Kevin Bland – Original Review

Note: This review is from 2007

Review by Steve Bennett

Kevin Bland comes across as a nice guy: a good-humoured, relaxed comic providing light, witty banter. Twenty minutes in his company is effortlessly enjoyable, though whether that’s enough to make him a stand-out stand-up is more arguable

There’s a few good gags, which he gets to in a roundabout way, but mostly he pootles along on charm. His surname is an obvious source for a bit of mildly self-deprecating shtick, as is the fact he’s from Wales. There’s nothing spectacularly interesting in there, but he makes the most of it.

A segment about being a ‘recovering anorexic’ because he’s a few pounds overweight is less fruitful, while he gets the most out of a neat-but-obvious idea about people who wear camouflage jackets in the city; although even this segment outstays its welcome. He tries too hard with some of his links, too – there’s no shame in simply moving on to another subject.

But for the flaws, it’s impossible to dislike this genial everyman – and he does reward the audience with a decent payoff every few minutes, ensuring his set does have purpose. He’s probably a better host than he is with his own set, but he’s entertaining in his gentle, but reliable, way.

Review date: 1 Nov 2007
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett

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