Ryan Coffey: Live and Loud @ Underbelly

Sitting in a damp dark venue in the Cowgate waiting for Ryan Coffey’s Live and Loud to begin, the eight member audience look at each other nervously. There is a scent of fear in the room as the realisation comes that Coffey’s musical stand-up show is about to start and no one can remain anonymous in an audience that small. No one is safe as Coffey begins crooning about his serious beard and hair while making direct eye contact one by one with everyone in the room. The audience is also offered a free beard stroke, like some sort of hipster petting zoo.

The Australian’s act is dirty without being offensive, a hard line to walk. He is fantastic at scoping out who in the room is game for a bit of pervy attention and which ones to avoid. Apart from being genuinely funny, the show is very musical with Coffey employing many musical techniques and equipment. One of the most impressive is recording a lick and then singing over that to build chords. He is a fantastically talented musician who could be playing gigs as naturally as performing stand-up. The beatboxing, one-man band has an impressive range; like a foul-mouthed angel. Dead-on timing and singing about certain female anatomy resembling a certain film monster, Ikea and young love, Coffey’s dynamic energy is contagious. 

A Golden Gibbo Award nominee at the 2011 Melbourne Comedy Festival, Coffey performs at festivals around the world and is one to watch. More beard, more music and more dirty talk than your average Edinburgh Fringe Festival show.