Having seen some Facebook comments that related to Jimmy appearing at a pub called The Cambridge Boat Race “in the early 90s” I’d done some digging in August (here) and found nothing 8at the time).

As mentioned in the post linked above the venue was located at 170 East Road, CB1 1DB. Built in 1827 it went through various name changes, until it settled on The Boat Race in the 1980s.

It’s main claim to fame was that, in their early days, Oasis and Snow Patrol had played there. There’s a tenuous link here in that Jimmy is a big Oasis fan (see here) but it’s perhaps more notable that one of Jimmy’s friends is Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid (here). Bit of flimsy back story for you.

Anyway. As is usual – as soon as you stop looking something turns up and so we now have evidence of Jimmy appearing there on August 25^th 2000.

The British Newspaper Archive clipping (here) says that the Comedy Cupboard were putting on a Summer Special, at the pub.

The line-up was:

• David Hadingham – headliner
• Hal Cruttenden
• Jimmy Carr
• Dan Evans – compere

The show was set to start at 8.45pm and the tickets were £6 (£5 concession).

This article pinpoints this gig as his first appearance at this venue as it says Jimmy is “making his debut at The Boat Race”. It goes on to say Jimmy:

…has just completed a tour of the student circuit. The debonair Mr Carr peddles trivial but crisp one-liners which fall effortlessly on the right side of the line between the laugh and the groan

It’s hard to tell what they mean by “the student circuit” as the gigs that I’ve found so far (for this year) are not identifiable as student locations. Back then beer brands would often sponsor comedy nights and promote them through Universities. Unless I can find some promotional evidence (old newspaper articles) that part will remain a mystery, for now.

A few days before this (August 22^nd) he had been up at the Edinburgh Fringe, had had to sleep in his car and had entered the Telegraph Awards (here).

Background

At this stage of his career Jimmy had been performing above pubs and “going on stage after strippers” (his words) so there was no tour name.

Having performed his first gig in late 1998 (here) by 2000 he was at least getting paid for appearances.

He was now starting to get more regular bookings and appearing more in dedicated comedy clubs and slightly bigger rooms.

There is a page (here) about the UK Comedy Circuit and see also Pubs and Clubs 1998-2001 (here).