Friday Tips
I realize that I've sent you many free invites to the NEXT VR shows. Some of you have come and have had a blast.
Just because you've received so many invites to these FREE Next VR shows don't let future ones pass you by. As a comic, there are many lessons to learn at each show. Plus, you're seeing the best stand-up comedy in NYC.
#1: Its truly a night of the best stand-up comedy for FREE! Its pure fun!
No cover Charge No drink min. No bullshit. Take advantage of it, before too many find out about it, they start selling out and I no longer offer them.
#2: Compare and contrast the 4 comics on each show. There are different levels of comics on each show. The openers are often on one level, and the closers are on another. It’s a real lesson to see the amount of laughs and the intensity of the laughter as it differs from the opener to the closer. Sometimes there is a big difference and other times the opener's really strong so there's not a big difference. Either way, it’s a powerful opportunity to compare and contrast them from each show.
#3: Watch two warm up comics with very different jobs. The first warm up comic goes on before Yannis Pappas and has a fresh new crowd to warm up. Any warm up job is hard, but the warm comic who goes first has a much, much easier job than the comic who goes at the end of the crowd. Though the comic who goes on at the end is technically not warming the crowd up, he is generally not doing material and has to get laughs in an extremely difficult situation. One, everyone has seen a great show where the closer has just destroyed the room, and the filming part of the show is over. So, this comic has to follow a whole complete show and deal with lack of focus. Plus, the crowd is paying their checks. It is truly a valuable lesson to watch these guys get laughs in the most difficult situation. It's the definition of a "hell gig".
#4: Watch the official host of the show, Yannis Pappas work each week. Watch him over a period of time at multiple shows and see him work the crowd and how he does it-- new material, different vibes with the audience, routine crowd work.
He is a truly master comic at the top of his game. He's filming a show that goes to 34 countries and he's mixing in a little material with a lot of crowd work. He is NOT going for the easy laughs with mean-spirited remarks or doing traditional “put down” hack lines. On the contrary, he is just talking and having fun with the crowd and doing bits mixed in. But remember, this is a live show so his confidence to not have set bits is amazing to watch. He has a very easy going natural style that is great to learn from if you’re a young comic. If you watch him for several weeks you will pick up things he does that are extremely helpful.
#5: Watch pros from all over the country bring their A game. If you see pros at a new talent show or at a Gotham All Stars show they might be testing new material or working on a new bit. But at the Next VR shows they are all bringing their A Material and throwing the fastball. No weak bits, no trying out, just doing their best, killer 10 minutes with consistent laughs. It's like going to “Stand up comedy school”-- it's necessary homework. That is especially true if your only other exposure to comedy is open mics. You will never grow as a comic if your only exposure to comedy is watching open mic comics. Only exposing yourself to open mics is emotionally draining and a mistake professionally.
#6: Be a real audience member. When you're doing a New Talent show or an open mic, you're not an official audience member. You're not sitting where the audience sits, you're often off to the side, or you are in the back of the room. When you come to a NextVR show you sit in the middle of the room and experience a powerful show with huge laughter. That is a very different experience than the other shows.
#7: The club is packed. Seeing a show with 300 people and feeling the energy in the room coupled with the volume of the crowd is powerful. It is a very different experience than watching a show with a small crowd that simply can’t manufacture the intensity of a packed crowd for a pro lineup. This is something you need to experience. It'll inspire and challenge you.
#8: Impress someone and don’t tell them your deal. The regular cover charge is $17 with a two drink min. Your friends and business colleagues will be very impressed with the show, they don’t have to know you're not paying. Tell the waiter you want the check and your friends will thank you.