A double dose of Daniel Delby

Local comedian Daniel Delby is hitting Perth Comedy Festival with two shows this year. After consistently being told his freestyle rap skills were the audience’s favourite part of his stand-up performances, Comedian Rapsody will see them take centre stage at Regal Theatre on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4. This will be followed by Sesh Stories on Saturday, May 18, where Delby tells his wildest stories and jokes about big nights out mixed with those submitted from the audience. BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with Daniel Delby to find out the story behind the shows and what audiences can look forward to.

You’re back at Perth Comedy Festival this year with not one, but two shows! Why was it a good year for a double dose of Delby?

Other than being a comedian in the middle of a cost of living crisis? It’s because they are my two newest shows that excite me! With Comedian Rapsody, I get to use my freestyle rap skills for the full time instead of having it as a highlight of my comedy show.

With Sesh Stories, I was a high school teacher for ten years, so now I get to speak a bit more freely about all the stories I couldn’t discuss while employed by the education department! And no good story ever started with a water and a salad.

Comedian Rapsody combines both stand-up comedy and freestyle rap. Where did the idea for this come from?

Being from Wanneroo, it was compulsory for us to learn how to freestyle rap to graduate from primary school. Many moons ago, they were looking for freestyle rappers for Comedians vs. Rappers, and it resparked my joy for the scene. After being too scared to use it as part of my comedy sets, I bit the bullet, and it went extremely well.

From there, it became my trademark and the part that people really remembered, and it bamboozled them, for lack of a better word. After years of sprinkling freestyles through my hour, the feedback was always that this was my audience’s favourite part, so I am embracing what I’m good at and making it the full show!

Not to mention my co-host of another freestyle show called Whose Rhyme, Macshane and I have been utilising it for our joint freestyle rap game show, and it’s so fun bouncing off him, but I wanted to see how I’d go when it’s just me and the audience.

I guess you drew inspiration from a lot of different places for this show, but starting with the freestyle rap, who do you think are the best names in the game?

Well, my cohost, Macshane, is an absolute premiere in the scene. Incredible freestyler and a legitimate DnB MC who is the go-to man for the best in the world. There also used to be an MC called Silvertongue who has now given it away, unfortunately.

But in terms of pop culture, Harry Mac has incredible flow, and for the girls, Justina Valentine from Wild n Out has some of the best punchline freestyle raps out of all the performers on there!

Your other show, Sesh Stories, doesn’t just include your own tales of being out on the town but also incorporates stories from the audience as well. How can people share these stories with you?

Anonymously, or not so anonymously, as I found during the preview shows. I have a story box where they write down their biggest epiphanies or wildest/funniest story on a “big” night. I read them out at the end and riff and ask questions if the person wants to share, they can!

How do the stories from the public stack up against yours?

(Laughs) One of the funniest stories I heard was that “after a few days on the gear, I feel a little gay.” Another was that I had a threesome in exchange for a bicycle (the storyteller was a guy). Nothing surprises me. My own stories are pretty intense, so depending on the crowd, it depends on the level I share!

There are so many great comedians coming to town for Perth Comedy Festival this year. Are there any artists you’re excited to see back in Perth? And any chance of creating a few more of your own sesh stories this festival?

Last year, I got to gig with Josh Pugh. He’s fucking hilarious! When I was 10, Ed Byrne babysat me in Melbourne. Interviewing him on my podcast, The Hard Yarns, was a real head trip! And I’ve heard nothing but good things about his latest show. Ray Badran is funny, and Mike G is finally getting the recognition he deserves! Newcomer Andrew Hamilton is going to be incredible. He had some ripper sesh stories when he jumped up at my preview show! Another local act you should see is Grant Mushet. Brilliant off the cuff and well-thought-out bits.

However, I’m not planning on getting too wild this festival, as I’m essentially doing shows nearly every day of the week. I will save that for the two weeks before Edinburgh Fringe.