Following on from the irony/Ed Bryn thing, I thought it may be interesting to get views on best stand up comedian you have seen live.

Some highlights for me...

Frank Skinner (Lowry and Leicester)
Johnny Vegas (Edinburgh)
Jim Gaffigan (Comedy Store, Manc)

Not comedians in the traditional sense, but I can vouch for Dave S and Justin Moorhouse.

Gary Skyner is hilarious, he's on the the Frontier for the boxing in aid of Prescott. He was the second of the phalidomites to be born in this country and has used his disability to spur him on. Well worth seeing.

Saw him at the Lowry - excellent.

Not comedians in [uany[/u sense. Is Byrne still actually doing his 'ironic' piece? Mildly amusing ten years ago Byrne, shelve it son along with the 'gag' about looking like Roseanne's daughter.

Coogan in his pomp (not his last effort)
Alan Davies
Ross Noble

Matt King and Patrick Kielty unintentionally run them close.

Having words with you tomorrow night GDMM for the S love, he belongs on the end of a very rickety pier.

Stephen K Amos is a stand up genius! He was excellent when I went to see him. Very quick witted and some brilliant crowd interactions!

I've not seen him live but I love Jackie Mason.

Only seen one live... Chris Rock, and he was fantastic!

Should really get to some more because I watch quite alot of stand up.

Edit: Almost forgot... seen Lee Evans too, funny as hell

Itd be interesting to see what his routine is, as very recently he did a good 15 minute piece on his experiences when he's been on panel shows with Jade Goody. Hillarious but not complimentary to her.

In order of hilarity

Sean Lock
Dara O'Briein
Harry Hill (TV Burp is a bit of a sell out though)
Ed Byrne
Ross Noble
Rhod Gilbert
Rob Brydon can be good

I prefer these as they don't base there act on sex or swearing.

I though Frankie Boyle was good, and can be be funny, but his DVD was made up of most his comments on Mock the Week which spoilt it for me

I saw Rich Hall live and he was very funny. Very quick-witted, making up songs on the piano about members of the audience.

I've also seen Lee Mack, who I thought was average.

A surprise highlight for me was Lenny Henry. I saw him because my partner wanted to and actually really really enjoyed his show. Very good.

Izzard was the greatest a few years back. Frank Skinner and Bill Bailey very good also.

The worst I've seen (given their profiles) have been Jo Brand and Phill Jupitus.

I saw Steve Coogan live at the Lyceum in London when he was at his peak, he was hilarious and did all his usual characters like Alan Partridge, Paul and Pauline Calf, Tony Ferrino and Duncan Thickett etc. Apparently his latest tour isn`t going down very well though.

Peter Kay used to be funny until he got stuck for new material so he then started re-hashing all his old stuff until it had been flogged to death, his best effort at some new material was Geraldine which was embarrassing. Don`t buy his latest dvd called Peter Kay "Special K" as its just re hashed old material and the dvd looks like its been put together by a 5 year old doing a school project.

Frankie Boyle was excellent Live, easily the best part of his act is when he rips the audience to shreds. I recall shouting at my wife when she was on the phone booking tickets, just miming in the background 'At the back, the back, THE BACK you daft cow !'. I wouldn't sit anwhere near the front at his gigs. As mentioned above, if your an avid Mock The Week fan, you do lose something at the gig, you know the punchlines and when others are rolling around, you feel a bit cheated. He also does a very short act, sends his warm up out for a good hour.

In terms of value for money, Jason Manford was exceptional. He did 3 Hours on stage, no warm up act, and afterwards if you wanted pics/sigs etc, and he just came across a really good bloke, very humble and a 'man of the people' kind of thing. His act is good too, very funny, and he's clean so if your taking Mums & Dads your fine, as oppose to say Frankie Boyle, who sometimes even for someone like me has you thinking "Is that okay? Eek.."

Went to see Rhod Gilbert the other week at The Lowry, left a little let down, he was very funny like, every comedian is really, but there was just something missing really, can't put my finger on it, he's quite a quirky guy, fidgity on stage like, he's not very polished. But well worth a watch one or two gags that just blew me away.

