I have already reviewed this room on their Friday night, midnight show, so some of what I report may appear redundant. Parking is on the street. The business sells beer at $7 a pint, $5 a can, and they also offer wine, and to eat, nachos, pizza by the slice, popcorn and a few other snack foods. The room seats close to 70, all seats facing the stage. The first three rows are theater seats, with chairs and tables on either side. After the third row, it’s tables and chairs and behind that, booths against the wall. The room is like a little theater, the kind an acting school may have, with enough room for furniture and props. Plays that have a small cast – Educating Rita or Frost/Nixon – could be performed here. The lighting is very good. On stage during the show is a mic, stand and stool. I arrived at 9:34pm. Six names were already on the list. I signed up seventh, but that does not mean I went up seventh. The two hosts, Mama Fi and Isaac Gray, lets talent know on their signup sheet that the order is subject to change. Sure enough, Mama Fi approached me during the third comedian’s performance and asked if I would be okay to go up tenth. She did not know me or my standup, and for that reason, asked that I go up later. I said fine. There are no language restrictions. Talent gets four minutes, Mama Fi’s cell light at three. The evening started at 10:12pm, with Isaac welcoming everyone and doing some stage time. After that, Mama Fi was the one who came to the mic and introduced the rest of the talent. I counted 15 in the room, but that number increased to 19 when the first comedian went up, and as high as 27 in attendance at 10:45pm. Music plays between talent, giving the room an upbeat feel, the energy remarkably high, considering how late in the evening this room takes place. I went up at 11pm, playing to some comedians but quite a few general audience peeps. I did quite well, and the host asked me to come back. She apologized for putting me up later, but, as she said, she didn’t know me or my material. Most of the other comedians she knew. At 11:17pm, I counted 29, which was the peak for the night, and 24 at 11:33pm. I left at 11:56pm with 14 in the room. Guys, this is a very good room to do. I was amazed that, for a worknight, the attendance remained as high as it did. That you are playing mostly to non-comics is great. I don’t think the hosts scramble the list that much. I was new to them, and so I sort of get that if anyone is going to be asked to change their slot, it’s going to be “the new guy”. Comedians who live in or around Portland are regulars to this room. The hosts know what they can expect. But even if you’re asked to go up later, attendance was still very good well into the evening. There were only a few comics to go when I left, and I can understand after midnight, yeah, people are starting to go home. Best to get your name in early, so if you’re new and they want to move you back a few numbers in the lineup, if won’t be bad at all. If you sign up later in the evening, and they ask you to go up even later, well, the numbers in the audience will drop some. But the peak of the mic happened after the first hour, so there’s plenty of time to work with when comedians get only four minutes.
I have already reviewed this room on their Friday night, midnight show, so some of what I report may appear redundant.
ReplyDeleteParking is on the street. The business sells beer at $7 a pint, $5 a can, and they also offer wine, and to eat, nachos, pizza by the slice, popcorn and a few other snack foods. The room seats close to 70, all seats facing the stage. The first three rows are theater seats, with chairs and tables on either side. After the third row, it’s tables and chairs and behind that, booths against the wall. The room is like a little theater, the kind an acting school may have, with enough room for furniture and props. Plays that have a small cast – Educating Rita or Frost/Nixon – could be performed here. The lighting is very good. On stage during the show is a mic, stand and stool.
I arrived at 9:34pm. Six names were already on the list. I signed up seventh, but that does not mean I went up seventh. The two hosts, Mama Fi and Isaac Gray, lets talent know on their signup sheet that the order is subject to change. Sure enough, Mama Fi approached me during the third comedian’s performance and asked if I would be okay to go up tenth. She did not know me or my standup, and for that reason, asked that I go up later. I said fine. There are no language restrictions. Talent gets four minutes, Mama Fi’s cell light at three.
The evening started at 10:12pm, with Isaac welcoming everyone and doing some stage time. After that, Mama Fi was the one who came to the mic and introduced the rest of the talent. I counted 15 in the room, but that number increased to 19 when the first comedian went up, and as high as 27 in attendance at 10:45pm. Music plays between talent, giving the room an upbeat feel, the energy remarkably high, considering how late in the evening this room takes place. I went up at 11pm, playing to some comedians but quite a few general audience peeps. I did quite well, and the host asked me to come back. She apologized for putting me up later, but, as she said, she didn’t know me or my material. Most of the other comedians she knew. At 11:17pm, I counted 29, which was the peak for the night, and 24 at 11:33pm. I left at 11:56pm with 14 in the room.
Guys, this is a very good room to do. I was amazed that, for a worknight, the attendance remained as high as it did. That you are playing mostly to non-comics is great. I don’t think the hosts scramble the list that much. I was new to them, and so I sort of get that if anyone is going to be asked to change their slot, it’s going to be “the new guy”. Comedians who live in or around Portland are regulars to this room. The hosts know what they can expect. But even if you’re asked to go up later, attendance was still very good well into the evening. There were only a few comics to go when I left, and I can understand after midnight, yeah, people are starting to go home. Best to get your name in early, so if you’re new and they want to move you back a few numbers in the lineup, if won’t be bad at all. If you sign up later in the evening, and they ask you to go up even later, well, the numbers in the audience will drop some. But the peak of the mic happened after the first hour, so there’s plenty of time to work with when comedians get only four minutes.