3 Minutes of Fame

3 Minutes of Fame is back at Hot Water Comedy Club on Thursday 17 June, and it's one of those nights where the audience is as much a part of the show as the people on stage. It's run by Hot Water Comedy, who call themselves the UK's best comedy promoter and run two award-winning, purpose-built comedy venues in the city.

The format is open to anyone: brand-new comedians, daring first-timers and audience members alike step up to the mic and have to survive a full three minutes before three audience judges can hit a buzzer. If you make it through, you go into a final rapid-fire round decided by audience applause, and every performer gets a free drinks voucher after their set. It's billed as Liverpool's wildest and most unpredictable comedy night, and that's because the line-up changes every time. A walk-up spot is filled by someone who signs up on the night, and the number of performers can range from 13 to 40, so you never quite know how long the night will run or who's going to turn up.

Resident MCs Danny McLoughlin and Phil Chapman keep the whole thing moving, and since it's a walk-up night, the room is usually full of people who've just stepped up from the crowd. If you've ever thought about trying stand-up, this is a low-stakes way to do it—you only need to hold your own for three minutes to survive the first round.

It's at Hot Water Comedy Club at Blackstock Market, 17 Blackstock Street, L3 6ER. Doors open at 17:30, the show starts at 19:00 and wraps up by 21:00. It's free to perform, with unlimited sign-ups from 16:00 until 20:30 on the night, and guaranteed entry is £5.00.