2016 Ultimate Comic Challenge, Round 1, Show 3 Recap

A change of location can impact even a long running event.  A change in venue, no matter how much of an upgrade it is, can be start as a negative.  A great event can overcome a change like this and will find its footing sooner than later.  This year's version of the UCC has made a venue change.  The shows have been incredible but the usual vibe hasn't totally been there.  This week however, not only did the Idiot Box and the UCC find their footing, they both hit full stride.  The last two weeks, the energy around the shows seemed to be something separate from the whole venue and suffered a little as such.  This week thought, the energy upstairs and down seemed to mesh and feed off of each other.  There was no difference between the buzz upstairs and down.  If anything, once the audience found their seats and waited for the Steve Lesser to one again open up the evening by welcoming the crowd and announcing the host, Eric Trundy, the buzz took on a life of its own.  There was no hesitation this week and no need to win the crowd over.  No trepidation, they came to laugh and to support the comics and there was no disguising that.  Again, I am not selling the first two shows short, they were incredible.  While the popular saying says you can't go home again, and that may be true, but from the minute the doors opened to let the audience in, it was apparent that The Idiot Box was home.

Sometimes, it is difficult to make the announcer and host interesting in a simple write up.  This time I have more incentive to be better at this.  Whether feeding off the house or just plugged in to the magic of the night, Steve Lesser had a bit more swagger in his tone.  Deservedly so, as the opening of the show went off without a hitch (another sign that this WAS home now).  The crowd responded very well to Steve as he introduced Eric Trundy as the evening's host.  The buzz as Eric took the mic was already high level.  I have written a lot about Eric as a comic, but I would say that he is as much worth catching as host.  The show would be both a test and a testament to that fact.  As always, Eric pretty much hit the ground running. He literally had the crowd in hand before he finished saying welcome.  As he went through the instructions and all, he had a very playful connection with the crowd going on.  Nothing new there, right?  But shortly into his opening spiel, there was something that could easily throw a performer, or a whole show.  Can you guess what that was?  If you said a heckler, you would be correct.  Nothing spiteful about his heckling, but even that could be deadly to a comic's dream of winning the whole thing.  But the comics, as a group, showed they were made of sterner stuff.  It even ended up producing one of the best moments of the evening (especially since it was so much 'in the moment'), Micah Hanner responded that the guy may have been the politest heckler ever (more on that in a bit).  Back to Eric, as he was going through his opening details, etc, there was his usual mock chastisement of the audience (not sure how to describe it better..needs to be seen to understand) and the audience was eating it up.   However, the good natured, yet highly intoxicated, patron could not resist interrupting.  As it went along, Eric focused on the guy, trying to give him every chance to not be "THAT GUY".  There was a moment when it got tense and you could tell by the audience's buzz fading a bit.  Eric realized this and, after a last comment to the heckler, quickly got back into his zone.  After recognizing the chilling affect, within two sentences the audience was back from the brink and even more ready to go.

The guy could have wrecked the evening, but Eric and each one of the comics not only shut down any chance of the being thrown off, several of them used it as a springboard to kick it into a higher gear.

Which leads us to:

The first comic of the evening was Micah Hanner.  For those of you who have followed my recaps, you will no doubt know that I have written loads and loads of good things about Micah.  I was worried about needing to find a new angle or a new things to say so as not to sound repetitive.  Luckily, Micah made it easy on me.  After getting interrupted within the first 15 seconds of his time by the heckler and responding in such a cool way, Micah hit a level that I have never seen before.  Where he usual seems so laid back and good natured during his sets, he displayed an amazing ease throughout his set; making it seem even more effortless than usual.  After the heckler, Micah jumped into a killer bit about "Greensboro Attitude" which seemed so perfect that it would have been scripted.  I am not sure I can explain just how 'on fire' Micah was than that (but of course, I will try).  In what was to be one of the absolute toughest nights delineate levels of great, Micah set the bar high and every one of the following comics were right up there with him. From how Facebook is the worst invention ever to correlation between hair style and salvation, Micah didn't miss a beat.

