Suki’s has a limited parking lot. When I arrived at 7:40pm it was full. Admittedly, that is early, as the signup sheet is supposed to come out at 8:45pm, start time 9pm. There is, however, street parking too, and it is free. Talent gets four minutes, and signup is first come first choice, but it is not on the honor system. I was there first, but other comics who knew the hosts signed up before me, following the host till the sheet came out. We had seven signups right away. There are no language restrictions, and the mic is for standup only. The room is run by two brothers, Carlson and Brando(?). I may have heard his name incorrectly. The mic takes place every week, except the last Tuesday of the month. The room has been going on for years. The business is a full bar and grill, serving comfort food like burgers and salads. Beers run $7 a pint, $5 a bottle. The room seats about 30 who can see the performers. There is no stage. A cordless mic and stand are placed in the center of the room (not against a wall but in the center). The lighting is not good. Sometimes a comedian was half in shade, and sometimes, if you stepped close to where the audience sat, you were not lit at all. I recommend not wearing a hat. I also recommend not sitting at the bar, as staff and patrons would talk, ordering food and drinks. Several TVs, though muted, played near the performance area. A pool table on the other side of the bar will not distract, even if in use. The room started late the night I was there, 9:19pm, the signup sheet coming out at 9:05pm. We had 18 in the room, including the staff and 2 hosts. That number dwindled some as the evening went on, 16 at 9:55pm, 13 at 10:12pm and 11 in the room at 10:30pm. We had 11 signups total. The room ended at 10:40pm. What I am about to write is not a reflection on the room. It’s important to know that. The hosts did a fine job, playing music between talent, being lively and excited when taking turns bringing up talent. But there was this one guy – he actually signed up to go last – who continuously interrupted the talent, being loud and disrespectful. Talent on stage asked him not to talk during their set. He sat next to me, and I said for him not to talk during the show, and he apologized, just to talk more later during the mic. One talent, who was interrupted by the guy, forgot his joke and decided to just talk to the audience rather than do new material. Guys, I don’t think this joker knew how difficult it is to do standup. He wasn’t a comedian himself, just decided to go up and talk aimlessly, not even trying to be funny. But to interrupt talent, talk over them, drinking too much to not even be aware of what you’re doing, I’m amazed the hosts didn’t ask staff to remove this guy. I asked staff at the end of the show, and she said she would have evicted the guy had the hosts asked her to. Comedians want stage time not to talk to the audience but to try new material, see what jokes work and what don’t. To be interrupted like that ruins the flow of a performance, ruins the jokes if they are distracted or interfered with. You can’t gauge what works and what doesn’t if you’re not left alone to do your act. I was terribly upset for the talent on stage, as this dufus had absolutely no respect for the craft, arguably the most difficult of all genres of talent. This is a fine room to do, can be a second, even third mic to do on a Tuesday. But what is the point if you’re being bombarded by interruptions? I wish the hosts had asked that he be removed. I would have done it in my room that I host.
Suki’s has a limited parking lot. When I arrived at 7:40pm it was full. Admittedly, that is early, as the signup sheet is supposed to come out at 8:45pm, start time 9pm. There is, however, street parking too, and it is free. Talent gets four minutes, and signup is first come first choice, but it is not on the honor system. I was there first, but other comics who knew the hosts signed up before me, following the host till the sheet came out. We had seven signups right away. There are no language restrictions, and the mic is for standup only. The room is run by two brothers, Carlson and Brando(?). I may have heard his name incorrectly. The mic takes place every week, except the last Tuesday of the month. The room has been going on for years.
ReplyDeleteThe business is a full bar and grill, serving comfort food like burgers and salads. Beers run $7 a pint, $5 a bottle. The room seats about 30 who can see the performers. There is no stage. A cordless mic and stand are placed in the center of the room (not against a wall but in the center). The lighting is not good. Sometimes a comedian was half in shade, and sometimes, if you stepped close to where the audience sat, you were not lit at all. I recommend not wearing a hat. I also recommend not sitting at the bar, as staff and patrons would talk, ordering food and drinks. Several TVs, though muted, played near the performance area. A pool table on the other side of the bar will not distract, even if in use.
The room started late the night I was there, 9:19pm, the signup sheet coming out at 9:05pm. We had 18 in the room, including the staff and 2 hosts. That number dwindled some as the evening went on, 16 at 9:55pm, 13 at 10:12pm and 11 in the room at 10:30pm. We had 11 signups total. The room ended at 10:40pm.
What I am about to write is not a reflection on the room. It’s important to know that. The hosts did a fine job, playing music between talent, being lively and excited when taking turns bringing up talent.
But there was this one guy – he actually signed up to go last – who continuously interrupted the talent, being loud and disrespectful. Talent on stage asked him not to talk during their set. He sat next to me, and I said for him not to talk during the show, and he apologized, just to talk more later during the mic. One talent, who was interrupted by the guy, forgot his joke and decided to just talk to the audience rather than do new material.
Guys, I don’t think this joker knew how difficult it is to do standup. He wasn’t a comedian himself, just decided to go up and talk aimlessly, not even trying to be funny. But to interrupt talent, talk over them, drinking too much to not even be aware of what you’re doing, I’m amazed the hosts didn’t ask staff to remove this guy. I asked staff at the end of the show, and she said she would have evicted the guy had the hosts asked her to.
Comedians want stage time not to talk to the audience but to try new material, see what jokes work and what don’t. To be interrupted like that ruins the flow of a performance, ruins the jokes if they are distracted or interfered with. You can’t gauge what works and what doesn’t if you’re not left alone to do your act. I was terribly upset for the talent on stage, as this dufus had absolutely no respect for the craft, arguably the most difficult of all genres of talent.
This is a fine room to do, can be a second, even third mic to do on a Tuesday. But what is the point if you’re being bombarded by interruptions? I wish the hosts had asked that he be removed. I would have done it in my room that I host.