Phill yer boots at the 100 Club

**

The Joy of Live Comedy in London (I) is going into town, looking forward to seeing Dan Antopolski, one of the funniest and cleverest stand-ups around, at the always excellent Oranje Boom Boom comedy club, only to be told on arrival that, owing to a series of cloud-bursts, combined with the prospect of watching a particularly dismal England performance against Finland, not enough people have turned up and so the gig has been cancelled. Initial reaction: shame that more people didn't listen to the match on 5 Live for free, as your reviewer shrewdly did.

But oh the Joy of Live Comedy in London (II): mere minutes away on one's trusty bicycle lies the Fitzroy Tavern, where, tonight, impish Paul Foot should have been hosting Pear-Shaped in Fitzrovia. But of course, that's been cancelled too, for the same reasons. Never fear. The Joy of Live Comedy in London (III) brings reviewer and trusty bicycle to the 100 Club, legendary venue of the rock world, where the evergreen Ronnie Golden is staging Club Senseless.

Given the affinity between comedy and rock, it's surprising they haven't sparred here before. The idea is to get some comedians who can sing or play up on stage with a band, and, well, let it rip. Last night's guest star was Phill Jupitus, who blasted out a heart-felt One More Time by Ms B Spears, as well as the classic Sexuality from the John Hegley rock primer, and that Ska standard, A Message To You Rudi.

What he hadn't counted on was being asked to do 20 minutes of stand-up beforehand, at short notice. Luckily, most people just wanted to shout out questions about Never Mind the Buzzcocks: Alexis Korner wouldn't have stood for that, but Jupitus was more than equal to it.

Comic names including Tony Slattery, John Dowie and Andre Vincent were tapping their toes to the beat. Just imagine who will attend next time, when grizzled rock veteran Barry Cryer tops the bill.

Next show is on 16 November. Box office: 020 7636 0933.

Club Senseless Goes West