Offerman in 'Somebody Up There Likes Me'

Nick Offerman, who we recently interviewed, produced and stars in new comedy Somebody Up There Likes Me, which also features Keith Poulson, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, and Kevin Corrigan. The film also features a score by Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio. Here's the synopsis:

Parks and Recreation's Nick Offerman stars in this deadpan comedic fable with touches of the supernatural. In possession of a magical suitcase, Max (Poulson), his best friend Sal (Offerman), and the woman they both adore stumble through 35 years of unfulfilling entanglements. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at last year's Locarno Film Festival, this "highly original and delightfully unorthodox" (The Hollywood Reporter) ensemble piece features an original score by Vampire Weekend's Chris Baio, showcases stunning animated sequences by Bob Sabiston (A Scanner Darkly), stars Will & Grace's Megan Mullaly and character actor Marshall Bell (Total Recall), and boasts cameos by indie stalwarts Andrew Bujalski, Alex Ross Perry, Kate Lyn Sheil, and others.

The film premieres in NYC this week at BAM Rose Cinemas (Mar 29--Apr 4). The 7 and 9:30 PM screenings on Friday, March 29 will also feature Q&A's with Offerman, Baio, Poulson and director Bob Byington. On Saturday, March 30, the 7 PM screening has a Q&A with Offerman and Byington, and the 9:30 with Offerman, Byington, and Poulson. Get your tickets now.

Doug Benson, in caricature form...

In other comedy/movie news, Doug Benson will be in NYC on April 2 at Gramercy Theatre to do a live taping of his popular Doug Loves Movies podcast. That is sold out, but he just added another Gramercy DLM appearance on July 1 and tickets for that show are on sale now and still available. All Doug Benson dates are below.

Wyatt Cenac

Wyatt Cenac's Night Train comedy show happens at Littlefield every Monday. This week's (3/25) guests include Hari Kondabolu, John F. O'Donnell, Rojo Perez, Ed Gavagan, and John McKeeverTickets are still available.

Speaking of Wyatt, he'll also be at The Bell House on March 31 as part of Tell Your Friends! The Spring Fling! with Janeane Garofalo, W. Kamau Bell and Allison Castillo. Tickets are still available.

Similarly named and at the same venue a few days later, Pretty Good Friends with hosts Eugene Mirman and John Hodgman comes to The Bell House on April 3. Wyatt Cenac will be at this one too, as will H. Jon Benjamin of Archer/Bob's Burgers/etc fame. Tickets are still available!

One more: A live taping of Julie Klausner's How Was Your Week? podcast happens at The Bell House on April 5. Guests include Max Silvestri, Ted Leo, chef Pichet Ong, and Siggy Flicker. Tickets are still available.

The Somebody Up There Likes Me trailer and Doug Benson tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Nick Offerman, 'Doug Loves Movies,' Eugene Mirman, John Hodgman, Wyatt Cenac ++ more NYC comedy stuff"

Max, Jenny, Gabe

As you may know, free comedy show Big Terrific happens at Williamsburg club Cameo. The show actually started in the back of Sound Fix's original space on Bedford with hostsGabe Liedman, Jenny Slate and Max Silvestri. While Gabe recently moved to Los Angeles and Jenny has a busy career now, Max holds down the fort on Wednesdays (a busy night for him as he also recaps Top Chef for Eater). Tonight's show at Cameo features Mike Lawrence, Seth Herzog, James Adomian, and Adam Newman. Show is at 8 PM.

Big Terrific turns five this year and Max, Gabe and Jenny are celebrating together for a big show down the street from Cameo at Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 15. They are promising "VERY special guests" and tickets ($15) go on sale at noon today (2/20).

As we've said before, Reggie Watts is a busy beaver and and true performer who'll loves to get on stages big or small. Tonight NYC has two chances to catch him.  First he'll be performing at The Blind Barber on E. 10th St. at 7:30 as part of an event titled "An Evening of Original Sin" that is a fundraiser for Genesis, a new aerial play by Julia Kaminsky. Also performing is onetime Das Racist cohort Lakutis. More info on the show is here.

Then, Reggie will hop on the L Train (or take a cab) to head to Cameo's weekly free comedy show, "Big Terrific." It's host Max Silvestri's 30th birthday tonight and he's also got Hannibal Buress and Greg Johnson on board for the celebration. Big Terrific starts at 8 PM and is FREE.

Jeff Mangum

On November 15, Le Poisson Rouge will host "The People's Bailout: A Variety Show and Telethon to Benefit the 99%," a benefit show for Occupy-affiliated organization Strike Debt. The show features a huge (and very impressive) lineup of Jeff Mangum (of Neutral Milk Hotel) (who has played for Occupy Wall Street in the past), Lee Ranaldo (of Sonic Youth) (who has also played for Occupy Wall Street before), Guy Picciotto (of Fugazi), Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio), Janeane Garofalo, Lizz Winstead, Max Silvestri, Frances Fox Piven, Hari Kondabolu, David Rees, corproate pranksters The Yes Men, John Cameron Mitchell, Climbing Poetree, The invisible Army of Defaulters, members of Healthcare for the 99%, Occupy Faith, and many more. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, November 2 at 10 AM.