Been to see Lee Evans 3 times, he's a bit of a legend isn't he ? In that camp with Coogan now I think, it's all about the £££'s. They wheel themselves out for another tour, but you've seen it all before really, without being cruel but they've kind of passed their sell by date, although they still are very funny people.

I didn't really enjoy Russell Howard, but the Wife did, I just don't really like him. Michael McIntrye was hilarious, I think he'll be massive over the next couple of years, people don't seem to mention him but I think he's great. I like the Toff thing that he plays on, I find him quite endearing really. I'd also be lying if I didn't mention my Lee Mack gig at Runcorn, he may be on crap sitcoms etc, but I think he's one of my favourite stand up comedians, his delivery & randomness strike a chord with me.

In our house, a 'Gig' is a comedy gig see, we don't really do music gigs, so we get about a bit.

paul tonkinson is brilliant,going back a few years archie kelly(kenny senior,phoenix nights) was very funny when in the guise of jonny"good times" valencio.

Did you really think so? I also saw Lee Mack in Runcorn, at the Brindley, and thought he was average. I saw much funnier at my university comedy club.

Which, incidentally, is where I saw Adam Hills, Aussie comedian - very very funny. Had me laughing so much my ribs hurt. This was quite a few years ago now, did a tour called the Big Red Fire Engine tour. Started with lots of jokes about disability, the kind that make you laugh but cringe at the same time, then revealed he only had one leg. Also told a very funny story about the inspiration for his tour title about an Aussie firefighter he got up on stage once.

Yeah, honest. You'd agree with my missus, she just didn't get him at all, just like 'What are you laughing at ?' and I was in bulk. I thought he was quite childish, and that suits me down to the ground. I like other comedians don't get me wrong who have 'clever' jokes, or risque stuff, but he was what I wanted him to be, just if you like 'a bit daft'.

On the risque front, Jimmy Carr is like that, I've never been to see him, but I have a DVD of his, and nothing is off limits like. Your looking at each other thinking "Is it okay to laugh ?", No, no, she's shaking her head, I'll shake mine too otherwise we might argue & not have sex, bad Jimmy, bad Jimmy, too far.

I Have only been to see Dave S (which I don't remember too well...) but after watching shows like "Live at the Apollo", I would say that Michael Macintyre was the best IMO.

I'm going to see Russell Howard at the Apollo in June aswell, but hoping to see Michael Macintyre aswell...

Sorry, just seen this. Is he the guy who took his leg off on Mock The Week, the 'velcro' leg. If it's him, he's extremely funny.

smug roberts is well funny, catch him at frog and bucket in manc every now and then well worth it

Lee Evans is peerless but a guilty pleasure of mine (mainly because he is just so funny regradless of politcal correctness) is Roy Chubby Brown.

seen dave s at parr hall pretty good ..worse was freddie star did a hour and was crap....best for me ken dodd not a swear word to be heard and goes on till the small hours...a true comedy legend..hilarious..just a shame age has caught up with him...

Milton Jones. worth looking up on a certain video hosting site.

I used to adore Lee Evans and Eddie Izzard, 13 years ago, it's just not as funny now, Ross Noble does the rambling thing better than IZzard does in the current day and age.


i'm also gonna do the predictably retro bit and say bill hicks, however his stuff really does go over some ppls heads, i lent a CD to a lad i used to work with and gave it back to me the day after, he'd only listened to the first 15 minutes and got really offended about a segment where he's gone off about corporate s/cheap labour and pepsi factories in south america where he used the term "little brown kids" and struck him off as a racist.

Might i also suggest, not strictly stand up, but a stage double act who are fluffing fantastic, the umbilical brothers. again have a look on that site we're not allowed to use and search for "invisible girl" and "something for the children" *




*don't show it to your children.

i've told you, try seeing him 3 years in a row doing the same material, it's deflating, and i say that as a big fan of his oddball tv shows, Rich halls "the fishing show" and "Cattle Drive"

Went to watch Lee Evans and Micheal McIntyre a few months back and they were both very very funny.