Dexter, Don't Fall in Love with Me

From his Radio 1 Christmas Spectacular, 2012

More Nick Helm videos

Nick Helm: Dare To Dream
Live Review

Nick Helm is comedy’s answer to glam rock, all swaggering machismo, aggressive posturing and energetic showmanship. Plus you wouldn’t be surprised if the frontman turned out to be a sex offender.

Emerging into the Guggenheim-skinned Portakabin of Pleasance Beside in an ocean of fake smoke, awesome guitar licks and pulsating lights, Helm certainly makes an entrance. ‘Let’s fuck this puppy!’ he hollers, in one of his unlikely, full-on catchphrases and we’re crashing into the fist-pumping opening number.

With a voice that sounds like he’s been gargling drain cleaner, he screams at the audience, bullying them to take part or join him on stage. He’s fiercely intimidating, evoking the primeval laughs of dissipating fear as he barks out brusque instructions. It would be terrifying, if he didn’t just give away the slightest chuckle to prove he’s not quite the ogre his hostile onslaught suggests. He’s just trying to ram the fun down your throat, that’s all – and it’s the most irresistibly powerful opening gambit around.

Of course, he couldn’t possibly maintain that intensity for the whole hour – his voice couldn’t take it for starters – and so he introduces his backing musicians Robert Scott and Chris Boyd for marginally more relaxed songs and poems. However, that brooding air of menace still hangs over proceedings, as he creepily grooms one favoured member of the front row, luring them to his special place, while spitting venom at another punter he takes issue with, dedicating the verse The Dickhead, delivered in spittle-flecked fury in their honour. Pam Ayres was never like this.

The hour is punctuated with awkward silences, heavy breathing and expletive-heavy songwriting, growled out antagonistically –  all symptoms of an appalling post-breakdown man who’s lost all sense of social mores. His desperation gets such that even he can’t ignore it any more, and he mournfully starts fingering the props for jokes he never did.

This is by turns mournfully and explosively funny, with a palpable edge of unpredictably to his supercharged performance. There is no comic quite like Nick Helm. Comedy should be thankful that there is one of him; and equally thankful that there is no more than one of him.

Saw him yesterday at the Dome. He wasn't all that funny. His timing was off (perhaps to do with a sore throat...). In any event, any appreciative audience must have a touch of masochism about them. There were some small gems, but the performance lacked polish and direction. To carry off that level of abuse of the audience, contrast in mood and content needs a lot more panache than Nick Helms displayed. Oh, and the band is lousy.

Ray, August 2012

Just watched his fringe preview in edinburgh: unhinged, a bit like a breakdown in front of his father after years of pent-up hate, though with as much comedy if you did get to watch such a private self exposing moment. Moments of brilliance and real cheek burn. Some of the songs are priceless, others painful. Result: go see it and enjoy the rollercoaster, something different that once refined might just be a dream come true for unhinging comedy to find something new?

Flanders, August 2011

I saw him on Russell Howard and thought that it takes a lot for a comedian who nobody's hardly heard of to be so fearless of the audience. He is definitely something rare. I hope he gets the success he deserves

Haylea, December 2010

I saw Nick yesterday. The posted videos don't do him justice. He had the audience laughing or terrified the whole act. I laughed so hard I reached my laughter cap where I wish I could have laughed harder to assert my enjoyment but my lungs weren't strong enough. Really catchy, witty songs. Definitely would see him again.

Nat, October 2010

I have to agree with the two comments above - I especially love the description of Nick as an 'angry care bear'. Saw Nick's show, 'Keep Hold of the Gold' the other week at the Fringe - it was one of the few shows where I laughed consistently from start to finish. OK, so maybe sometimes the laughter was tinged with fear, but with the kind of adrenalin-joy-terror you get from roller-coasters, and being chased in 'it' as a kid, so it was all good. The show rolls on the audience participation (needs a willing audience to work best - luckily the crowd were completely up for it). It rocks on Nick's songs, which are full of clever lines, great rhymes, and tunes that stuck in your head for weeks afterwards. I will definitely go see Nick again, and would recommend his show to anyone that likes funny.

Knox, August 2010

Saw Nick @ The Stand in Glasgow. You feel like you have been attacked by a very scary Care Bear. Aggressively sweet and very very funny. 10/10

Jeanne, May 2010

Angry, compelling, engaging, possibly slightly mental, but a genuine breath of fresh air amongst a sea of comedy clones. I'd pay to see him again, and I'd encourage others too.

Ni Tle, May 2010