Meanwhile, Lee Ranaldo also plays as one third of Text of Light at 285 Kent on November 13.

by Klaus Kinski

Craig Ferguson

August is more than half over, the hottest July ever is behind us, September is around the corner, I can hear October's footsteps slowly trudging up the stairs. Fall and it's cool weather cannot get here fast enough, but until then here are some good comedy things happening that will hopefully make what remaining ball-danglingly hot and humid days are yet to be endured a little more tolerable.

Before I mention some cool shows, I must acknowledge the fact that there are hundreds of great comedy things happening every freaking week in this awesome city, but I don't have the time or the resources to even scratch the surface. My contributions to BV are completely erratic at best and I tend to stick with what I know and like. If you want to know what is happening in NYC comedy on a particular day, you gotta get hip to this dude Hy Bender and his site Best New York Comedy. The site is updated daily and features a super exhaustive look at what is happening in the NYC comedy world that particular day. The site is updated religiously. Forget tour dates, show reviews, pics, exhaustive commentary, snarky comments and crap like that.... It is your daily comedy itinerary and it scares me how on top of his shit this guy is. Anywhoozle...

Don't let his show fool you; late night talk show host Craig Ferguson is actually a pretty f-ing funny stand up comedian; definitely worth checking out if you've got the means. He's doing a ton of fairly expensive, large venue dates in October, one of which happens to be at Radio City Music Hall on October 6th. Tickets, which fall in a price range from $53.40 to a whopping $96.35 are currently on sale. However, I am going to assume you've got credit debt and student loans to worry about, so I am happy to report we are giving a pair of tickets away to one lucky winner. Instructions on how to try and win are waaayyyyyy down below.

On Saturday August 18th, the great Greg Barris brings his wondrous feast for the senses, Heart Of Darkness, to the cool and windowless confines of Union Hall's basement. Hosted By Greg Barris, the show will feature comedian Kate Berlant musical act The Bowery Riots, and Mind Warrior Daniel Pinchbeck as well as music by The Forgiveness. HOD is not just some straight-up comedy show; it is literally an incredibly engaging live experience that will wake your ass up and get you thinking, man. If you are in Philadelphia and happen to be reading this, Heart Of Darkness invades your town TONIGHT, August 16th, at Underground Arts. Part of the Heart of Darkness Summer Forgiveness Tour 2012, the show will feature Greg Barris, New Beard, Corrupt Autopilot, Wigmaker's Son, and Yazan. Philly, you are in for a treat. Take a break from your Toynbee Tile investigations for a night and check this shit out.

The following night (Sunday August 19th), at the same place, Union Hall, Klaus favorite Greg Johnson brings his show Greg Johnson - Live: One Night Only! to what I can only assume will be a sold out audience. At the show Greg performs stand up comedy, along with a few very special guests, one night only. $5 tickets are still available but the last installment sold out and I betcha this one will too. Greg is one of my favorite comedians in NYC and he is also one of the most painfully overlooked ones out there. You gotta go.

Then on Tuesday August 21st, the hilarious Gabe Delahaye brings his monstrous comedy showcase The Mr. Coconuts Comedy Show to Union Hall's basement for yet another staggering showcase. The show will bring to the stage Gabe Liedman, Max Silvestri, Greg Johnson, Dan St. Germain, David Rees, Jessi Klein, and John Mulaney. I'd like to think that if Darrell Sheets knew anything about comedy and saw that line-up he'd say "That line-up's a 50 dollar bill all day long." BUT it's only 10 bucks! As of writing it is, predictably, sold out. But keep your eyes on ticketweb for last minute ticket releases (if there are any)(not likely)(but not impossible) OR just show up the night of the show and hope some loser's +1 didn't show up or some comedy dignitary who has a freebie awaiting him or her doesn't show up and snag their vacancy.

Oh yeah, also, I almost forgot! Tom Shillue's Funny Story returns to Brooklyn Brewery on Thursday August 23rd with guests Jessi Klein, Lisa Delarios, and Trace Crutchfield. Tickets are CHEAP and you get a nice, cold, free beer!

Union Hall's big brother/big sister venue The Bell House is no stranger to epic comedy. The first not-to-be-missed event is on Friday, August 24 a fundraiser for the always incredible Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. The event is called Bring Your Checkbook: The Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival Fundraiser and, as the title states, is a fundraiser in support of the upcoming Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival which will invade Brooklyn September 14-16. The fundraiser will feature a cocktail reception from 7pm - 8pm as well as an AMAZING raffle and silent auction. At 8:30pm an epic show will commence featuring Eugene Mirman, Brendan Small (!) from METALOCALYPSE and a TON of other guests who I am not able to divulge but who will knock your socks off. Like, you won't believe it. Tickets are $25 and are currently onsale. You will not believe what prizes and guests are in store for you, so I wouldn't put off buying a ticket because it's gonna sell out and no emoticon in the world will adequately express how f-ing bummed you will be.

Blasting ahead a bit, the Bell House will play host to two other awesome comedy events, one of which is already sold out! The show is called The Thrilling Adventure Hour and it's basically a staged show in the style of old-timey radio. The cast features Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, John Hodgman, Busy Philipps and James Urbaniak (!). The show takes place on Sunday September 30th at 7:30pm and 10:00pm. The 7:30pm show is SOLD OUT, but there are a handful of tickets left to the 10:00pm show, so get on this now son.

