Behind the Mic: Chunks

Tell me about Chunks...
Chunks is a night dedicated to unleashing unabashed goofball energy. It functions like a machine-gun-paced scratch night for alternative comics to try out characters, roughly-thought-out sketches, songs or just anything silly. As long as their bit doesn’t work as stand up and is under three minutes, we’d welcome any insanely dumb idea onto stage.

How did it come about?
The central Chunks politburo is myself, and comrades Chris Thorburn and Richard Brown. My oldest friend, Jamie Rolland (currently establishing the Buenos Aires chapter), and I wanted to set up a night for total nonsense.  We’ve had so many brilliant comics join in (too many to mention, but big airhorns to you all xx) and it’s now developed this community mentality amongst its ever growing-membership. We hope that inclusive dedication to silliness spreads to the audiences also.

What was the first Chunks like?
It was way back in June 2014 at the sorely missed Halt Bar in Glasgow. The acts included: Old Codge, The Boy With Walnuts for Eyes & Blaine Champagne's Dickonomics. It was really fast, very chaotic, always on the verge of disaster and put together at the last minute (a model we’ve stuck to for the last 11 years). At the time we just wanted to put on something before the venue closed and didn’t think it would be anything other than a one-off. But it was so much fun that we just kept doing it and it’s steadily built up this lovely cult following since.

What would be your dream Chunks line-up? 
Ever since I saw Dr Dre’s Up in Smoke Tour on VHS as a wee guy, I’ve been obsessed with how they got a 1964 Chevrolet Impala onto the stage for Let Me Ride/Still DRE. It’s just so ridiculous but also genuinely amazing. My dream is that we get Chunks to the point where we can get a car driven onto stage as part of an alternative comedy night. This would presumably involve a ram that we can’t currently afford. Comrade Pearse’s now-legendary 2016 bicycle ride through The Griffin came closest to fulfilling my dream, but I think we still need a car on stage at some point.

What's been your best takeaway from running it?
One of the wonderful things about Chunks is that nobody really knows what to expect until it’s actually happening. I think this unpredictability gives the night an amazing tension and excitement. It’s scruffy and sometimes it’ll lose momentum, but I prefer a certain DIY roughness compared to making the night more regimented. We’ve hopefully made a space that encourages that sense of playing around and you just have to trust the act’s instincts. If you’ve surrounded yourself with talented, creative people, things will work out even when it’s not always smooth like smooth peanut butter and instead it gets crunchy like crunchy peanut butter. It’s still peanut butter and peanut butter is great.

Who or what on the comedy scene should folk look out for?
There’s so many great gigs going in Scotland. I’d highly recommend; The Fever Dream Comedy Society, Clown Extravaganza!, The Glasgow Improv Theatre, Progranimate and That’s Clown. All are doing really creative, inventive stuff playing with alternative comedy.

Who's the funniest comedian you've seen?
At an open spot night, I once saw a dog trick double-act. This dog howled through every other comic on the bill and, when onstage, refused to play along with any of their owner’s jokes (i.e. the punchlines might be “Sit” or “Roll over”). With this failing, the owner went into their non-dog-based material, while totally ignoring their partner’s attempts to remove the barking dog from behind a chair at the back of the stage. I still don’t know how much (if any of it) was planned, but it’s honestly the most I’ve ever laughed at anything. I’ve never seen that dog at any gig since.

Any news on the long-promised Chunks Christmas novelty single?
Yeah we’re always in the studio fine-tuning. The flood that ruined six months of experiments in sleigh bell tonalites was a knockback, but we’re building again towards the perfect CHUNXMAX banger. Hopefully if we can find the right throat-singing choir we’ll get the single out for Xmas 2026.

What's next for Chunks?
Outside of the monthly night, we’re back at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival with Chunks of the Year 2026. More gigs further afield hopefully, maybe a little tour at some point might be nice. Then Chunks on Ice?

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Chunks is on monthly at Gael & Grain, Glasgow; next show on 22 Dec, 7.30pm, free. More details at goodeggcomedy.co.uk
Chunks of the Year, Gael & Grain, Glasgow, 13 Mar, 10.15pm, £7; Donny Vostok: Heet (The Crowd Work Show, I Swear I'll Try My Best To Not Talk About 1995's Heat For An Hour), Gael & Grain, 20 Mar, 10.15pm, £5, both part of the 2026 Glasgow International Comedy Festival