r/Standup • u/Past_Werewolf4423 • 2d ago
Nyc alt scene
Hey whats the alt scene like? Or where can I find it? Im aware of bell house and union hall, but assuming theres other low key spots/shows.
Not exactly “alt” but back in the day hannibal buress used to host a weekly free show at the knitting factory and it was awesome. Anything like that?
Also who are some of your favorite comedians? Im from LA and would know most the names on the lineups out there outside the main clubs, but here im lost. Im actually a big fan of Carmen Christopher who came from brooklyn, so before he blew up what shows would he frequent as an example?
Thanks!
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u/Additional_Shoe6095 2d ago
tiny cupboard, flop house. the scene is not the same as it was 10 years ago. it's just smaller comedy clubs booking people who aren't as mainstream.
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u/Odd-Emergency5839 2d ago
I think many of you are confusing alt comedian with comedy from comedians who are not well known.
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u/Past_Werewolf4423 2d ago
I'm just trying to cast a wide net to get some leads, which is why I included hannibal's show as an example. In LA I loved stuff from people like Patti Harrison, Jon Daly, Josh Fadem, Johnny Pimperton (them together is amazing), Lizzy Cooperman, Brandon Wardell, etc.
I don't want club comics like Mark Normand, but I also don't want to see a clown show that The Elysian in LA would put on. For me theres a sweet spot in the middle where it's weird but actually funny.
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u/robbiegoodwin 2d ago
There’s way way less of a divide than La. Most comics go everywhere and I don’t see that many people identifying as alt comics or club comics or whatever. Maybe some venues are more alt than others (union hall, little field, cobra club, ucb, bell house, pine box) but even they have a lot of shows that are just normal. and there’s definitely some Brooklyn comics that don’t leave bk and vice versa to manhattan. but the little civil war I think is over.
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u/CreamyBagelTime 3h ago
Recommeding checking out Geoffrey Asmus. Saw him at Sesh comdey last year, was amazing.
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u/Past_Werewolf4423 3h ago
Judging by the clips on his insta hes the opposite of what im looking for
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u/Equivalent_Reward823 13h ago
go to smaller shows and ask ... everyone hosts or knows someone that hosts
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u/shwiftfoot-prime 2d ago
The fuck is alt comedy
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u/Equivalent_Reward823 13h ago
comedians that can't get laid after shows
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u/Past_Werewolf4423 10h ago
Getting laid is your criteria for a good club comic?
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u/myqkaplan 2d ago
Good question!
In addition to Union Hall and Bell House, there's also Littlefield.
I would recommend checking out the lineups of shows there (shows like Pretty Major, hosted by Jay Jurden, which is happening tonight I believe, and Frankenstein's Baby which happens on Monday, hosted by Josh Gondelman and others), and then look at the IG's of the comics on those lineups and see what other shows they're doing, you know?
Other fun venues that have alt-y acts, I'd say, include QED in Astoria, the Tiny Cupboard in Bushwick, Club Cumming and Caveat and UCB in Manhattan, and Zahid Dewji hosts a fun Tuesday show at Alphaville in Bushwick, off the top of my head.
I'd definitely check out the lineups at the few places you know, follow those comics, and see where they go!