Oh, and don't forget: On Wednesday October 17th you can catch a live taping of the ever so wonderful Julie Klausner's podcast How Was Your Week? at The Bell House with house band Ted Leo and friends. Tickets are available!

Continue reading "Craig Ferguson at Radio City (win tix!), Greg Barris, Greg Johnson, Eugene Mirman Fest Fundraiser & more!"

photos by Chris La Putt

If you're going to GoogaMooga on Sunday, you might want to eat and drink before you get there. More pictures from Saturday below...

Continue reading "GoogaMooga day 1 in pics (Roots, UMO, Aziz, James Murphy, food, LONG LINES, Marc Maron, Holy Ghost! & more)"

Nick of Islands on stage w/ Mister Heavenly (more by Graeme Flegeheimer)

Islands will release their new album A Sleep & A Forgetting this February 14th via Anti-Records..., this time band leader Nick Thorburn has infused the songs with a personal introspection that gives the record a new and powerful emotional resonance.

"This album is far more personal than any I've made before," Thorburn explains. "I left New York after the end of a relationship and came to Los Angeles. There was a piano where I was staying and that's where I wrote these songs. This record deals with loss, with memory and forgetting and with dreaming. I started writing it on Valentine's Day and it's coming out on Valentine's Day."

...at Dominion NY, the sign outside promises an "Intimate Evening with Islands"; the venue isn't lying. The basement doesn't seat more than one hundred; it's dimly lit, and barely anyone in the audience is talking. In addition, I am sitting uncomfortably close ("intimately close," even) to the stage.

While the rest of the band is dressed in black sports coats and black pants, Nick Thorburn is dressed in a light blue jacket and light-colored pants. He is clearly the star of the show. (None of the band members from the last time I saw them in 2008 are on stage here.)

Islands performs nine or ten songs from their new album, which Thorburn shares will be out February 2012. Some of the lyrical sentiments of the new songs are nice. At one point, Thorburn croons, "Don't I love you? Isn't the sky grey? Isn't the moon blue?" One of the songs has Geordie Gordon joining Thorburn on the piano playing a doo-wop style melody. To say that Thorburn's side project Mr. Heavenly with Honus Honus of Man Man is an influence on this song is an understatement. At one point, I said (to my notebook), "This sounds like 'Van Helsing Boombox.'"

Islands does break out two old gems: "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" and "Swans (Life After Death)" from the 2005 album, Return to the Sea. [Evil Monito]

Diamond Doves @ Rock Shop (more by Jessica Amaya)

Last Thursday, Diamond Doves, whose members are the same as Elvis Perkins' backing band, began a residency at Brooklyn venue The Rock Shop which also includes appearances on March 17 and March 24. The March 17 show (tonight) includes openers The Woes and comedian Max Silvestri. The March 24 show is being opened by Last Good Tooth. The March 10th show was with Telekinesis and the Love Language who were touring through.

Diamond Doves then head out on a tour with The Felice Brothers starting March 25 at The Oneonta Theatre, which also includes March 26 at Club Helsinki, and March 27 and March 28 at Maxwell's in Hoboken. Click the links for tickets.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Diamond Doves in residency @ the Rock Shop, touring w/ The Felice Brothers (dates) "

The new New Pornographers?

Neko Case has been keeping busy on the road lately, recording with the Dodos, spending lots of time with Jakob Dylan, and even sometimes playing with her band The New Pornographers, so it's nice to know that she (and the rest of the New Pornos) got the day off when they were making the video for "Moves" from their recent album Together.

In their place is a cast of funny characters including Julie Klausner (as Neko), Jon Wurster (as one version of Carl Newman), Kevin Corrigan (as Dan Bejar), and Ted Leo (as Kathryn Calder). Also look for Todd Barry, Other Music, Death By Audio, Wyatt Cenac, a mound of cocaine, Gabe Delahaye, Max Silvestri, Horatio Sanz, Bill Hader and Paul Rudd (the cast of Expectant Dads) and many more in the Tom Scharpling (who directed this Ted Leo masterpiece) directed video, that you can watch with full credits listed, below...

Continue reading "new comedian-filled New Pornographers video w/ Ted Leo too"

John Oliver is hosting/taping a "New York Stand-Up Show" at NYU's Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Saturday & Sunday - January 14-16...

"Stand-up Comedian and Daily Show correspondent, John Oliver, hosts a unique series of stand-up comedy shows for Comedy Central which feature some of America's most influential stand-up stars and great upcoming comics. Season 2 is sure to be amazing. Headliners this year include Greg Behrendt, Pete Holmes, Al Madrigal and Maria Bamford as well as these great comics Brendon Walsh, Kyle Kinane, Anthony Jeselnik, Marina Franklin, Jen Kirkman, Deon Cole, Mike Lawrence, Kumail Nanjiani, Rory Albanese, Glenn Wool, Moshe Kasher, Rory Scovel plus more tbd..."

Wyatt Cenac is doing something similar. Free tickets available.

Free weekly series Whiplash continues every Monday night at NYC's UCB Theater. Tonight's special guests are John Oliver, Rory Scovel & Mike Lawrence.

Reggie Watts and Daniel Pinchbeck are having "An Open Dialogue About the Future" at Cameo Gallery tonight (1/10) (doors at 9pm). On January 17th, 2011, Daniel Pinchbeck will host a screening of "2012, Time for a Change" at the same venue.

