Justin Hamilton is a bit of a novelty in comedy, delivering highly intelligent true stories and adding a surreal twist. It’s hard to tell where the truth and fiction collide, whether he’s talking about superheroes, airports or politics, with his always funny and often self effacing humour, he describes himself as incredibly nerdy… yet he performs at rock festivals!

Tell us about your new show?
It’s a romantic comedy about moving from Adelaide to Melbourne, with a three act story line featuring exuberance, the dark part and resolution, like the magnum opus of Justin Hamilton. It won the Directors Choice Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which is not too bad for a romantic comedy.

Is it a romantic comedy with red blood, black suits and blue language?
(Justin laughs) There’s no violence unless there’s a heckler, but there is a bit of blue language. That’s what makes it a live show as opposed to television. Tim Ferguson (Doug Anthony All Stars) gave me a bit of comedy advice early in my career he said “Swearing is funny”.

You’re performing at the Falls Festival, when did you take an interest in musical comedy?
When my mum was working for Community Aid Abroad with the Doug Anthony All Stars, they were over for the Adelaide Fringe Festival. I went to their show and spoke to Richard Fidler who is a really smart, funny guy (now living in Brisbane) I told him I wanted to be a writer and showed him some of my work, so he suggested I get into stand up. There wasn’t much of a comedy scene in Adelaide so Lehmo and I started our own comedy club.

You currently work with Lehmo and Wil Anderson on Triple M. How do you find working in mainstream radio?
Well, I have toured with Wil Anderson for the past two years, everyone knows each other in comedy, it’s a small industry, but in radio you have to watch your language, as some people are easily offended by fairly basic words, though on the whole radio is fun and you get paid.

How will your Falls Festival act differ from your Comedy Festival act?
In keeping with the rock vibe: my act at Falls will differ from my show in the way a band’s album differs from their tour. With an album a band can set up a certain mood and take you on a journey, when they do a gig they take the best songs from their albums and hit you hard with a tight set. I will essentially be taking my best routines from my shows and hitting the audience hard with sex, drugs and a bit of rock n roll! Ha! That’s the plan anyway.

Have you worked with bands before?
Do Tripod count? I was on The Sideshow recently and it was Gatesy’s birthday (Tripod) I was surrounded by people I knew in the ABC Studio, when I looked around and saw Paul McDermott and Flacco, I had a flashback to The Big Gig, which was filmed in the same studio in the nineties.

Who are your favourite musicians, band etc?
Mad for David Bowie, have been for over twenty years and he hasn’t let me down yet. At the moment I am thrashing the latest Radiohead album, the best of Joe Cocker, Arcade Fire, the Eddie Vedder solo album and Sia.

You don’t look like a typical rock star how did you get on the bill at the Falls Festival?
I think it was because they couldn’t afford Wil Anderson anymore! I wouldn’t say that I don’t look like a typical rock star…I like to think of myself as a new millennium cross between Elvis Costello and Rivers Cuomo if he fronted the Beach Boys.

Have you worked at rock festivals before?
This will be my third Falls Festival since 2001! I can guarantee there will be some jokes about sex & drugs but have changed my mind about rock and roll jokes in case Kings of Leon (also on the bill) kick my arse.

Justin Hamilton is appearing at The Falls Music & Arts Festival.
29th December 2007- January 1st 2008

For more info on Falls Festival click HERE