Follow an act like that??  The horrors, right?  Not at all! the next comic on the mic, Nick Henderson, took no time at all in making the room his.  While using a more deliberate pace than Micah, he was able to work the crowd into fits of laughter.  Of course, Nick also had his moment with the heckler, but , as was the case with Micah, this pushed him into a different level.  Utilizing mostly personal humor, Nick worked thee crowd with big hit laughs and slow burn laughs that were made even better coming from someone who, visually, seems so clean cut and "normal".  Subversive would not be an inappropriate way to think of a lot of his routine, and subversive would NOT be a word that pops into mind watching him perform.  In what would seem to be a hard source of material, Nick absolutely killed with his run on his regular humor versus antidepressant humor.

Next up on the mic?  None other than Reid Pegram.  Another comic that will be very familiar to those who follow my recaps, Reid one of the most consistent comics I know (and I mean that in a most positive way).  In all of the shows I have seen Reid in throughout UCC history, the thing that always struck me the most about him was he seems to be the type who does what entertains him and is good enough to get crowd after crowd to agree with him.  He is a stage persona that just happens to be real.  When I compare comics to those people that we all know in out lives, it is just that.  With Reid, I can actually see him as the slightly off kilter but beloved uncle.  He is just about the closest example of taking a comic performance and bringing it off as a personal, just hanging out conversation.  Another thing that makes Reid unique is that he can go from everyday guy to larger than life without missing a beat (if you ever get to see him do any of his pop culture involved routines, you will know exactly what I am talking about.  If you haven't, you need to!).  This performance was no different in that regard, but also hit next level.  His opening acknowledgment and subsequent dismissal of the heckler was inspired.   His routine going from having a near death experience to the x-men filled vision that it could have been had everyone rolling through the whole bit.

The next comic to take the mic was one that I knew by reputation but had never seen perform, Tab May.  Tab's set made me wish I had seen them perform much earlier.  If we needed to bring up someone on the bill who the word subversive would fit, Tab was the one.  Using manner of dress and body language to set up a specific expectation in the audience, Tab went on to not only play on it to perfection; but to play against it perfectly as well.  An average comic might be able to only adequately pull the same thing off.  However, from the first word, you knew you were in the presence of no mere, average comic.  Using voice, pacing, body language, and facial expression with surgical precision, they took some great comic writing and elevated it. Not only daring you to keep up as they go through their paces, but drawing you in and making you want to keep up so as not to miss a thing.  The best thing though, is that, as the set ends, you feel as pleased that you kept up as Tab does having brought you along.

The next comic up took us all a step back (time-wise) as he talked about the differences between his youth and nowadays.  John Boni, or as he is known on stage, the Silver Senior.  John is a true classic comic, his timing and set up-to-punchline is impeccable.  In a lot of ways, his style of humor is deceptively seductive. You may have an idea of where he is going with his jokes, but you still respond as if they had hit you unaware. I would say that his routines are the comedy equivalent of the  favorite blanket to me.  He is a good reminder of the connection that I had with my father through comedy.   He has a connection back to the golden age of comedy (if you get a chance to talk to him about his background , please do),

The next comic to perform is another that I know only by reputation, Tyrone Burston.  As with Tab, Burston I wish I had discovered earlier.    Burston was kind of a mash-up of the elements that made the earlier comics so enjoyable for me to watch. Very confident and comfortable on stage, his charisma is undeniable.  I also think that subversive kind of fits here too.  Using mostly personal material mixed with topical connections, his set took no prisoners.  With a mix of a silky smooth delivery style and beyond mischievous smile that makes you wonder what is coming is good or bad, but you wouldn't dare miss out on it either way.

The final comic of the night, was another one constant readers may recognize, Lucas Gumbrecht.  Every time before that I had seen Lucas perform he has been very consistent; no big highs or big lows.  I was very curious  to see how he responded to the competition and the crowd in a more intimate environ.  To put it mildly, Lucas went above and beyond.  Making optimum use of a much crisper, personal delivery style as well as perfectly timed facial expressions, Lucas caught the audience and held them in thrall from opening to closing.  Always a good comedy writer, Lucas took very good writing and made it great.  As he ended the show, he displayed a level of ease and confidence that was amazing. And he connected to the crowd more fully than I have ever seen before.  No matter what the catalyst was, Lucas definitely raised his bar and set himself apart moving forward.