The Wednesday night free "Big Teriffic" show has been happening again at Cameo Gallery, and it will happen again on 1/12 and 1/19 (and probably after that!). Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman, and Jenny Slate host. Other special guests perform too.

Hannibal Buress still hosts the free show every Sunday night at Knitting Factory. 1/16 promises Rory Scovel, Ben Lerman, Jermaine Fowler, John Mulaney & Rob Shapiro

Monthly show Variety Shac with Andrea Rosen returns to UCB on January 13th with special guests John Mulaney, Aasif Mandvi & Negin Farsad.

Joe Mande breaks out at Caroline's this Tuesday, January 11th. Tickets are on sale.

Neil Innes of Monty Python and The Rutles fame plays Highline Ballroom on May 10th. Tickets are on sale.

Did you miss all six appearances Patton Oswalt just made in NYC? If you live in Fargo, North Dakota you're in luck.

Did you miss the opening weekend of Daniel Kitson's show at St. Ann's Warehouse? Well, you have until January 30th to correct that!

Aziz Ansari's Carnegie Hall show happens on January 22nd. Tickets are still on sale.

Louis CK has a new CD and DVD entitled "Hilarious" which gets relesaed this Tuesday, 1/11. That's the cover art above. Have you seen it on Comedy Central? Well, the DVD is " uncensored and feature an additional 40 minutes of content not aired on TV." Check out the trailer/e-card thing below...

Continue reading "free John Oliver taping tickets, a Neil Innes show, Louis C.K. is 'Hilarious', Big Teriffic & other comedy shows & news"

words & photos by David Andrako

Daniel Kitson / Jim Gaffigan

The 2nd night of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival (read about the first here) featured two shows: "Montreal Callbacks" and a super sized "Invite Them Up."

The first show of the evening was held at Union Hall and was billed as "Montreal Callbacks" - a reference to the Montreal Comedy Festival. Kurt Braunohler began the show with a brief set before he assumed the role of host for the evening. The night featured young stand-ups many of whom can be found performing weekly at clubs in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Mike Lawrence, Greg Johnson, Max Silvestri, Andrea Rosen, Ken Reid, Dan St. Germain and Hannibal Buress.

Highlights of the show included Ken Reid's set, which featured stories of his "white trash" childhood growing up in Massachusetts, Dan St. Germain's self depreciating tales of living in Brooklyn and Andrea Rosen recounting awkward encounters with celebrities and long lost friends. I caught the first few minutes of always great Hannibal Buress's set before heading off to The Bell House for the second show of the night.

Invite Them Up, the much beloved weekly comedy show that Eugene was involved with from 2005-2008 returned for a sold out performance at The Bell House. The show was again hosted by Bobby Tisdale, and featured performances by ITU co-host (and the host of the night) Eugene Mirman, A.D. Miles, , Maeve Higgins, Morgan Murphy, Reggie Watts, Daniel Kitson and special guest, Jim Gaffigan.

Jim Gaffigan, who headlines SIX shows at the Best Buy (formerly Nokia) Theater in December, was greeted with some of the loudest cheers of the evening and the fact that the comics from the earlier show had made their way down to The Bell House to watch his set from the back of the room speaks to his status as a massively respected comedian. His unannounced appearance strengthened an already packed show.

Daniel Kitson, the British stand-up and storyteller, ended the show with an hour long set that featured some impressive crowd work and allowed him to display his razor sharp commentary and lightning fast wit. After admitting that he "didn't have the professionalism to be a middle act," Kitson launched into quizzing audience members on their names and occupations only to later weave them all together in a freestyle rant comparing audience members to each other. In addition to his biting commentary, he wasn't afraid to display his vulnerability explaining that, "I'm quite lonely and I live alone. This is my chance to chat." He also addressed his stutter, which was apparent during his performance. At the age of 33, his stand-up act is impressive and made even more impressive by the fact that Kitson has turned down most television work in the US and Britain. He has performed both story shows and stand-up at the past eleven Edinburgh Fringe Festivals.

The 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival concludes Sunday night. Read about Thursday night HERE. More pictures from Friday below...

Continue reading "Jim Gaffigan showed up & Daniel Kitson was there at night 2 of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Fest (pics & review) "

photos by Gabi Porter

"Came home soaked in beer glitter sweat and smelling like Tim Harringtons arm pit the girl thought strip club nope Les Savy Fav record launch" -JasonFerguson

"glitter & purple spandex & the sweat descends & awesomeness. les savy fav nails it every time." -madeleinepascal

"Thanks to @IAMBEARDO I am covered in glitter for my commute. Another excellent Les Savy Fav experience". -TimDuffy

Tim, Syd & Harrison @ Mercury Lounge Wednesday night

If I didn't head to Brooklyn Masonic Temple last night (9/8) to catch Sleep, without a doubt I would have been at Mercury Lounge to catch the great Les Savy Fav. The show, a release party for the band's new LP Root for Ruin (out now on digital, and avail in hard formats on Tues, 9/14), featured the (anything but) normal antics of vocalist Tim Harrington (who recently played the last-ever(?) pool party) and from the looks of it, the OMGs and ROFLs were bountiful. The band focused heavily on the new record, but threw in old classics like 'Who Rocks the Party' & 'The Sweat Descends' as well. -BBG

Speaking of ROFLs, comedian Matt McCarthy opened the show which just made it a funny past week in general for LSF guitarist and Frenchkiss label-boss Syd Butler who also curated the lineup of comedians that played ATP NY Friday night.

