comedy

Literally Underground Comedy

The Business is Awesome, And it's Moving Again

 

You’ve got a few last chances to catch a really funny and interesting show in the best little comedy basement in the city.

Underground comedy institution, The Business, is relocating yet again come September 18th, from Lost Weekend Video, to the Hemlock tavern. They moved earlier this year from their long-time home, The Dark Room, when it temporarily closed because those Spamalot dicks sent a cease and desist letter.

The reason for September’s move? Business regular Jules Posner says that they saw an opportunity to expand: “The Hemlock just happened to have Friday nights open up in the near future, and we thought it would be a great opportunity to step up to a higher capacity venue in a primetime slot.”

The venue is bigger and louder, but he promises the format won’t change, which is good news. The two big reasons I love this show: it’s got an incredibly loose format (something like The Benson Interruption where there is a second comic around to butt in whenever they feel like) and it gives the talented mainstays a unique opportunity to practice longer sets on a regular basis, so they can take their craft to the next level. Since there is another comic around to shoot the shit with, comedians can test weirder, newer material without getting marooned or losing step.

It’s a format that’s helping comics evolve. Former Business SF comics Sean Keane, Caitlin Gill, Chris Garcia, Chris Thayer, and Anna Seregina are establishing roots down south via The Business LA. The franchise has even extended to the East Coast. Original Business SF member Alex Koll (along with Jared Logan, Kara Klenk, and Michelle Wolff) launched The Business-NYC, which appears twice-monthly at The Stand.

Expansion is great for the comics, but the intimate, quasi-conversational style is perfectly suited for Lost Weekend’s tiny basement.

Catch it there while you can. Mondays at 8pm. The show is only five bucks.

REMINDER: Stand-Up Comedy + Free PBR at the Roxie Tonight!

For those of you who missed last week's announcement, our holiday comedy special (featuring hella free PBR!) is happening at 7:30 tonight at the Roxie.  You can still get your tickets online, or show up a little early and get them at the door.

(And for those of you who noticed our headliner switch-up, Ron Funches was just cast for a television show and had to be on set all week, so Drennon Davis, an ex-SF comic, semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing, and creator of “The Long Legs” on MTV's Liquid TV, is stepping in. It's going to be killer!)

Warm Regards: Free Comedy In Front of Used Shoes

Chris Thayer (who you might remember from the first UA Locally-Sourced Pop-Up Comedy Night at The Roxie) has been doing this show almost monthly since last June and, as he puts it, “it's always free, always funny, and always in front of a bunch of used shoes at a clothing store.”  And he's not bullshitting you; I've seen two-thirds of these guys and gals—some multiple times—and can vouch for their ability to own any stage they get up on.

Here's the line-up:

Janine Brito
Brendan Lynch (SAN JOSE-ADJACENT)
Billy Wayne Davis (SEATTLE)
Aparna Nancherla (LOS ANGELES)
Dave Thomason
Hosted by Chris Thayer

Here's the necessary details:

Saturday, February 4th, 2012
8PM/FREE
@ Afterlife Boutique
988 Valencia St. (near 21st St.)

And here's the facebook event.

DO THIS.

Uptown Almanac's Locally-Sourced Pop-Up Comedy Night Returns August 30th

Feel free to skip the noise and BUY TICKETS.

The first comedy night was such a success that this mediocre tube of internet drivel has teamed up with The Roxie and Pabst to bring San Francisco another night of local comedy and excessive PBR consumption.  So come out to The Roxie on Tuesday, August 30th at 7pm for hella free Pabst and comedy from seven of our favorite local stand-up comedians:

Tickets are on sale now for $7 and will also be available at the door.  And yes, the first person to show up wearing a Walmart greeter's uniform will receive FREE ENTRY.