Next Level Sketch next Wednesday! Come and watch me and MJ Hibbett sing songs in Brighton!
Hello!
I managed a full media blackout in the lead up to the queen’s funeral. My only accidental glimpse of Anything Royal was seeing The Queue on MJ Hibbert’s instagram feed (more on him later).
So, really, anything could have happened. The coffin could have been on rollerblades. Brian Blessed could have given the ceremonial bellow. Judas Priest could have played the wake, amid the sandwiches and nibbles upstairs at the Nag’s Head.
The number of people who queued, in the end, was insignificant. Fewer than half who marched against austerity in 2011. The latter approached with a near media blackout, which I’m guessing didn’t happen with this particular event.
When I was at the Guardian, a news editor once told me protest wasn’t a news story unless it was over a million people; or if violence took place.
I tried, while there, to make at least the online version of the paper take protest a bit more seriously. I did ok at that.
The last few weeks have reminded me plenty of invented traditions, the importance of turning the internet off occasionally, and how easy it is for our establishment to manufacture consent.
My Birthday Sketch Show!
Next Level Sketch returns next Wednesday, approximately 43 years and 21 hours after my birth. Come along? I’m hosting, the acts we’ve booked in support are brilliant, and there might be some kind of QUIZ. I know money is tight, so get in touch if you need a freebie.
Next Level Sketch with special guests Siblings Comedy and Steppendads! Tickets, Wed, Sep 28, 2022 at 8:00 PM | Eventbrite
Sketch comedy with the fabulous Siblings, Steppendads and Hoopla’s own strange humans
Gig with MJ Hibbett in Brighton on October 19th
The amazing MJ Hibbett has a new solo album out soon. I did one in 2021. He has performed a million gigs, I have performed none. Come along to his show and see which one of us is better?!
Special guests and forgotten chords all but guaranteed.
MJ Hibbett performs in Brighton - with special guests and assorted antics Tickets, Wed 19 Oct 2022 at 19:30 | Eventbrite
Indie pop titan MJ Hibbett plus support from James Walsh (not out of Starsailor) and Simon Topping
That’s it my lovelies! Hopefully see some of you on the 28th.
J xxx