Stewart Lee returned to Liverpool this week with his latest tour, Content Provider, for a two night residency at the Phil. I had previously reviewed an early version of this latest show when Stew showcased it almost a year ago and which you can read both here and, astonishingly, on Stewart Lee’s own website here – I am flabbergasted to think that Stew has seen/read my little rambling about that gig and decided to use it in the review section of his site and yes, this post is essentially my shameless attempt at getting noticed once again!
Having seen an embryonic version of the show, I was intrigued to see what changes had been made along with just generally being unable to resist the opportunity to see Stew live once again. This time around I potentially incurred Stew’s wrath by not only bringing a friend along, but a friend who has only recently got into Stew’s comedy! Thankfully, despite such noob credentials said friend has already become a massive and confirmed Stew fan. As a result, it felt safe to take our front row seats!
There was actually very little difference between the show tonight and the show I last saw in November 2016, and that’s fine – because the humour is of such a high standard that it bears repeated dividends. It’s perhaps in the first half, amidst the familiar routines of merchandise, tax and touring, that the show has had some reworking applied; there’s a little bit more on Brexit (inevitably), an energetic routine about mythical charity shop home deliveries that left me exhausted just from watching, as well as an absolutely hilarious piss-take of twentysomething comedians who may baulk at Stew’s criticism of Russell Howard, and a joyously destructive attack of the set which is, once again, made up of the second hand DVDs of lesser stand ups. Some of the most amusing new bits here where, I suspect, those that were unique to the night itself and were, in the comedian’s own words ‘self indulgent digressions’; these included Stew momentarily losing his way in his routine and requiring some help from the audience when he was unable to read his own writing of the prompts he scrawls on the back of his hand, an amusing insight into how his career is viewed by his own family and his reactions to some restless audience members who were perhaps itching for their interval drink or toilet break. One throwaway line about audience reactions to his fondness for Turkish funk (which was the interval music) especially amused, as Stew claims in Liverpool this remark gets a laugh whereas in Manchester, the home of Factory Records, it receives the encouraging recommendation to start a club night. Coming from St Helens, a small town between those two North Western behemoths and being neither one nor the other, I can see both sides.
Aside from a few very good bits of business, the second half seemed, as far as my recollection goes, to be virtually unchanged from the previous November. I’m really happy to report this actually as it means that my favourite bits remain intact. These include the amusing little aside about the odd, seemingly unworkable bedfellows of jazz and folk being reminiscent of his own partnership with Richard Herring, the difference between modern day Tinder and late ’80s Dateline, Game of Thrones digs (“Peter Stringfellow’s Lord of the Rings“) the tear-streamingly funny impression of someone under 40 addictively using their iPhone and, best of all, that wonderfully surreal and utterly deliriously hilarious routine about Stew’s grandparents practicing a sort of make do and mend S&M in ’30s Kidderminster. One new thing I did learn from the second half however was that Stewart Lee buys his boxer shorts from the same place as I do! I didn’t expect Stew to drop his trews as a reply to someone tweeting that he had got fat but it was another laugh out loud moment to a very entertaining night.
Unfortunately, despite Stew manning a particularly enticing merch stand immediately after the show I was unable to stick around this time to buy anything or get anything signed due to the massive queue that had formed and the pressing need to catch a train home, but I’m determined to catch Stewart Lee when he’s in town again (hopefully with a show entitled ‘Managed Decline’, the term used to describe Thatcher’s abhorrent policy towards Liverpool in the ’80s, and one which he wryly referred to as being how he viewed his own career now) and I recommend all fans of good, intelligent comedy to do the same.
PS: A small note to anyone booking for an event at the Liverpool Phil who may receive as I did an email offering you the opportunity of securing a spot and a free drink in their ‘VIP bar’, the 1840 room. for just £7. It’s not worth it. For a start, ‘room’ is totally the wrong way to describe the corridor with a bloke at a table at the end serving drinks that the 1840 actually is. Granted you can dodge the queues at the main bar here, but you can also dodge the queues by crossing the road and enjoying a drink at The Phil pub.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter