Kristen Schaal @ Sub Pop's 20th. (more by Shawn Brackbill)

The New York Comedy Festival runs from November 5-8 in NYC (not counting the November 4th show at Caroline's). There are many big comedians like Louis CK and Sarah Silverman doing shows at big venues like Town Hall and Hammerstein Ballroom, but there are also smaller and just-as-funny alternatives being hosted at the UCB Theatre. They are:

Nov 5 @ 7:30 PM - the Web Video Cram-Off hosted by Pete Holmes
(more info and reservations)

Nov 6 @ 7:30 PM - the Best Sketch in NY Showcase w/ featuring Elephant Larry, Sidecar, Harvard Sailing Team, Derrick, Dirty Jeans & Thunderchief, and hosted by Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal.
(more info, no more reservations)

Nov 7 @ 7:30 PM - Time Out New York Approved comedy w/ Kristen Schaal, Anthony Jeselnik, Reggie Watts, & More!
(more info and reservations)

the New Pornographers @ Sasquatch 2008 (more by Chris Graham)

Tickets are on Live Nation presale for a New Years Eve New Pornographers concert at Irving Plaza in NYC. They cost $66.50 each. Tickets are also still on sale for the show AC Newman is playing at the Bell House on November 15th. AC Newman's new album, entitled Get Guilty, will be released by Matador Records on January 20th. The cover art is below.

Also below: the new New Porographers video for "Mutiny, I Promise You" starring comedians Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal. It's the same video that was screened for the very first time back in February at our Rock n ROFL party (those parties are on hold by the way). Check it out...

Continue reading "New Pornographers New Years in NYC, the 'Mutiny, I Promise You' video starring Kurt & Kristin, new Newman"

As you know, Anthony Jeselnik & Kristen Schaal each have 'Comedy Central Presents' tapings coming up. Tonight they practice those sets, at Pianos, at 8pm, for free.

In related news, Kristen & Kurt were just up for a big comedy award in the UK (unfortunately they didn't win though).

by Klaus Kinski

SketchFest NYC 08 is fast approaching and this year's 28 act line-up (spread out over three nights) is absolutely nuts. The producers have really outdone themselves with the best of the best, culled from all corners of North Americawesome....

Twenty-eight different groups from around North America will converge on the UCB Theatre on June 12th, June 13th, and June 14th. Each night, New York audiences will experience the absolute best sketch comedy from Canada, Portland, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City itself.

I'm definitely more of a stand-up guy when it comes to what makes me laugh. Good sketch isn't easy to pull off. Often times I have to see several sketch performances before one comes along that will crack me up. However, the line-up of this year's SketchFest is definitely going to deliver laughs from the first act to the closing ceremony. I really wish they could shoe-horn Brett Gelman's 1000 Cats performance into the schedule though. Anyhow, TICKETS: $10, Individual Tickets; $40, Nightly Passes; $100, Full Festival Passes; available at ucbtheatre.com, 212-366-9176, or at the door. Full schedule below....

Continue reading "Sketchfest NYC 2008 (June 12-14 @ UCB Theater)"

It went Michael Showalter --> Kristin Schaal --> Kristen Schaal & Kurt Braunholer --> Neko Case & Lucy Wainwright Roche --> Eugene Mirman --> Todd Barry. It was June 5, 2008 @ Southpaw in Brooklyn. Plus, the whole thing was hosted by LA's Andrew Donnelly who I guess counts as the "super special guest" (though Kurt wasn't on the bill either).

And, yes, Neko and Lucy performed TOGETHER (as you can see in the pictures above). I didn't realize they would do that. It was just the two of them, their mics and a guitar. Unfortunately, they only played two songs - both covers, one of which was a kind of a half-joking semi-disaster. For about a minute though - during the second song, the half-filled Southpaw got a little bit of magic from the ladies, and all in an extra special intimate setting.... for $25, but it was for a very good cause. Honestly, they could have played a few more songs, but I'm not complaining. The comedy part was almost all funny from start to finish and there weren't even supposed to be musical guests originally. Did I mention it was for a good cause?

I'm glad I went. I was a bit torn about missing the Black Lips/Titus/Gringo show.

Kristin and Kurt showed episode 5 of their hilarious series "Penelope Princess of Pets". You can watch episode 1 below...

Continue reading "Neko Case & Lucy Wainwright Roche @ Southpaw, NYC - pics"

words by Klaus Kinski, photos by Bao Nguyen

As a person who gets pretty agitated when a schedule starts to fall apart before my very eyes, the fact that the Channel 101 show was running 45 minutes behind schedule had me wound pretty tight. Add to that the fact that we couldn't get The Perfect Storm's sampler working, forcing them to (rightfully) bail, and you've got a Klaus on your hands who's on the verge of frenzy. Luckily, a blown schedule and the loss of part of our line-up turned out to be really just minor bumps in what ended up being a completely off the hook night of comedy and music (May 5, 2008).

When I got to Pianos, somebody told me that a beardless Louis CK was hanging out and host Max Silvestri persuaded me to see if he'd want to do a set. He agreed on the condition that he could go on as early as possible in the show. I was beside myself with glee. However, we were plagued with delay upon delay, so much so that during Max's opening, Louis waved good-bye to me and left. I was heartbroken. But then a few minutes later he re-appeared, I gave Max the 'times-up' light, and Louis ended up doing nearly 20 minutes of completely new (to me at least) material. As already pointed out, his set really was mostly amazing. Like any comedian trying new material, some of his jokes didn't hit the mark, but even those were hilarious. Louis is beyond one of my favorites. He's almost a deity to me. The fact that he showed up to do a set was really a ridiculous honor.

continued below....

