Friendlyjordies & More

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy Friendlyjordies’ live show at the Paddington RSL on Saturday night. I was feeling quite tired after a busy week.

On Wednesday, I’d caught up with an old school friend and her mum for drinks at a wonderful bar in the city, https://www.theswingingcat.com/

Then on Thursday, I went to see the play I wrote about the other day, https://jamesobrien.id.au/2024/10/the-queens-city-of-the-south/

And then on Friday, I took the day off work for an annual lunch with friends, including former and current colleagues. Each year on roughly the same day, at the same time, we go to the same restaurant, https://www.lacapannina.com.au/, sit at the same outdoor table, enjoy the food and wine, and solve the problems of the world. Last year, I was fresh out of hospital, and still getting around with crutches, but this year I managed to get myself to and from the restaurant on public transport, an indicator of the achievements of what’s happened in the time since, my friends noted. We struggled to remember how long we’ve been doing this for, but it’s a lovely tradition we all enjoy, and we’ve already made a tentative restaurant booking for a 2025 date.

By the time Saturday came around, I was a little exhausted.

I was also unsure what to expect from a 90-minute Friendlyjordies live show show. I’ve been watching his YouTube videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2-i3KuYoODXsM99Z3-Gm0A for a number of years and generally enjoy his content. While he can be a bit much at times, I appreciate his sharp wit. But, could he hold my attention for a full hour and a half, especially with a topic like the Byzantine Empire, something I knew little about?

Arriving at the Paddington RSL, I noticed I was one of the oldest people in the audience. Almost everyone else seemed to be in their 20s. I was also struck by how many people were watching the show, and simultaenously using their phones s – a generational thing, I suppose, but still surprising to me.

The show itself was a pleasant surprise. Friendlyjordies presented a fascinating history lesson on the Byzantine Empire, highlighting how much of its history has been rewritten or erased. He drew parallels to modern society, discussing achievements like universal healthcare and challenging the notion that each generation is inherently smarter than the last.

While the history lesson was engaging, Friendlyjordies didn’t shy away from his trademark humor. He peppered the show with jokes, some more sophisticated than others, keeping the audience entertained. There were definitely moments where he seemed to lose some of the crowd, particularly during the longer political segments, but overall, the audience seemed to enjoy the show.

I appreciated the combination of humor and historical insights, and the 90-minute runtime felt just right. It was also interesting to watch Friendlyjordies interact with the visuals on screen. The pacing was good, and the show flowed well. If he tours again, I’d definitely consider going to see another show.