2005: Runner-up in the North West Comedian Of The Year competition and finalist in the Leicester Mercury Comedian Of the Year

Sam Avery: Rock And Dole
Live Review
Manchester Apotheca Bar

Tonight, he may be playing to a couple of dozen people in a Manchester basement bar, but Sam Avery was once destined for much bigger things. For this affable Liverpudlian stand-up was once the bassist in no lesser band than Dirty Blue Hook.

Never heard of them? Well, dBh, as a very small number of metal-heads might remember them, were genuinely on the cusp of fame. They had a record deal with BMG, appeared on Top Of The Pops 2 and supported Mötorhead at the Brixton Academy – all when Avery was just 17 years old.

Rock And Dole is the engaging story of how he went from delivering papers to tasting the rock-star life – and back again almost as quickly. It’s a tale that highlights the mercurially fickle music business where a single bad gig is seemingly all that stands between huge success and utter obscurity.

Avery proves an entertaining guide through his own tale, taking us from early, awkward gigs to how a bunch of naïve teenagers were given £30,000 to record an album with a legendary producer and marketed as the hardest grindcore band in Britain, even though they were mild-mannered boys from a middle-class suburb.

He could, perhaps, play up the comedy in this discrepancy more, but Avery generally plays with a straight bat, letting the story tell itself without embellishment or tagged-on gags. Some – but not all – of the anecdotes have inherent comic value, but since he admits that as an aloof youth he took this incredible opportunity for granted, he’s not going to start gilding the lily now.

Yet the story is inherently interesting, and he’s an upbeat raconteur with the experience and poise to hold a room. He needed large reserves of that to deal with a disruptive front row – a tipsy and attention-seeking quartet of lads, rather than anything too malicious – but his barrage of good-natured put-downs failed to totally silence them, and they were politely ejected.

Still, it makes quite a change from 4,000 Mötorhead fans yelling abuse and lobbing piss-filled projectiles, so you can understand the appeal of the simpler, more meritocratic world of stand-up, where Avery now makes a living. More a ‘personality’ comic than gagsmith, his smooth and friendly style certainly befits this autobiographical yarn.

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Very funny indeed. really knows how to work a crowd

loz, September 2009

Sam dealt with a loud row in a small venue with consummate skill and bottle . He roped the audience into shouting "Shut the F... up" at the transgressors, thus ensuring a less antagonising outcome than if he had taken them head on . He worked the audience well and even if his material was not uniform in standard he tied it up well and it was a very professional and witty performance. He also has a engaging stage presence. I will keep an eye out for him.

Dan McCole, May 2007

Sam was on last in Machynlleth where the gig had ground to a halt and the audience had started talking amongst themselves. He turned it round, dealt nicely but firmly with the hecklers and turned out a spot-on performance. Previously bored audience were outraged when he finished. I'll be booking him sometime myself...

Tony Jones, December 2006

Sam is even funnier than your average scouser, an up & coming comic who leaves the crowd smiling long after he's left the stage. Though he could push the boat out and really slay scallies, no one would be offended.

Hannah, September 2006

I watched Sam perform last night in Kidderminster and was very impressed indeed; Great stage presence, lovely manner with the audience and some cracking lines. He's also very tall.

Jim Smallman, August 2006

Sam has got an amiable personality. He should write some decent material to go with it, instead of indulging in simple, tired old rubbish

Jade, June 2006

I like Sam, he's not in your face, he's easy to watch and delivers his material really well. Some people may say his topics aren't original, but the material based on those topics is. Sam's stuff is fresh, his jokes are original and funny, and he has a great energy about him. He's also a really likeable bloke.

Sonny, February 2006

There are no hack topics, just hack comics, and Sam is not a hack comic. His style and delivery are ace, and the stuff about lad-culture is well-delivered and really funny. I think he's good. Very good AK 13.01.06

AK, January 2006

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