Continue reading "the comedy part of Rock n ROFL last night @ Pianos - pics"

by Klaus Kinski

John Mulaney

Our last Rock 'n ROFL was seriously off the hook. Our May 5 Rock 'N ROFL will be no different. The comedy portion of Rock 'n ROFL begins a little after 9:00. Here are four reasons why you should line up early (or buy tix now)...

Continue reading "Rock n ROFL is May 5th, here's the comedy lineup "

words by Klaus Kinski, photos by Elizabeth Weinberg

We had our first ever Brooklynvegan and Klaus Kinski present Rock n' Rofl at Pianos on Thursday February 28th, 2008. Aside from the noise coming in from the bar everytime someone opened the door and the lack of chairs for the comedy, I thought the show went really well. An ill (literally, as in he had the flu) Peasant started off the show with some surprisingly powerful folk music.

Peasant

Comedians Joe Mande, Dave Hill, Pete Holmes, Kristen Schaal, Leo Allen, and host Bobby Tisdale were really incredible. They brought such a great variety of videos and comedic material to the table. This was my first ever comedy showcase I felt honored to have such amazing talent on the bill, and especially to be playing host to host Bobby Tisdale who had just hosted his very last Invite Them Up at Rififi only one night earlier. It was a bummer Kurt Braunohler couldn't make it last minute (because a wizard turned him into a llama), but Kristen did a great job handling it on her own, and the world premiere showing of the new New Pornographers video that they both star in was an extra special treat.

Bobby Tisdale

Continue reading "the next Rock 'n' ROFL is March 31st @ Pianos - save the date ++++++++++++ the pics from last time finally!"

DOWNLOAD: Peasant - Exposure (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Forms - Knowledge In Hand (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bear in Heaven - Bag of Bags (MP3)

BV & KK present.....Rock 'n' ROFL -- TH, Feb 28, 2008 @ Pianos, NYC

7:30 - Peasant
8:30 - comedy hosted by Greg Johnson
10:00 - The Forms
11:00 - Bear in Heaven (pictured above)

Continue reading "Peasant & Bear in Heaven playing ROCK 'n' ROFL + free beer"

DOWNLOAD: The Forms - Knowledge in Hand (MP3)

Greg Johnson @ Knitting Factory, NYC - Jan 29, 2008 (Anya Garrett)

It is with an unprecedented amount of glee that I annouce a new monthly party brought to you by BrooklynVegan and I (Klaus Kinski) called BrooklynVegan and Klaus Kinski present Rock n' ROFL (or just "Rock n' ROFL" for short).

Taking place at Pianos in NYC (158 Ludlow Street at Stanton), the purpose of the show is to bring you a night of great comedy and music in an intimate setting. Our premiere installment will take place on Thursday February 28th, 2008, and will be hosted by ECNY Award winner Greg Johnson. There will also be comedy by Pete Holmes, Dave Hill, Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler, Leo Allen, and maybe more TBA. Maybe. After the comedy comes two bands (approximately something like 8-10pm comedy, 10-12 bands). The first band is one of my favorites The Forms, and the second band will be announced soon. Your sides will hurt from laughing, your ears will hurt from the loud music, and your liver will hurt from all the booze you're going to drink. It's gonna be great! (ticket info TBA soon)

---

No members of Human Giant are performing at the premiere show - at least partially because they'll be out on tour.

Fred Armisen definitely won't be joining us either - at least partially because we uknowingly scheduled this show the same night as his own at Knitting Factory.

Can't make our show, but still want to see the Forms? Or you want to see them twice? Or you love Gothamist? Catch The Forms and Pattern is Movement at Union Hall on February 15th (13 days before our show).

Kurt Braunohler wins "Best Director" @ ECNY Awards @ Comix, NYC (Keith Huang)

* Alberta Cross @ Living Room
* Obama comedy @ Knitting Factory
* Vampire Weekend @ Bowery Ballroom
* Marilyn Manson & Ours @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Six Organs of Admittance & Mick Turner @ Mercury Lounge

Jim White cancelled, so Mick Turner is playing alone at the Mercury Lounge show. What else?

the 11th in a series where we asked comedians to tell us what was good this year....

Kurt Braunohler is one of the greatest, though sadly lesser-known, comedians in this city. His super-human comedic abilities cover everything from improv to stand-up to teaching to hosting to acting to being in videos. His first project was called Kurtbot which featured street comedy sketches and a website that delivered them to the masses. He then got involved in a street theater project called Chenguin. Following that, his work with Neutrino Video Projects got substantial acclaim and ended up traveling to the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, as well as to the Edinburgh Theater Festival in Scotland. These days he is better known as the co-host of the Hot Tub Variety Show with Kristen Schaal and co-star of the series Penelope Princess of Pets, also with Schaal. He also teaches classes at The Pit. And the stand-up I've seen him do lately is some of the funniest stuff I've seen in ages. Simply put, he's one of my favorite comedians around. Here's what he was into in '07 - Klaus

- - -

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - A highlight of my summer was driving into Montreal for the first time ever blasting this album (I know they're from Georgia, but still.) Every song on this album, I love.

Tegan and Sara, The Con - This year, I spent some time in a city that demands you sit in a car for long periods of time every day (it rhymes with "Smell-A.") I would have murdered many more people if not for this album.

continued below...

Continue reading "Best of 2007 by Kurt Braunohler"