Bad moments from good shows and good moments from bad shows
Some audio visuals for ya
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SHOWS!
Hello Sternal Journalists,
While I know nobody but me cares, this is technically last week’s Sternal Journal. In an attempt to keep up a multi-year record of one SternJourn per week, there will (hopefully) be a bonus mini-issue this week from some fun thing about the Edinburgh Fringe. But here’s this week!
We’re opening the final week of the Edinburgh Fringe. The third week, in my limited experience, is always the most. The most good, the most bad, the most jubilant, the most stressful, the most annoying, the most fulfilling, the most draining. Just the most everything.
This is because performers tend to have simultaneously hit their stride and reached their wits end; locals are either finally checking out the festival or finally totally fed up with their city being overrun with egomaniacal artists; and the tourists have decided that the third week is probably when still will be the most polished but not as busy as the final week, thereby all making the third week the far and away busiest week.
I had some of my highest highs and lowest lows this week. At one of my favorite shows, I had four people who were sitting in the front row, and really had not been having a good time, leave right before my masterpiece, The Ballad of the Poop Train Girl.
I genuinely don’t begrudge them at all. Everyone else was having a good time, and I’ve seen plenty of shows while I’m here that I respected but were not for me. Nobody is for everyone. I also don’t begrudge them because it resulted in the greatest introduction to poop train I’ve ever done. You may listen to it below. Especially if you know my Poop Train song, I think you will love it. It’s about 90 seconds:
I saw the people who had left later on the street and said, “Hey friends!” And I think they thought I was being sarcastic, but I genuinely wish them all the best and hope I didn’t ruin their day too too much.
I also had a show where a drunk man who is apparently a local legend named Batman Flash showed up halfway through my show, resulting in me only doing about probably 12 minutes of material and the rest of the time just responding to what was happening in the room.
That show ended with Batman Flash reciting an actually very moving poem onstage. To be clear, there is no point in my show where audience members are invited on stage, let alone to perform a poem.
I also also had a show where my microphone did not work and a third of the audience had announced early that they could not stay for the whole show, both of which factored quite considerably into the quality of performance I was able to provide.
HOWEVER, one of the early departers had been drawing the entire time (not gonna say this didn’t effect my set either) and as she left, showed me this MASTERPIECE:
I normally like a focused audience, but if you have this kind of talent (like the artist, whose stuff you can check out at @soupslurper9000 on Instagram), please feel free to draw during my shows and leave early.
Okay, onto!!!!
Recommendations!
Bad Boys 2. Song. I am obsessed with this song by Chance the Rapper and Joey Purp. Got it on repeat. “City on my shoulder like Iago” is an incredible line. Highly recommend.
Shake Ya Tailfeather. Song. I simply cannot recommend a song called “Bad Boys 2” without reminding us of the greatest song ever to come from Bad Boys 2, Nelly’s “Shake Ya Tailfeather.” Listen to it for the Nelly, not the Diddy I guess.
Furiozo. Show. I have been bad at recommending shows at Fringe this year, but I met Piotr last year at a press event that didn’t do much for either of us. We’ve stayed Instagram friends. He is a kind Polish clown who has a show about toxic masculinity and generational trauma. It made me laugh a lot and cry. Also, last year he was in a tiny, bad room at 1 am and now he’s the talk of the Fringe, selling out a central, cool-kid venue. It is not the only show I’ve loved at the Fringe, but I’m very emotionally invested in its success.
Other shows. If you’re at Fringe, some others to see: Ben Kassoy’s The Funny Thing About A Panic Attack, Mark Vigeant’s Best Man Show, Devon Drew’s Popstar, Tea Wade’s Mandrill, Otter Lee’s Princess Syndrome, Britanick’s Dummy. I know I’m missing some, but this is so late!
Anyway! That’s about it for now. Some fun moments from chaotic shows. I hope you’re having as fun and less of a chaotic week as me.
Much love!
Julian!
Normally, I use this area to say that you can upgrade to paid if you’re rich. I hugely appreciate those of you who have, but nobody should ever feel pressured to! (Although huge thanks to my recent new paid subscribers! You have made it slightly easier to do this!) AAAAALSO though, if you’re the type to hit a like or leave a comment and you just haven’t thought of doing it on the SternJourn yet, come on in! Lemme know if you love or hate the recs! All engagement unfortunately is good engagement. But if you do not have time, get outta here and don’t worry about it! I’ll see ya next week!
As always, incredible perspectives and stories -- and much appreciated recs.
"This is because performers tend to have simultaneously hit their stride and reached their wits end; locals are either finally checking out the festival or finally totally fed up with their city being overrun with egomaniacal artists; and the tourists have decided that the third week is probably when still will be the most polished but not as busy as the final week, thereby all making the third week the far and away busiest week."
This is so real!!!