Still living the dream

I performed at a new place in Oakland last night. It was the first time I'd performed in the East Bay. It's a weird room - really more like a theatre crossed with a punk club. Winter Garden meets CBGB.

The audience was comprised of 12 non-comedians, 8 comedians. Technically, of the non-comedians, 2 were venue staff, 2 were related to a comedian, one was a boyfriend, and one was a girlfriend. 2 more were friends of one of the comedians. That leaves, I believe, 4 audience members who came under no obligation. One of them was so drunk he could barely sit upright. He was okay though, just a minor distraction. (Hi, Greg.)

And I'm fine with a small crowd. I'm used to it. I'll do a show for two people. I have done a show for two people. I'm still not able to do the same show for two that I would for 100-- I don't get as energized. This is something I'm getting better at. I want to be able to do a good set whether I come on first for a fresh crowd, or last in front of a room that's dead. I tend to reflect the energy level of the room, instead of bringing my own energy. I take the audience's energy, instead of giving them mine.

I could have done better last night. At one point, I thought about abandoning material and just talking to the audience, but I didn't. I probably should have, since they were dead and my material wasn't doing much. I didn't have anything to lose really. At least they would have known I was in the same room.

It's another show, another venue in the books. I still had fun, plus I got to go to the best barbecue place in the Bay Area.