Adam

I took a visit to the local open mic event held every Monday night at Iowa City’s Yacht Club… and was pleasantly surprised. Doing comedy several times last semester (and only twice at the Yacht Club), I had a sense that things were pretty slow in Iowa City. However, after taking a visit last night, some great things are happening in the dungeon hidden by a colonial style building.

For starters, there was a crowd. One that wasn’t just comedians (as I had expected). I didn’t stand and count, but I was blown away by the numbers. People had actually come out to see others perform their craft on stage. And they were receptive too! The night flowed smoothly, everyone got laughs, and it wasn’t overly intimidating (something Open Mics tend to be).

Another great thing is that the venue become a safe haven for anyone thinking about trying stand-up comedy. Even if it’s your first time up, the crowd is supportive and applauds you as you scamper off the stage. If you’ve ever thought about doing comedy, at all, the Catacombs of Comedy are a great way to try it out.

All these things being said, I made a logistical blunder that kept me from going on stage. I had worked up the courage all day, polished all of my jokes so they were ready to go… and then missed the role call that happens before the show. Sign up starts around 9 P.M., and I think (and should make sure) that they hold a meeting a half hour later to see if everyone’s still there and ready to go. So if you want to perform, sign up at 9 and then stick around. If you’re just there to watch and have a good time (although everyone does), the event starts at 10.

It isn’t always the cleanest humor, but everyone has great ideas, and supporting your open mic is a good way to make life less boring.