Oh and speaking of comedians, Stereogum sister-site Videogum is hosting the festivities at The Bell House in Brooklyn TONIGHT (9/9). Laugh your way into the Jewish New Year with free comedy by Max Silvestri, Joe Mande, Gabe Liedman, John Mulaney, Jon Glaser & more (8pm doors).

Speaking of Frenchkiss, one of their new signings, Young Man, who are opening the BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase this year, released a Daytrotter session you can grab today.

More pictures and video from the Mercury Lounge show are below....

Continue reading "Les Savy Fav played Mercury Lounge (pics & video), Young Man did Daytrotter (MP3s), Videogum in Brooklyn (tonight)"

by Klaus Kinski

Islands at a show w/ comedians in 2008 (more by Eric Townsend)

Oh, hey guys. Lemme get these headphones off. There. Sorry, I've been listening to this Justing Bieber song that's been slowed down 800 percent non-stop since yesterday (sounds like a Justin K. Broadrick remix for crying out loud). Anyway, I almost forgot to tell you about some more very important comedy news. Keeping with the theme of great comedy coming to Brooklyn, Williamsburg's weekly Wednesday night comedy staple Big Terrific will leave the confine's of Cameo and grace the much larger stage of Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday August 27th (8:00pm doors). For the uninitiated and/or too-lazy-to-google, Big Terrific is a weekly show hosted by Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman, and Jenny Slate that showcases local talent as well as international comedic super stars. It is one of the many great weeklies in NYC, and it boasts one of NYC's most consistently stellar comedy line-ups, week after week after week, and has been doing so for over two years.

As far as I'm concerned, all really great comedy shows in NYC deserve to get dragged out of the back rooms and basements and given the opportunity to curate a larger scale show at one of our better venues (like Invite Them Up did at Bowery... 5 freakin years ago!? (5 years!? damn)). And the Big Terrific show at MHOW seems like the ideal scenario. It's on a Friday. It's on a payday (for some of us). It features the comedy whatnots of Todd Barry, Brent Sullivan, Joe Mande, Jesse Popp, and MORE. It features a live performance by Islands. It'll have a shitload of surprises that cannot be publicized because that's how the industry works people. It's ONLY 12 BUCKS. So if you're into amazing comedy, jaw dropping surprises, reasonably priced beer, great music, at a wonderful venue (that is turning three years old), I'd say your Friday night is covered. And if you don't like any of those things, I'm wondering why you read this far. Shouldn't you be opposing a mosque somewhere or something? Anyway, times are tough, so if you'd like to try and win a pair of tix, look below.

In addition to Big Terrific, your hosts Max, Gabe, and Jenny are pretty busy pups. SNL keeps Jenny very busy, but she will be returning to the new season of Bored to Death on HBO, which premieres in September. She also just released a short film she made with Dean Fleischer-Camp called Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Gabe Liedman can be seen on the Short List on Fridays at 9 on VH1. And Max just finished filming a pilot for Comedy Central that will hopefully get picked up and then air for thirty years. Following the MHOW show, you can count on Big Terrific every Wednesday at Cameo.

Some videos (and the contest details) below...

Continue reading "Islands, Todd Barry & more fun added to Big Terrific show "

by Klaus Kinski

As I get older, I just I don't have the wherewithal to see as much comedy as I should. It's really depressing. There are so many goddamned GREAT comedy shows happening in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and even Queens that rather than pick one to go to, my brain shuts down and says "Just go home and watch Wheeler Dealers on the ole DVR, KK." It was easier to decide when Rififi was around. So thank Cod there's a yearly comedy festival in Brooklyntown that brings my ever flabbening body out of hibernation and reacquaints me with a sliver of the current roster of the greatest living comedians. That festival is the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, and this year it takes place from September 16th - September 19th and will impregnate The Bell House, The Rock Shop, and Union Hall (or as I like to call them, the most annoying venues to go if you don't have kids or play bocce) with its comedy seedlings.

As with previous years, the 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival brings together a supremely jaw-dropping group of comedians and performers. What can one expect? Oh, I don't know. Maybe (definitely) Emo Philips, Daniel Kitson, Jon Glaser, Max Silvestri, David Cross, Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Kurt Braunohler, Yo La Tengo, John Wesley Harding, Sarah Vowell, John Mulaney, and so many more I'm liable to puke with glee should I continue. What am I most looking forward to? Thanks for asking! I'd have to say it's a toss up between the bill Yo La Tengo falls on and a rare Tinkle performance (without Todd Barry, sadly)(although, Todd is opening for Superchunk at MHOW on September 19th, so that's something) (sold out though) (probably because Todd is on the bill).

The festival line-up will be tweaked, added onto, emboldened, modified, and made better as we make our way to the opening date, but have a gander at what's already planned below. In the immortal words of the person who put the roster together for me, "This is what's happening; but not everything that's happening". Ticket info to follow, but many shows will be on sale in advance. Also, please see a message from enfant terrible David Cross below...

Continue reading "the 2010 Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival is coming"

Laugh with the stars at Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education on Saturday, October 2 at the Beacon Theatre.