The lights came up and the comics were called back to the stage so that the audience can make sure the audience had each clear in the mind as they voted.   Ballots were collected and Eric took the mic to do a set before winners were announced.  As was the case at the beginning, that guy felt compelled to interrupt Eric's set.  Eric handled it like a true professional and as the guy (and his dog!?!  Oh yeah, I neglected to add that part.  The dog was the only good thing about the guy being there) was walked out, Eric picked up right back where he left off and finished off a rather energized set that left the crowd rolling.

Lights go back up and the results are handed to Eric to announce.

To demonstrate just how great a show this was, there actually was a tie for the Wild Card spot!

                                           Moving on to the Wild Card Round, via comic vote:
                                                                   
                                                                     Lucas Gumbrecht
                                                                               &
                                                                     Reid Pegram

                                            Moving on straight to the 2nd Round, via audience vote:

                                                                     Tyrone Burston

                                             and the comic receiving the most votes,

                                                                      Micah Hanner

Congratulations to our winners!

Also, I would like to give a well deserved 'Thank you!'  to the other performers for helping make this such an incredible show:

                                                                     Nick Henderson
                                                                     Tab May
                                                                     John Boni, The Silver Senior


Remember all of these names, and if you get a chance to see any of them perform, you really need to!  These, and all of the performers so far..and those to come, for that matter, show just how strong the comedy scene is here in NC and in Greensboro more specifically.

By coming out to see the shows, you reward the comics.  You reward and support the only locally owned comedy venue in the area and the best comedy venue in the state, the Idiot Box.  You also support and reward two people who put so much into making local comedy the best it can be, Steve Lesser and Jennie Stencel, owners of the Idiot Box.

       

2016 Ultimate Comic Challenge, Round 1, Show 2 Recap

Every once in a while, you go into something with expectations  and they are exceeded.  The latest show in the 2016 UCC is a great example.  Going in, I only was familiar with one of the performers so I was set to enjoy a new experience.  However, I never planned on experiencing what could almost be a master class on pacing and timing.  

Before the show, as the comics were going through final instructions and learning the lineup, there was a talk about the pluses and minuses of each place.  We discussed the good and bad of going first for a few moments and then it was time for the show to start.  

As always, the voice of Steve Lesser welcomed everyone to the show and introduced the host for the night, Eric Trundy.  Doing an amazing job of pulling in and winning over the audience in the face of technical glitches, Eric once again got the energy flowing before the night's comic took the stage.

Just a little more on going first.  It allows the comic to set the bar for the rest o the bill.  Each comic coming up will be judged based on how the first comic handles his/her time and the audience.  The major down side is that that comic has no real idea what to expect (putting him/her on equal footing with the audience).  There are lots of ways to set up the night from the first spot:  hit the stage with enough energy to sweep the audience up in your wake; being so funny that the audience can't help pushing the energy to higher levels; etc.  

This leads me to the first performer of the night,  

Dejahzh Hedrick.  For about 15 seconds, the comic and the audience shared a bit of awkwardness with Dejahz perhaps defying some expectations, being deliberate and using a mannered delivery style.  And then, he hit the first of many really sharp spots throughout his set.  The audience was hooked and he was off into a great set.   Never straying from a pattern of delivery that was the comic equivalent of a shot of your favorite liquor, he not only held the audience and had them willingly following his 6 minute comedy road. It was exciting to see someone so deftly use a silky smooth voice and pacing to build up the energy in the room.  It was conversational and intimate and completely impossible for the audience to resist.  When Dejahzh hit with one of his slightly "naughty" punchlines (including one of the best bits of the night, " ...more children than a first round draft pick..."), it is like that one reserved friend gets off a zinger that is so unexpected, it makes it that much funnier.  The bar was set perfectly for the next comic on the mic.

Sometimes following a comic with such a defined style can be treacherous and I was concerned that this would be one of those times.  Silly me!  Jason Zaremba hit the stage and using an almost opposite style of pacing and timing, showed that he was just as adept using an upbeat counterpoint to keep the audience well in hand.  One of the things that I loved and that he used perfectly to 'direct' the audience to keep up was using that style to focus on aspects of "loneliness".  Instead of letting the main focus bring the audience down, his style made it simple for him to get the audience to not only buy into his view of it, but make it seem absolutely positive.  

