Lancastrian poet and comedian, Dan McLaughlin, to perform at the old pint pot this evening, with some hot takes and social commentary.

Dan works a podcast producer for the Laudable project, based at the Manchester Evening News. He has also performed as a stand-up poet in Manchester, Salford, and Lancashire since 2019, with his poems addressing politics, sexuality, and culture. He is also known for his foul language.

Dan says: “My genre of comedy is a mixture of satire, observational comedy, and of course, poetry. It was a happy accident that I became a poet, even a stand-up poet. My friend organised an open mic night in Manchester, I scribbled something down on a beer mat, and performed that night. And I was hooked ever since. I am not sure if I would outright class myself as a comic; maybe a wit. I hope it’s witty anyway!”

 

Dan takes inspiration from performers and comedians, rather than poets. Comedic inspirations are Billy Connolly, Tim Minchin, and Bill Bailey. I love the mixture of songwriting and comedy. The only poet he does read is the Bard of Salford himself, John Cooper Clarke.

“He is such an intelligent, hilarious, and brilliant, brilliant poet. My style emulates him, but I will never reach those dizzying heights.”

Listen to a preview of Dan’s poem regarding sexuality below:

Dan recalls when he first started performing in front of a crowd: “There was a particularly tough crowd at one venue. They wanted karaoke and Oasis, and as soon as you were announced as a poet, the clientele were immediately against you. Some of the heckles were fierce and piercing. I once had a gentleman square up to me when I was onstage.”

“So the bad gigs tend to be the most memorable, because you learn the most from them. And I knew that I was at a turning point in my performing when I was able to turn it around, and get this tough clientele on my side one night. They clapped, cheered, and even bought me drinks at the bar. I’ve probably been chasing that high ever since.”

 

When pressed about where comedy is going in the future Dan said: “Not only do you have to be funny and a good performer, you have to have an online presence and good promotional skills. But saying that, the best training is still in front of a live audience. There is still a demand for live entertainment. If I had a crystal ball and all of the answers, I wouldn’t tell you – because I’d want them for myself and my act! Live is still paramount, but you need the skills to get people to those live gigs.”

To learn more about Dan’s career and his next gig, see his page here

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