Will travel for comedy

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing some great comedy in Bakers Bar in Clonmel. I usually don't know what's going on in Clonmel as its not often I get home with the haphazard hours my new job brings but I was home during the week and I saw the poster in Bakers Bar window. I will admit I did a double take when I saw it. I have heard my brother say great things about foil arms and hog, and he's got pretty good taste in comedy and I had recently seen a video of theirs that went viral where they worked 50 place names into a conversation. Plus I was off on the night so it was kind of a no brainer. Stephen had recently been complaining that we never go anywhere or see anything so a rare Thursday night off seemed like as good an opportunity as any to change that.

Bakers Bar on Parnell street is one of my favourite bars. It doesn't look like much from the outside but inside it's quite spacious with lots of exposed brickwork. There's a beer garden/ smoking area off to the side with plenty of room, not like those tiny boxes some bars exile you to if happen to be out with a smoker and while the main bar seems reasonably small, beyond the bathroom there's double doors that open to a cavernous back room with ample seating and decent sized dancefloor. I can't say I get out in Clonmel very often but it does usually involve a drink or two in Bakers. It attracts a crowd of mixed ages So I never feel like the oldest there but I am usually not the youngest either. 

We were down early last night, I am nothing if not punctual. Unfortunately for me this usually involves a lot of sitting around and waiting, something at which I do not excel and I was a little apprehensive because while my brother had recommended these guys, I generally find sketch comedy a little hit and miss. I did have a feeling that I might have stumbled upon an opportunity to see some great comedy so I figured €10 and a short drive was worth the risk. The guys weren't just good, they were absolutely fantastic. Some of the sketches were so funny you could see they were struggling not to laugh. Obviously their own lines were rehearsed to perfection but put a group of people in a bar with some drink and you're going to have a bit of audience participation whether you want it or not. Some of it added to the performance and some of it seemed like rudeness on behalf of the audience but I put that down to alcohol consumed and tried to tune it out. Foil arms & hog are a supremely talented group of guys and they seem to have a fantastic range of sketches with singing, physical comedy and deadpan humor. You could tell by how the whole show ran that they have clearly been doing this a while because it was definitely no amateur hour.
I don't want to get into detail on exact sketches because I know for a fact that I wouldn't do them justice and I'd also hate to spoil the show for anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing it yet. The show itself unfolds in a series of sketches and some of it involves audience participation but not in a Jason Byrne type way, no one was brought up on stage to be cradled like a baby.  we even got to see some new material. Not everything was perfectly polished but they somehow weaved the hiccups into the show so they became part of the performance and maybe even added to it.
I had a great night and left with my face sore from beaming and my sides tight from laughter. At the end of the show we had the opportunity to buy a dvd from their vicar street show for only €5 and I know a bargain when I see one. 

It looks like Bakers Comedy club might something promising to look out for. We don't get much to Waterford in the way of comedy since The Forum ceased being a venue and became a bingo hall instead but I am willing to travel for good comedy. Next month they have Jason Byrne and then after that I believe they have Glenn Wool coming down. I don't know how they managed that exactly, perhaps they tricked him and he doesn't know he's coming to Clonmel. I for one am very excited about that and I'll do my utmost to get down on the night.