come on comedy hoarders, let's share!

[TJ]

There's a couple of great Mark Thomas ones - Bent Halo did a lovely audience recording of his Edniburgh show from a couple of years back, and there are a couple of others floating around.


Spot on about Python Darrell. They must be out there somewhere. Did you know there's a load of Stanshall ones, by the way?

[Darrell]

Did you know there's a load of Stanshall ones, by the way?

I have one or two that I got from Surferghost, which may have come from you...

[Neil]

Come on comedy hoarders, let's share!

Good idea, why don't you let me grab the Cluub Z capture off you so lots of us can see it?  Rather than torrenting it I'll even stick it on the web.

Anyone got this bootleg video of Adam Buxton incidentally?  I think it's Ken Korda doing a directors commentary on an episode of The Priory, any captures floating about?

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

Crikey, Neil - I told you that I'd give it to you if I wasn't on dial-up. I'd post it to you tomorrow if you could stop my Freeserve connection from dropping after 30 seconds. I HATE THEM.

Does anyone know why Buxton did that commentary? I mean, is it purely for his mates to laugh at, or what? There's no way it could be released commercially, is there?

[Neil]

Crikey, Neil - I told you that I'd give it to you if I wasn't on dial-up. I'd post it to you tomorrow if you could stop my Freeserve connection from dropping after 30 seconds. I HATE THEM.

Line-drops don't matter on Soulseek!  Everything automatically resumes.  I'm downloading a shitload of Otis Lee Crenshaw stuff from someone who is also on dialup.  Why not post it to me anyway?  Then people could, y'know, actually see it!  How big is it?  I can probably get enough space to stick it on the web for all of us, and from there it gets added to peoples Soulseek shares and then there's no stopping it.

[benthalo]

I've mindisced almost every comedy and music event I've attended in the last four years (which is a lot), but it's so time consuming to transfer and distribute. They're always there if people request them, though. I've certainly passed on copies of Christ On A Bike and Talking Cock to people before now. Always interested in different copies.

So, that was you Beloved Aunt? Blimey.

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

Why? Were you there?

I'd love to hear King Dong, or some Kitson. How much do these Minidiscers cost, then?

[faceless]

In my searches I've only really found a couple of "official" bootlegs (of Ross Noble), and a few from a couple of  American circuit comedians.Generally not a lot is available.

A lot of comedians use pretty much the same set for a long time (years sometimes), and don't really want people hearing their stuff. I've offered a lot of them the chance to host (for free) audio and video clips on my site, but it's just not been taken up by many people at all.

I don't think that performing music is the best analogy though, as comedians tend to rely on the audience not knowing what's coming next. Of course there are always the classics that can be repeated, as signature jokes, but in general the element of surprise is important.

[butnut]

or some Kitson.

Me too - I might go and see him as he's playing Brixton some time in May I think.

[TOCMFIC]

I would love to get hold of some comedy bootlegs. Off the top of my head I would love to get the following (even audio rips of official releases, he said, hint hint):

Mark Thomas (will have to hunt for those)
Newman and Baddiel
Rob Newman on his own
Punt and Dennis (have they ever done live shows?)
Lee and Herring
Lee Evans
Jim Tavare

And some Canadian people you've probably never heard of:)

[Darrell]

Punt and Dennis (have they ever done live shows?)

There's a mid-nineties live video.

[Robot DeNiro]

Punt and Dennis (have they ever done live shows?)

Yes, they did The Milky Milky Tour (of course) sometime after the second TV series of The Mary Whitehouse Experience.  I went, I saw, I bought the T-shirt.  Yes, I know.  I actually used to walk around wearing a T-shirt with 'Milky Milky' written on it.  But I was young, leave me alone.

Unfortunately I didn't record the gig, nor can I remember anything about it.  Sorry.

Very interested to learn about the Stewart Lee Pea Green Boat bootleg though.  where might such a thing be obtained (wink, wink)?

[butnut]

Punt and Dennis (have they ever done live shows?)

Yes, they did The Milky Milky Tour (of course) sometime after the second TV series of The Mary Whitehouse Experience.  I went, I saw, I bought the T-shirt.  Yes, I know.  I actually used to walk around wearing a T-shirt with 'Milky Milky' written on it.  But I was young, leave me alone.

Unfortunately I didn't record the gig, nor can I remember anything about it.  Sorry.

Me too. My sister got their autographs on her purse - which I then nicked off her!

I can remember almost nothing of the show as I was about 13/14 at the time.

[Neil]

I still have my MIlky Milky T-shirt and I still wear it!  I love it.  I do have a Newman and Baddiel boot somewhere, I'll see if I can dig it out.  I really need to start cataloguing a shitload of discs as I can find bugger all at the minute.

Incidentally I think skeal is getting Cluub Z sorted for me so hopefully it will be online tomorrow (thanks to apts who will be hosting it I might add)

[TOCMFIC]

PLEASE, hunt for Newman and Baddiel:)

My search of the usual P2P clients for Mark Thomas etc... just turned up fuck all. Unsurprising, since stuff in Europe tends not to show up at all when I search for stuff, and I doubt there's much call for boots of good English comedians over here. (after all, Canada and America like Keeping Up Appearances, so they have no taste when it comes to UK comedy)

[easytarget]

so they have no taste when it comes to UK comedy)

Oh I dunno, the odd thing seems to slip through now and then. Bill Bailey seemed to go down very well in New York.

There's a recording of that show here : http://muse.cream.org/bill/newyork/newyork.html it's brilliant.

[JesusAndYourBush]

Theres probably not many comedy bootlegs cos it's a lot harder to make a decent recording.
Music is at  much louder sound level than the levels at a live comedy show.  With a music bootleg, it doesn't matter if the quality is a bit crappy.  If it makes a nice noise then it sounds ok.  Comedy is different - you've got to be able to hear the words.
There must be many people who've recorded a live comedy show, only to discover it's unlistenable.  I've recorded hundreds of gigs and although the quality varies from gig to gig it's always listenable.  On the few occasions I've tried recording any speech-based stuff it's always sounded shit, except one time I was really near the speakers and it didn't sound too bad.

[TOCMFIC]

Doubt you get too many sound engineers hooking tape recorders to the soundboards at comedy gigs either...

As for the US and Canada, yeah, they do have SOME taste. Father Ted was reasonably popular here. (Even if it WAS edited to fit in more commercials. Heathen bastards.) But shite like Mr. Bean, Keeping Up Appearances are the big money shows. For every good show they get (The Office for example) they get a ton of shit. (Royle Family etc...)

Perhaps the funniest, most ignored UK show I've seen over here is the fantastic "People Like Us" . BBC Canada used to show "A Many Splintered Thing" (A show I really liked) and "People Like Us" afterwards. 'Twas a good hour or so of TV that.

Anyway, wrong thread for that talk:)

[benthalo]

I'd love to hear King Dong, or some Kitson. How much do these Minidiscers cost, then?

£150 for a decent one, depending on where you go. It's the mic you have to worry about.

Drop me a line re Kitson.

Incidentally, with regards to another point earlier up, I actually find comedy show recordings a lot easier than concerts. With their being mostly sit-down affairs, you can fix your position and judge the acoustics a little better, particularly if you're a regular visitor.

[NobodyGetsOutAlive]

I'd love to hear King Dong, or some Kitson. How much do these Minidiscers cost, then?

£150 for a decent one, depending on where you go. It's the mic you have to worry about.

Not just put the headphones into the mic socket? I know this works well for bootlegging music concerts.