Hosted by Jon Stewart, the evening will feature Lewis Black, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Joel McHale, John Oliver, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and too many more scheduled to appear!

Proceeds benefit autism education and family service programs across the country in support of the overabundance of autistic individuals that so desperately need quality services.

American Express® cardmembers can purchase advance tickets, Thursday, July 29 from 10AM - Sunday, August 1 at 10PM before they go on sale to the general public on Monday, August 2 at 9AM.

Much sooner: Tearing The Veil of Maya, the sometimes-weekly show that mostly happens at Union Hall is turning four and celebrating at Union Hall's sister venue The Bell House. The Four Year Anniversary Show will feature Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, Leo Allen, AD Miles, Wyatt Cenac "and friends!" Maybe Michael Showalter will be there too? That's at the Bell House on August 1st and tickets are on sale (note: "This show will be mixed seated/standing - please come early for the best seats.")

And speaking of weekly comedy shows happening in bigger, near-by venues, The Cameo's "Big Terrific" is happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg on August 27th. Hosts Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate (SNL) and Max Silvestri promise "Many Special Guests". Tickets are on sale.

Continue reading "comedians fighting autism @ Beacon Theatre, Tearing the Veil of Maya turning four, Big Terrific getting bigger"

David Bazan kicks off a month of solo shows, many intimate "living room" gigs, in New York on Friday. That show and the next night's in Brooklyn are unfortunately sold out, but Bazan will also be appearing on Saturday (5/8) afternoon (2pm) at (Le) Poisson Rouge's monthly Radio Happy Hour - a variety show with comedy, scripted drama and music. Joining him will be comedian Max Silvestri and big movie-star Jesse Eisenberg. Tickets are on sale.

Past [Radio Happy Hour] shows have seen Norah Jones as a motel manager; Michael Showalter as the host of his very own cable fitness show; Andrew W.K. as the iconic John Bender character from The Breakfast Club; Tunde Adebimpe as the founder of a wilderness camp for ineffectual men; Kumail Nanjiani as a ventriloquist with a southern dummy; Craig Finn & Tad Kubler as brothers and Chuck Klosterman as their dad on a doomed road trip to a small town called Manhattan, Minnesota.

In June, David Bazan plays shows with mewithoutYou and Rubik. All dates and past Radio Happy Hour videos with the Hold Steady, Jolie Holland and Jessi Klein, below...

Continue reading "David Bazan kicking off intimate 'living room' show tour (dates), playing Radio Happy Hour in NYC Saturday"

"Playing Fordham's Spring Weekend w/ @birbigs and so far what I've learned about the youths of today is they still love flip flops and cargs." - Max Silvestri

'Only mgmt singing my fav-song-of-the-moment, Congratulations. Nbd.' -mickiemyheart

MGMT went from Fordham on Saturday (5/1) (where Max Silvestri and Mike Birbiglia also performed), pictured above, to the Bamboozle in Jersey on Sunday...

[After Girl Talk was] MGMT, the glam-prog outfit whose new album Congratulations is being met with confusion from some corners. It's certainly not as immediate a listen as the group's keyboard-spangled Oracular Spectacular, but it is a somewhat bewitchingly strange pop album. At one point a man canvassed the crowd handing out 3-D glasses, which seemed appropriate both for the red-and-blue beams surrounding the band and for the pillowy, proggy songs they rocked from the new record. MGMT brought back the doubters by closing their set with the sugar-coated "Kids," and as fans' camera phones were held aloft, they lobbed a question at the next headliner: "Hey, Weezer, are you playing this song, too? It's our song."

As it turned out, the answer was "yes," although it wouldn't be answered until much later in Weezer's set...It was during the first encore (which was introduced by the band replicating the drum and guitar solos that open Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher") that "Kids" was brought out and interpolated with Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," not to mention a blonde wig on Cuomo's head. While the borrowed bits of other songs delighted the crowd, Weezer opted to end the night and the festival with "Buddy Holly," demonstrating they still have plenty of firepower from their own catalog." [Rolling Stone @ Bamboozle]

MGMT will be be on Letterman on May 11th. And they're playing Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, August 17th. Tickets go on sale Friday at 9am. I wonder how many, if any, show they'll add. Can they beat Vampire Weekend's three? Peter Gabriel plays his second show at the venue tonight (5/3).

The MGMT show comes at the end of the band's summer-long tour of North America (the May/June secion of which will be opened by Tame Impala). They also have European dates from September to December mapped out. All tour dates and videos are below...

Continue reading "MGMT played Fordham & Bamboozle, playing Radio City "

DOWNLOAD: The Morning Benders - Promises (MP3

Morning Benders...

Morning Benders, Shark? and Cuddle Magic all convene at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe for a show/CD swap at 6:30pm tonight (2/25). The event, hosted by Max Silvestri and The Hype Machine, benefits Housing Works and to get in you need $5 + at least 1 used CD (to trade).

The Morning Benders' new album Big Echo comes out March 9th on Rough Trade. You can check out a song from it above, or catch the band at one of their many upcoming dates, posted below. They'll be at Market Hotel with Surfer Blood this Saturday (2/27). The band will also tour to SXSW for shows that include the Rough Trade showcase at Emo's Jr. on Wednesday, March 17th with The Strange Boys, The Unthanks, Basia Bulat, Dylan LeBlanc and Warpaint. They'll be back in NYC for a show at Mercury Lounge on April 22nd with Minature Tiger. Tickets are on sale now.

A flyer for the HW show and all Morning Benders and Shark? tour dates are below...

Continue reading "CD Swap at Housing Works (tonight) & other Morning Benders tour dates"

Leo Allen benefiting Haiti @ MHOW on 1/23 (by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Aziz Ansari added an extra two shows to his previously-announced run of CD Release shows at Comix. The new total is eight shows over four days (2/3-2/6) and they all appear to be sold out. "Friends scheduled to appear throughout the weekend:" Todd Barry, Moshe Kasher, John Mulaney, Max Silvestri, Joe Mande, Kristen Schaal, Hannibal Buress, Leo Allen, Kumail Nanjiani, and Anthony Jeselnik. A fine set of openers indeed.

Don't have a ticket, but still want to see Aziz during his now-rare trip back to NYC? You can also catch him tonight (2/2) for free at the Apple Store in SOHO. Sarah Silverman will appear in the same venue one night later.

Speaking of Max Silvestri, don't forget to catch his Big Teriffic show every Wednesday night at The Cameo (free!).

Speaking of Kristen Schaal, you can catch her tonight (2/2) as part of Sara Schaefer & Kim Armstrong's new free weekly Tuesday night comedy show in the front lounge of The Bell House (which is also hosting a "TOTALLY SOLD OUT" Lost premiere party this evening as well).

Speaking of Kristen Schaal performing comedy at The Bell House, tickets are on sale for a February 27th show described as "Friends of Celebrate Brooklyn present Winter Warm-Up featuring Comedy with Eugene Mirman & Pretty Good Friends, Special guests include Kristin Schaal & Michael Showalter".

Speaking of Hannibal Buress, he hosts a comedy show every Sunday night at Knitting Factory (free!).

Todd Barry, John Mulaney and Hannibal Buress all return to Comix on the same (February 18th) night (code TBAF saves $5).

Leo Allen hosts Whiplash every Monday night at UCB

A few shows other shows coming up at UCB and other surprises below...

Continue reading "Aziz Ansari at Comix & The Apple Store, Sarah Silverman, Hannibal Buress & other upcoming comedy shows"

photos by Chris La Putt

"[Friday] night the Guggenheim hosted another event for their It Came From Brooklyn series, which brings talented Brooklynites all the way to the Upper East Side. The evening was hosted by Max Silvestri, and featured a (bit too maudlin) reading from Rachel Sherman, and live sets from Tanlines and Yeasayer. A 3-D light show was also advertised, but as the evening went on we were told the glasses were merely for "enhancement" purposes.

The $45 ticket price is a bit high, but those in attendance were also able to check out the Kandinsky retrospective while there... just so long as they didn't have their 3-D enhancement glasses on. The guards were unusually strict about this.

There was a bar set up, with a ticket system in place (one wine was 3 tickets, aka $6); and the museum served as a gorgeous venue, with plenty of great sightlines. Frank Lloyd Wright, however, didn't design it to be acoustically perfect for future indie bands -- leaving Yeasayer sounding more like Mehsayer (sorry). That said, we sort of prefer these museum rock shows over the status quo -- so we hope there are many more to come!" [Gothamist]

Continue reading "Yeasayer, Tanlines & Max Silvestri came from Brooklyn @ the Guggenheim - pics "

Natasha Leggero & Morgan Murphy

1. On Wednesday night Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate [SNL] and I [Max Silvestri] have an especially spectacular Big Terrific for you all. It's almost too famous? We've got some special Halloween shenanigans planned (poisoned candy, knives, etc) as well as comedy appearances from Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation, Funny People), Natasha Leggero (Tonight Show), Joe Mande (Best Week Ever), John Mulaney (Conan O'Brien, writer for Saturday Night Live), Andrea Rosen (Stella, Flight of the Conchords) and Reggie Watts (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). Are you kidding me? That is so crazy fun. Be there at 8pm at Cameo Gallery, located at 93 North 6th Street between Berry & Wythe in Williamsburg. It's free. The after-party will be something special too.

2. What is funnier or more rocking than a museum? Literally nothing. I am very proud to be emceeing It Came From Brooklyn at the Guggenheim on Friday night

Yeasayer @ Hudson River Park in August (more by Bao Nguyen)

Yeasayer recently revealed in an interview with Pitchfork that they had finished their sophomore album and it would be released on January 19, 2010. There are four new songs they've been playing live; the four new songs are "Madder Red," "O.N.E.," "I Remember," and "Amblin' Alp." Yeasayer has also hinted that they would do something big in October.... [Wikipedia]

Guggenheim's last "It Came From Brooklyn" show featured Julian Plenti aka Paul Banks from Interpol. Julian has more shows on the way in November.

Yeasayer is currently in the UK, on tour with Bat for Lashes (who played NYC in August).

Yeasayer's Anand Wilder and Ira Wolf Tuton worked on Bat for Lashes' new record, Two Suns, which came out in April. As for their own still-untitled CD, Yeasayer's new disc is expected early next year (see above). Pitchfork called their last album, All Hour Cymbals, the 197th best album of the decade.

At least one member of Tanlines (also playing the Guggenheim show) is in a new group with members of Professor Murder called Restless People.

