Jon Lajoie
Date: September 26, 2008 When I Go to the Clubs, I Wait in Line Internet sensation Jon Lajoie recently parlayed his comic buzz into a tour, with a quick Ottawa sell-out prompting a second show in the capital. I attended the first night at Zaphod's, where Lajoie proved capable of transitioning from videos to a live show, although the packed crowd was as much of a detriment as a blessing. The night started with local comic The Unknown Wrestler, who took the stage in a wrestler's outfit and mask and punctuated each joke in his string of one-liners by ringing a timekeeper's bell. Although there were a few chuckles to be found, the majority of the jokes were recycled and uninspired; and it wasn't long before a hostile mood developed between the performer and a loud, impatient contingent in the crowd. In fact, The Unknown Wrestler appeared to cut his set short after receiving a poor response to his announced intention to end with a second song. All in all, it was a pretty uncomfortable start to the evening. While Jon Lajoie had made his mark with a series of Internet videos, musical and otherwise, his live abilities were unknown to me. After a prerecorded intro video, Lajoie took the stage dressed in a recreation of the attire from his breakthrough routine, "Everyday Normal Guy," and he proceeded to deliver that rap to the boisterous crowd. Another video projection allowed Lajoie to change and return to the stage, although the fact that it was a familiar routine from his web site left the opening of the night a bit flat. Fortunately, Lajoie transitioned to some fresher material, starting with an extended bit detailing why he shouldn't be doing stand-up comedy, even though his agent thinks it best, now that he's touring. Lajoie's timing and delivery were very good here, although I can't write this review without mentioning the unfortunate segment of the crowd (mostly the same people who had argued with The Unknown Wrestler) who kept yelling things out at inappropriate times, seemingly doing all that they could to interfere with Lajoie's work. Whether it was the rock club setting or something to do with Lajoie's fan base coming from an Internet crowd, a small but vocal portion of those in attendance demonstrated a consistent lack of respect for the performer and their fellow fans. While that distraction hurt the show, it didn't kill it, as Lajoie, with cohorts Renaud Paradis and Stéphan Côté, worked through a number of bits, some musical and some not. A presentation on how to make successful Internet comedy videos was a notable hit, with Lajoie poking fun at himself. A malfunctioning projector eliminated some planned videos and transitions but the live material stood fine on its own; and the performers did not lose too much of the set's flow, cutting their losses after some brief repair attempts. The night ended as it began, with a familiar song in "Show Me Your Genitals." Jon Lajoie overcame an imperfect crowd and a few technical snags to deliver a funny set, with the fresh material carrying the night and a few well-known bits entertaining the masses. <--Prev (Alexander Hacke & Danielle de Picciotto) | Next (Bad Religion)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |