Description:
A legend of Australia’s 1980s heavy metal scene returns to Sydney in April, as a stand-up
comedian at the Comedy Store (both Sydney and Parramatta venues). UK based Australian
stand up comedian Steve Hughes began his career behind the drum kit of thrash heavy metal
band “Slaughter Lord”. Then after ten years rehearsing, recording and touring, Hughes lay
down the drum sticks and picked up the microphone, started talking to the audience, and one
of Australia’s hottest comedy exports was born.
Much like thrash metal, Hughes’ local success was short, fast and loud. Hughes won the
“Green Faces” comedy competition in 1997, was voted Sydney Comedian of the Year 1998,
toured all over Australia, appeared on “The Footy Show” and hosted Australian MTV.
Onwards and upwards was the only place to go, prompting Hughes to move to the UK in
2002, debuting at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that same year. Hughes has since made five
critically acclaimed appearances at the Fringe, establishing himself as a member of the elite
UK stand-up fraternity, and is firmly ensconced as a regular headliner on the UK comedy
circuit, one of the toughest in the world.
Hughes is a self-styled heavy metal comedian, surpassing mere superficialities - it’s not a
gimmick. Certainly Hughes outward style is metal, fashioning long flowing hair, donning an
extensive black jean and tank-top wardrobe, and is never far from striking a rock pose, devil
horns and all. But Hughes is metal down to the core, his comedy embracing common characteristics
of politicised content about government, capitalism, anarchism, and war.
Hughes is far from thrash in delivery, steering away from the loud mouthed, enraged rant
often adopted by political comedians, instead employing wit and a laconic uniquely Australian
laid back delivery - stubbie and cigarette in hand.
Hughes delivers some pretty heavy subject
matter, but his style is disarming, and he floats effortlessly from whimsical everyday observational
and blue material to dissertations on religion, war, politics and the corporate machine
without skipping a beat - keeping audiences on track while he forces them to laugh themselves
clever.
Steve Hughes has featured on almost every major UK comedy television show including The
World Stands Up, The Comedy Store, Edinburgh & Beyond, BBC’s The Live Floor Show, Mike Wilmot's Comedy Blue, and ITV2’s Comedy Cuts.
Steve Hughes: no stage-diving, air-guitar or head-banging - just hard-hitting jokes with Devil
horns. Hail the Gods of Comedy and Metal.