10 Year Anniversary Chat

With NextUp hitting the 10 year mark soon, it got me thinking about what could be fun or meaningful ways to celebrate it. Not in a “here’s what they should do” way, more just throwing ideas out there to see what other people think and what the community would like to see.

One idea is a 10 year tour. A night in each city with one or two well known circuit favourites, then the rest of the line up made up of rising comics from that area. Every stop would feel different because each city has its own style and scene. You could even have a wildcard spot chosen by the community or local promoters, just to give someone newer a chance to be part of a bigger night.

Another thought is club takeovers. Instead of separate events, NextUp could team up with existing comedy clubs and run special anniversary nights with them. Something like “NextUp at 10: [Club Name] Takeover”, where the club’s regulars, local favourites and a couple of comics connected to NextUp all share the bill. It feels like a nice way to celebrate the venues that keep comedy going and put the anniversary right in the middle of each city’s scene.

And if anything like a tour or a run of events happens, it could all feed into a 10 year documentary. Something along the lines of “NextUp at 10: A Decade of UK Comedy”. Behind the scenes bits, interviews with comics at different stages of their careers, stories from club owners and promoters, clips from the shows, and a look at how things have changed over the last decade. It would also be a good way to highlight the future of the scene.

These are just a few ideas to get things started. I’d love to hear what other people would want from a 10 year celebration. Events, specials, collaborations, livestreams, merch, something online, something in person, something completely different.

What would make the 10 year milestone feel special to you?