You must know the Stewart Lee story by now.
It’s the tale of the high brow comedian who broke through in the 1990’s only to find himself pushed to the margins as stand up went primetime.
But Lee became the comeback kid who eventually landed his own BBC series after honing his stand up talents in clubs up and down the land away from the glare of mainstream.
Despite the appearance of a rambling, emotive tirade, it is the precision planning and comedic craft that is the key to his success”
He became the master craftsman of comedy, an artisan performer who could skillfully manipulate the mood of a room, wrong foot his audience, and even deconstruct his act as he performed it, all while keeping the laughs rolling in.
Tonight he’s back in Salford for what seems like an annual visit.
And he is very much a man on top of game.
Anyone who has seen his TV show, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, for which this gig is a chance to road test new material, will know what to expect.
All present are the repetitive routines that start promisingly, go off the boil before inexplicably sparking back to life, and the jibes at right wing targets.
Norris McWhirter, Ukip and Rod Liddle all come under fire to the delight of the beady, Guardian loving intelligensia who form a sizable part of the audience.
And for such apparently irritable stage persona he is clearly enjoying himself. At points he even breaks character after failing to stiffle laughs at his own supposed ad libs, the first on the resemblance of Salford Quays to a futuristic landscape from a Mad Max movie.
Yet despite the appearance of a rambling, emotive tirade, it is the precision planning and comedic craft that is the key to his success. It is precisely this that allows him to bring the intimacy of small comedy club to an auditorium the size of the Lowry’s main theatre. It is a trick he has already pulled off on the small screen.
If you can’t catch his last two shows, make sure you allow him into your living room when the show returns later this year.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
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
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter