Conan O'Brien is filming his late night show live from the Beacon Theater in NYC all this week. One of last night's musical/comical guests was Reggie Watts. Check out the video of Reggie doing a special rendition of "The Boys Are Back in Town" below.

Conan's writers are doing standup at Gotham Comedy Club tonight (11/1) (tickets still on sale), and at UCB Wednesday (standby list only).

Fallon writer Sara Schaefer co-hosts her weekly show at UCB East.

Also tonight: Todd Barry celebrates his 24th year in comedy with a one-hour Comedy Central special run-through show at the Pit. Tickets are still available.

Hopefully Todd also makes it over to Bowery Poetry Club in time to see the FAKE HIM perform as part of The 4th Annual SCHTICK OR TREAT. Other fake versions that will perform include:

Anthony Jeselnik
Aziz Ansari
Bobcat Goldthwait
Colin Quinn
David Cross
Emo Phillips
Jerry Seinfeld
Judah Friedlander
Larry David
Marc Maron
Maria Bamford
Paul F. Tompkins
Richard Lewis
Rodney Dangerfield
Susie Essman
Todd Barry
Whitney Cummings
Zach Galifianakis
...and more!

Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, and John Mulaney aren't on the list of comedians getting roasted tonight, but you can catch their real versions at the Pretty Good Friends Holiday show happening at the Bell House on December 11th. Tickets are on sale. Take a peak at Eugene's tour page for more upcoming gigs including one in Turners Falls, MA this Saturday (and Union Hall the night after that).

Continue reading "Conan O'Brien & his writers are back in town, Todd Barry @ the Pit, more Eugene Mirman shows, fake Aziz & more"

by Klaus Kinski

As previously mentioned, the long-awaited multi-purpose comedy venue UCB East has finally opened. Now so has its website.

The new venue is located on 153 East 3rd St. in Manhattan, and is the former home of the Two Boots Pioneer Theater. Even though I had only been to the Two Boots Theater once (back in 2003 to see the confoundingly brilliant Adolfas Mekas (Brother of Jonas) film Hallelujah the Hills), I was sad to hear it was closed down. But then I was elated to hear that the fine folks at the Upright Citizens Brigade would resurrected it as a comedy venue; a much needed element to that neighborhood considering Mo Pitkin's currently RIPs. The crucial distinction between UCB East and the UCB in Chelsea is that UCB East will be more stand-up/variety/screening/non-improv/non-sketch oriented. And I don't care if this distinction means nothing to you because it means a lot to me and I am the only person that matters. Not only is the venue closer to my house than UCB West, but this new satellite venue will allow some of my favorite UCB West shows like Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K to occur once a week (Thursdays at 9:00pm) as opposed to once a month. Plus, it'll introduce more non-improv/non-sketch weeklies to our lives. For example, the always incredible and probably criminally underrated Sara Schaefer has a show every Tuesday at 8:00pm called After Hours with Gene Hackman and Friends which will feature funny people, musical people, and other delightful things. On Thursdays at 11:00pm UCB's world famous open mic show Gutbucket (free!) gives people a chance to bomb in front of an audience. On Sundays at 9:00pm, hosts Mark Normand, Matt Ruby, Andy Haynes and David Cope bring newbies and comedy veterans to the stage for their show Hot Soup. And this is just scratching the surface. A gander at the FULL SCHEDULE will show you what's what. And yes, sure, there is SOME sketch and improv on the schedule, but that is hardly this venue's focus and that's what makes it great. That and the location amIright? The place also boasts a comfy bar to hang about in as well as cover charges in the $5 range. Now if only UCB West would give me a freakin' slot for my improv jam Anonymous: That's My Hummus, an improv-slash-sketch show that is unfunny, negative, and completely unnecessary.

That was so weird. I still feel kind of nauseous (no dishes rattled though) (in Brooklyn anyway). I hope everyone's ok in Virginia (and elsewhere).

DOWNLOAD: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Even Heroes Have to Die (MP3)

Ted Leo @ Bell House Haiti Benefit in January (more by Jonny Leather)

Screaming Females are currently on tour with JEFF the Brotherhood - that trip kicked off in NYC and will be back for a show at Brooklyn's Death By Audio on February 23rd. Come March, Screaming Females will be joining Ted Leo & The Pharmacists (who played Bowery Ballroom with JEFF in December) for shows across the US. Those includes his previously mentioned April 9th show at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still on sale.

Ted's new album, The Brutalist Bricks, is due March 9th on Matador. His shows in support of that start in early March (some of which are opened by Title Tracks). A track from the album is above; full tour dates are below. Before then, he'll be appearing (for "songs and a chat") at "Get Off Your Knees" a comedy show hosted by Sara Schaefer and Kim Armstrong at the Bell House front lounge on Tuesday, February 16th (tonight). Other guests include Leo Allen and Jamie Kilstein. Ted Leo appeared at the venue last month for its Haiti benefit. His songs from that night and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo touring w/ Screaming Females, @ Bell House tonight"

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"

Demetri Martin, Invite Them Up, RIP (Marianne Ways)

Tonight (March 10, 2008) @ Pianos goes something like this:

11:00 SOUTH (UK)
10:00 KRISTOFFER RAGNSTAM
8:00 IT IS IT

Continue reading "'It is It' comedy @ Pianos (Demetri Martin) before South"

"Save the World" - Bloc Party @ Live Earth London (CRED)

The most bizzare thing about the Bad Brains show on the boat was before the show when HR was just sort walking around by himself with his sunglasses on - looking extremely chill, and nobody was talking to him - at least when I saw him. He apparently did speak to at least one person before the show though, and it was DL host Sara Schaefer. AOL has the must-see video where they talk about the new album, and even sick Morrissey's favorite artist (and Gogol Bordello collaborator) Madonna. Keep the video running for a cool in-studio performance by Bloc Party that comes up right after Bad Brains. Updated Bloc Party tour dates below....

Continue reading "Sara Schaefer, Bad Brains, Madonna, Morrissey, Bloc Party"