A Jools Holland video, and all tour dates for Yeasayer, which include Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on November 7th and Brown University on Nov. 13th (with Javelin), are below...

Continue reading "Yeasayer - playing the Guggenheim, new CD on the way"

Max Silvestri, Jenny Slate & Gabe Liedman @ Rififi (Marianne Ways)

Hi buds,

Woah, get ready. I have some huge news! As you know, one of my lovely Big Terrific co-hosts Jenny Slate has been absent as of late doing "showbiz" stuff, and a lot of you have been all "more like no-biz!!" Well first, stop saying that, and also, it's paid off! She is the newest cast member on Saturday Night Live, which is a long running television show that you have heard of. Won't that be amazing? She is going to be their go-to person for Gloria Estefan impressions. Also, she is going to be their go-to person for everything because she is the best, we love her so much, are so very proud, and cannot think of anyone who would be better on that show. It's really just perfect. Like, we were all surprised to get the news but also we totally weren't, you know? That's how great she'll be.

Jenny will be back at Big T soon to tell lots of showbiz stories about what Megan Fox smells like and how Ted Danson always has mints handy or whatever. Come this Wednesday and celebrate with Gabe and me, before all of us are too famous.

We've got super guests too: Eugene Mirman, Leo Allen, Brent Sullivan and more! We're so psyched. It's Wednesday September 2nd at 8pm at Cameo Gallery, 93 North 6th St between Berry & Wythe in Williamsburg. Come hang out!!

Thanks guys. You guys make Big Terrific the most fun. (Also us, but definitely you a bit too.)

-Max Silvestri

Continue reading "Jenny Slate joins SNL, Max & Gabe continue @ Cameo "

by Klaus Kinski

Secret Wars @ All Points West 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

So we've got the Del Close Marathon happening this weekend (8/14-8/16) and we've got the New York Comedy Festival happening in November. And now it is with unbridled enthusiasm that I can achieve a comedy-festival-posting-hat-trick by announcing the EUGENE MIRMAN COMEDY FESTIVAL which is set to take over Brooklyn venues Union Hall and the Bell House from September 17 - September 20. OK, so we briefly mentioned the festival before, but with line-ups, showtimes, as well as venue and ticket info just released, it's time to spread the word.

Curated by the great Eugene Mirman, this year's festival has a gasp worthy line-up that is truly beyond belief and will feature stand-up, panels, videos, special guests, 'theme' shows, the occasional free drink, after-parties, and much more. The highlight of the festival for me are two Daniel Kitson headlining gigs at Union Hall. Daniel is a British Stand-up comedian who I've only had the opportunity to see once, but that one experience was epic. More monologuist than stand-up comedian, he is one of the smartest, funniest, most energetic and eloquent performers I have ever seen. We are blessed to have two chances to see him headline such an intimate room. Besides that, the festival boasts appearances by Reggie Watts, Todd Barry, John Hodgman, Bobby Tisdale, AD Miles, Kristen Schaal, Michael Showalter, Marc Maron, John Mulaney, Jon Benjamin, and many many more. And, of course, Eugene.

The schedule so far is below. According to the folks in charge, even more excitement will be announced in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!! Tickets for all shows go on sale Sunday August 16 Saturday, August 15 at noon via Ticketweb (Bell House, Union Hall).

Full lineup and more below...

Continue reading "Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival 2009 lineup (Daniel Kitson & more), an 826NYC benefit (tickets), a new Sub Pop album"

by Klaus Kinski (of Klaus Kinski's Comedy Canon)

Two films I've been dying to see quickly made their way in and out of our fair city this past June. Being an idiot that cannot seem to prioritize anything, I missed them both. The films I speak of are Big Fan starring Patton Oswalt and Visioneers starring Zach Galifianakis. You may recall from previous articles that Zach and Patton are among my favorite comedians of all time; thus the eagerness to see these films and the anguish at missing them. Big Fan is the directorial debut of Robert Siegel, the man wrote The Wrestler, a film that featured comedian Todd Barry (another favorite). In Big Fan, Patton plays the role of Paul.

Paul is a 35-year-old toll booth operator from Staten Island who lives and dies by his New York Giants. When he has a chance encounter with Giants linebacker Quantrell Bishop, however, things go horribly wrong and a brutal beating at the hands of his idol tests Paul's allegiance to the team. Comedian Patton Oswalt delivers a heartbreaking, layered performance in this pitch-black comedy that reveals the disturbing side of obsessive fandom.

Having seen the trailer last year, I feel like Visioneers has been on my radar for a really long time. It definitely looks to be a somber, Orwellian, supremely dark comedy. The film, directed by Jared Drake, stars Galifianakis as George Washington Winsterhammerman.

George lives a comfortable yet completely uneventful life, and when he starts having dreams in which he's the first President of the United States, his doctor informs him that they could be signs of impending explosion. Later, as the dreams become more frequent and his co-workers continue to detonate, George is prompted to reevaluate his mundane existence.

Zach did a split 7" with Ted Leo a while back, available only via Chunklet.com and only available if you purchased another item from the Chunklet store. Now you no longer need to buy a second item in order to purchase the record. This extremely limited edition 7" is only $5 and is available on four different types of wax. Get 'em while they're hot!.

In Other News........

Continue reading "comedy news: Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Zach Galifianakis, Ricky Gervais, M Showalter, ATP & more (by Klaus Kinski)"