A crowd who may, as Stewart surmised, be largely new to him and his different brand of material.
Stewart is a clever man. An angrier Charlie Brooker he deals less in tricky riddles and more in brutal honesty. So yes, while there is a lot of thinking to be done when listening, he isn’t afraid to drop it all and pull off a crass laugh with a profanity or sexual reference.
So the crowd at first seemed slow to warm to him – perhaps the stretched and less-than-comfy arena hampered our ability to unite as one and enjoy the collective humorous experience.
But as he went on his honest approach to what he saw around him, his keen eye for a decent visual punchline after decades in the business and his sheer warmer-than-you-would-think personality slowly won everyone around.
By the time the second half of his set drew to a close there was more laughter and more shaking of seats on their secure rails as shoulders involuntarily rocked to the vibrations of humour.
Stewart was looking at how technology has changed the way we get our enjoyment. How the internet has taken our wider view of existence and clipped it down to 20-second clips of cats falling over on endless loops.
He derided the under-40s, the computer generation. And perhaps what made me laugh so hard was, as a 29-year-old, I completely agreed with the majority of what he was saying. The downfalls of my own generation were hard to deny, and there was plenty I fell foul of myself.
The routine on fads and how stupid they make us was excellent, especially when delving into how our grandparents may have sought to spice up their sex life in the 1930s countryside.
He bemoaned Brexit, lambasted the decision for America to vote Trump in. And there was also time to take a swipe at the all-encompassing TV phenomenon that is Game of Thrones.
His stage was a collection of his rivals’ live DVDs all ‘picked up for 1p online’. As he stamped across their faces with mock venom and anger, the message of his set was really hammered home. Comedians come and go in fads, as has technology such as the DVD itself.
Yet the one thing that has endured is laughter. And we all left with it ringing in our ears (and a reminder to learn about the triangles of jokes).
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter