The rest of our listings for comedy events/shows and open mics along with corresponding maps are embedded at www.thecomedybureau.com.
Poster by Dylan Chudzynski
The rest of our listings for comedy events/shows and open mics along with corresponding maps are embedded at www.thecomedybureau.com.
Poster by Dylan Chudzynski
More details here.
Full LA comedy show and open mic listings along with accompanying maps are embedded at www.thecomedybureau.com
Marilyn Bamford offering the crowd snacks #RiotLA (photo by @callie_biggs)
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 24, 2015 at 10:29am PST
Once a year, The Riot LA Comedy Festival turns the ever blossoming Main St. in Downtown LA into an even more colorful affair. There are long lines delineated by pastel colored chalk and a concentrated distillation of some of the LA comedy scene’s finest as well as bringing in some of the funniest folks from around the country. In its third year, Riot LA has kept this phenomenon going to the point where it should become a time honored tradition to make a trek to Downtown LA.
If you didn’t happen to be in attendance last weekend for the festival, let us fill you in with some of our favorite moments at Riot LA 2015 (spoiler alert: there were no actual riots).
-NYC was well represented at Riot with great performances from Dan Soder, Dave Hill and his killer erotic short stories, Nick Turner, Sheng Wang, and Michelle Wolf who won the always crazy fun Happy Contest Time, a “stand-up contest” judged by Japanese school girls.
–Elisha Yaffe curated a fantastic series of offbeat, hysterical, fantastical, otherworldly, wonderful short films for “Weird Stories”. Whether it be the interconnecting bizarre events of an Interesting Ball from DANIELS or a video asking a stranger out while in costume from your job at a theme park from Andrew Peyton, the showcase proved short films (not viral videos) are very still much alive and are probably funnier than ever.
-Walking and talking showbiz encyclopedia Kliph Nesteroff chatted with the legendary Fred Willard. We were more than delightfully surprised to learn that Willard turned down the starring role in Airplane! and that, for a time when Fred was doing improv, he would have cut a scene short by have someone dressed up as a fairy that come out and announce the scene was over.
A photo posted by The Super Serious Show (@seriousshow) on Jan 17, 2015 at 8:34pm PST
-The LA comedy institution that is The Super Serious Show made a great showing per usual with one of the best on-stage duos around Kate Berlant and John Early at the host’s helm. Jerrod Carmichael offered some of the funniest bits about Bill Cosby we’ve heard since the allegations made the news, especially since he’s gotten to meet and chat with Cosby just before all of the controversy rose to the fever pitch that it is at now. Also, Nate Craig had a highlight worthy, wire-to-wire set.
A very special drop in who is definitely not Bill Burr #RiotLA (photo by @callie_biggs)
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 17, 2015 at 9:45pm PST
-The one and only Bill Burr wore a fat suit to impersonate Pantera’s Vinnie Paul at The Goddamn Comedy Jam and we don’t need to elaborate further than on how the night went for the all out comedy rock show.
-Part installation artist/part comedian/part magical human being Kurt Braunohler dazzled yet again with his Roustabout show that included a sound effect operated wishing well, dog show dogs doing tricks, a lone trombone player, and snow here in LA. We didn’t know this was a dream of ours until Kurt made it a reality.
@kurtbraunohler enjoying his snowfall #RiotLA (photo by @callie_biggs)
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 18, 2015 at 7:00pm PST
-One of the big headliners of Riot LA, Norm MacDonald, sold out the recently renovated and reopened, beautiful Regent Theater. Those in attendance for his high art dad-esque humor and persona were not disappointed.
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 18, 2015 at 12:27am PST
-The marvelously absurd Sam Simmons did a whole solo show that toured through his inner psyche through a complex set of beats and pre-recorded dialogue with himself while also being completely self-aware. Despite Sam’s protestations here and there, which are also part of the charm of his act, the crowd at The Smell loved it.
-The meta-meta podcast “With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus” had the whole of The Downtown Independent Theater on board for podcast host Lauren Lapkus playing the character of a fake podcast “hosted” by guest Thomas Middleditch who is also playing a character. It was akin to the trippy visual sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but done in comedy podcast form with a bit of a Southern affect.
–Margot Leitman and Giulia Rozzi’s Stripped Stories not only featured great, ribald stories, but a round of that classic party game “Never Have I Ever” where an audience member won by having intercourse while at a mental institution with one of the orderlies on his break in a laundry room. Never one to miss the gold coin on a comedy merry-go-round, Matt Braunger came to the stage as the orderly.
Brew Ha Ha really making their last drinking game count #RiotLA (photo by @abbeylonder)
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 18, 2015 at 9:32pm PST
-The house party, drinking game comedy show known as Brew Haha got so out-of-hand, in a fun-spirited, responsible way, that many on the show took their clothes off on stage. It’s a pretty great way to make a house party happen in a downtown parking lot.
Maria Bamford prepares as @troyconrads observes #RiotLA (photo by @liezlwashere)
A photo posted by RiotLA (@riotla) on Jan 22, 2015 at 10:47am PST
-American comedy treasure Maria Bamford fully realized her mother, Marilyn Bamford, as a comedic character for an entire show, The Marilyn Bamford Collective. She was armed with a handheld vacuum, throw pillows, and the perfect imitation, which was made even more beautiful when the real Marilyn took the stage at the end of the show. At one point, Maria as Marilyn had noted comedian and impressionist Melissa Villaseñor do an impression of Maria right in front of her.
It may be redundant in saying this, but we’re looking forward to a Riot LA in 2016.
You’ve heard of album recordings done in bars before, but probably none like Bar 107 in Downtown LA. It is rather on the small side of a venue, but, nonetheless, a favorite hang of many comedians when in downtown.
Matt Dwyer will be recording his comedy album “Reluctant” there for Jonah Ray’s Literally FIgurative Records off of AST Records come next week, Sat. Jan. 17th at 4PM.
You’ll already be downtown for Riot LA, which is only a few blocks away, anyway. So, this would be the perfect to start off next Sat.
Sundance’s Next Fest to Screen ‘Life After Beth’, ‘Listen Up Philip’, and more
Sundance has a small weekend, long film festival here in LA called Sundance Next Fest combining indie film and music. So far, they’ve got plenty of comedies line-up including Life After Beth, Napoleon Dynamite, Jim Jarmusch’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and Listen Up Philip.
Coupled with that is musical performances from Father John Misty, Warpaint, and Tinashe. Also, you’ll get to enjoy Next Fest at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and the theatre at the Ace Hotel in Downtown LA.
Sounds pretty cool to us, so we think you should make plans for the weekend of Aug. 7th-Aug. 10th and should get your tickets.
We’re just saying that you’re not going to want to miss this most amazing comedy festival (as it was last time) known as Riot LA here in our backyard, all pretty much on one block, on Jan. 9th to Jan. 12th.
Passes start at $85. Please get on getting those now.
Riot LA Comedy Festival 2014 Passes Now on Sale
The Riot LA Comedy Festival was hands down one of the best big scale comedy events in LA in quite some time and we’re so glad that it’s finally coming back Jan. 9th-14th, 2014th.
Slated to perform are: The Chris Gethard Show, Todd Barry, Morgan Murphy, The Birthday Boys, Dana Gould, Jon Benjamin, Carmen Lynch, Kristen Schaal, Superego w/Paul F. Tompkins, Greg Fitzsimmons, Kurt Braunohler, Kyle Kinane, Tommy Johnagin, Dan St. Germain, Emily Heller, Eddie Pepitone, and Ron Funches just to start.
Passes are on sale soon and we suggest you get in on them as soon as you can.
The day is finally here where we get to see the hilarious Kurt Braunohler’s dream come to life as a plane will skywrite a joke with clouds. If you’re in LA and free this afternoon, there’s a public viewing party in Downtown LA at The Perch starting at 2PM.
Get ready to have your Instagram feed flooded with something wonderful.
1) NY Comedian Mike DeStefano was just reported of having died of a heart attack. Though this site is mostly dedicated to LA, our condolences go to a comedian that overcame and brought laughter to many though his unflinching honesty.
2) Last night, I took part in my first roast and unfortunately most of my act deals with roasting myself, which is the angle that I took while dishing out insults. I’m pretty sure the only person that appreciates this approach is the guest of honor being roasted, to all those planning on partaking in a roast in the near future.
3) The LA Times thinks its great that Aziz Ansari thinks Kumail Nanjiani is really funny.
5) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE
4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE
Tig Notaro Has Friends Taping @ ACME Comedy Theatre 8PM FREE (RSVP after link)
Keep It Clean Comedy @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE
Crash Test @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5
5) OPEN MIC RUN
CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM-ish
JAKE’S 38 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7:30PM/Starts 8PM
PUKA BAR 710 W. Willow St., Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 8PM/10 min.
HARLEM PLACE CAFE 124 W. 4th St. (in alley between Main and Spring St.)/Starts 8PM/e-mail speakeasyopenmic@gmail.com for spots
D’AMORE’S 8369 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 8PM/Purchase required
GROUND ZERO CAFE 615 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA (USC on campus nestled in between dorms near intersection of Figueroa and Exposition)/USC student Sign-up 9PM/Non Student Sign-up 9:15PM/Starts 9:30PM
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5 Cover/Free coffee & water.
6) I wonder if anybody reads this part or if this just look at the listing of shows.
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