Doing a private gig without a PA system

[Phil]

...I'm assuming this is suicide? I got a paid private gig, only 35 people. I'm wondering if I should invest in a mic and little portable speaker?

[crlygrl]

For 35 people you would want a mic.

[SeanX3]

Depends on the size of the room, how far people are from you. Make sure everybody is crunched up front, near you per Steve Martin's observation that the more comfortable people are the less they enjoy stand-up. My favorite comedy club in Dublin has no mics. It's a small room that regularly holds 50+ people. It's a good skill to have, working a small crowd without a mic.

[Buckles_B]

It definitely wouldn't hurt to come prepared - I have seen and performed in shows without mikes for crowds of that size, but a lot depends on the venue - people need to be really up close to the stage to hear properly and in a small room.

[Phil]

Depends on the size of the room, how far people are from you.

Good point. I'll have to find out.

Make sure everybody is crunched up front, near you per Steve Martin's observation that the more comfortable people are the less they enjoy stand-up.

Really? I've always thought that gigs are terrible where the audience have to stand-up. Even bar stools make for a bad room.

My favorite comedy club in Dublin has no mics. It's a small room that regularly holds 50+ people.

After seen quite a few Irish comics in the UK and Finland, that doesn't surprise me. There's lots of yelling and runnin-around in their comedy, the mic just seems to get in their way. </generalization>

It's a good skill to have, working a small crowd without a mic.

Really good point. Maybe I should take this as a fun challenge.

[Bucky_Sinister]

is this in a bar or someone's house? the dimensions make the acoustics entirely different.

[pg13]

And it makes a difference how much command of the stage you project. The type of comedy you do also changes the equation.

Do you NEED a microphone to hold the position of control in the show? Are you in danger of getting lost in the sea of voices and distractions?

I've been on stage in front of 300 people when the PA system has gone out, and managed to keep command of the stage--being bigger, more obvious, louder--to finish out the last 15 minutes of my set.

I've also done "table work"--very close and personal comedy--without a mic for a small crowd. You don't want to go "big" when the crowd is small.

My advice? I'd hedge my bets and bring a small PA--what's worse, having it and not needing it or needing it and not having it?

pg--Safe > Sorry--currentlyloopyonpre-root-canal-drugsland

[Chase Roper]

This post was really helpful. I just book myself a private gig of around 50 people in a banquet room of Tea Leaf restaurant. They asked me to be there for like 70-90 minutes to just "do comedy" during their dinner. This sounds BAD. I'm going to have a PA system (but might not need it). I'm excited to try something different, but at the same time, I'm anxious as hell.

[pg13]

Whether you need the PA system or not, use it. It lends authority.

That said, whoever booked you for this gig need someone to straighten their head around about what comedy is...and that person is probably YOU, Chase...but it would mean risking there not even BEING a gig and that would mean you sacrificing money...and that's always a tough call for any comedian.

Comedy is NOT a passive activity. It is NOT like music, where it can just occur in the background. It is not like table magic, where it can swoop in for a moment and then move on to others for temporary bursts of entertainment. For comedy to work, everyone in the room must be paying attention...and there must be as few distractions as possible. Otherwise, it fails...and it doesn't just fail for those who choose not to pay attention, it fails for everyone.

Counter proposal: Let them have their dinner. Let them clear the plates. You do 30 minutes of comedy afterwards. THEY WILL LIKE THAT MUCH BETTER.

pg--Comics agreeing to do impossible gigs is why comedians get asked to do impossible gigs.--deepinthesiccness

[Chase Roper]

I super agree with you Peter. In fact, just before revisiting this thread, I emailed the man responsible for this absurd notion of me doing 90 minutes (first of all, if I had 90 polished minutes of material, I would NOT be doing a bday party at the Tea Leaf) and suggested around a 30-45 minute set PLUS I'll sort of emcee the evening, keep things on schedule, cake, gifts, make sure everyone keeps to the proper dining etiquette - that sort of thing. He agreed and I feel way more positive about this. Maybe next month I can book an anniversary in the trolley at the Spaghetti Factory.

[pg13]

The other thing to be aware of when doing the kind of show you're talking about...is they imagine the entire show will be about them--the birthday person and those involved. They're not expecting you to do your act...so, be aware that you'll have to work extra hard to keep them engaged with what you're going to be talking about--the assumption is flipped in these shows, they expect you to be there for them...whereas at most comedy shows the performer can rest assured that they're there to see you.

(This is something I learned the hard way last year with a couple of corporate gigs that just went "ok"--despite my doing over an hour for them.)

pg--It could be as easy as simply trying to connect them with your jokes...with an "I don't know if you're like me, but..." added to keep them in focus.--seattle

[Chase Roper]

Excellent advice!