I'd also add, as a headliner, try and watch at least a little of the other comic's sets, so you can read the room and their sensibilities before you ever get on stage. What kind of stuff do they laugh hardest at? What topics make them tighten up?
Conversely, I have hosted shows where the audience did not react well to certain types of material, only for a feature/headliner to get on and immediately step in the pile of figurative dog doo I just stepped in, which could have been avoided had they just watched my set.
I'd also add, as a headliner, try and watch at least a little of the other comic's sets, so you can read the room and their sensibilities before you ever get on stage. What kind of stuff do they laugh hardest at? What topics make them tighten up?
Conversely, I have hosted shows where the audience did not react well to certain types of material, only for a feature/headliner to get on and immediately step in the pile of figurative dog doo I just stepped in, which could have been avoided had they just watched my set.
Love this and 100% agree!!!