Whereas Jason was like the operator of a funhouse ride that you can't help but losing yourself a bit to, the next comic up was like a whirlwind, catching everyone up in its wake and leaving them all a little breathless.  From a slow, deliberate pace on to a faster but still measured pace and then on to a force of nature.  Nik Cartwright never let the energy from the moment he took the mic until the end of his set.  Not just relying on such a high energy level, Nik was able to use body language and facial expressions to make sure every possible laugh was pulled out of the audience.  Reminding me of that one hyper kid everyone knows who is probably not fully aware of how funny they are, Nik approached his material and time in the spotlight with a joy that was..well, to say infectious is a major understatement.  Add to this, the writing ability he obviously has and it is an undeniable combination (to be fair, the level of comedy writing on display all night was nothing short of amazing).

How do you follow an act like that?  It can be enough to strike fear in the heart of even a well seasoned comic. But, showing not one bit of nerves, Alex Garrettson stepped up to the challenge and was more than capable of handling it.  Where that such a change in gears between the first three comics, the change in style going into the Alex's set was breathtaking in and of itself.  Slowing it down with a deliberateness that would make a Dean Smith's four corners offense seem high octane, each set up and punch was timed to perfection.  Utilizing a comedy style that I am very partial to, Alex was able to actually build the energy up even more.  Playing on misdirection and any uncertain audience reaction, surgeon like precision was on display for the full set.  Also, his use of self-deprecating humor showed just how smart a comic he is.  When he talks about the relationship between getting a piece of candy after seeing his therapist and why he needed to see the therapist in the first place it is impossible not to laugh; but then you see his facial expressions and you feel a bit guilty about laughing and then he plays off that to get an even stronger reaction.  It was priceless!

So far it had been pretty much straightforward pacing on display, the next comic up mixed it up some, still to great effect.  The comic?  The one and only, Zo Myers.  Zo was the only comic on the bill that I was familiar with and I was interested if he would change up anything as far as his delivery went to kind of blend in with the styles showcased so far that night.  He didn't.  He was classic Zo.  Never swinging too far either way, pacing wise, he was still able to shift gears and keep the audience enthralled.  It was a nice contrast to the styles on display so far.  Zo was at his best, going from personal/family material to social issues and never missing a beat or losing any of the audience.  Zo also was at his best in interplay with the audience.  It was the most conversational set of the night.  He also had my favorite bit of the night; ".. family traveling around the world put parts of his ashes in pepper shakers..."  

As Zo relinquished the stage to the next comic, I was curious to see how the next comic handled the energy level left for him.  Sam Prickett took the stage and took control right off the bat; making the most of the energy left by Zo and making it his own.  Another level of a deliberate, but still more upbeat style, Sam had the audience thinking only about him as he went through his set.  Using extended set ups with precise punchlines, the audience gladly followed where Sam led them.  Definitely a case where the journey was as enjoyable as the destination.

After Sam finished up, the final comic of the night took the stage.  New to the UCC and relatively new to comedy overall, the final comic of the night was Jippsey (Jackson).  Jippsey was one of those comics that you may not know to take in the moment of his set.  Still looking to figure out exactly what his style is, Jippsey used a sort of stream of consciousness approach to his set.  When he hit the mark with his material, he had the audience responding well.  When his material was off the mark, his reactions and obvious off the page ventures still had the audience laughing.  The one thing that stayed in my mind throughout his set, and after he finished, was that I can't wait to see what he does with the level of potential he demonstrated overall. 

With the audience abuzz as the show ended, Eric Trundy once again took the stage to repeat voting directions.  After ballots were collected , the audience was treated to a set by Eric.  As usual, Eric's interaction with the crowd was a delight and he had the audience eating out of his hand as we waited for the announcement of the evening's winners.

And who were these winners?  I am glad you asked.

Going through to the Wild Card Round, via comic votes:   

                                              Sam Prickett

Going straight through to the 2nd Round, via audience votes:

                                             Zo Myers

                                       and the comic with the most votes,

                                               Nik Cartwright

Again, I would like to recognize the other comics on the bill.  If you get a chance to see them, please do.  Definitely well worth it!

                                             

                                             Dejahzh Hedrick

                                             Jason Zaremba

                                             Alex Garrettson

                                             Jippsey (Jackson)

                           

2016 Ultimate Comic Challenge, Round 1; Show 1 Recap

A new UCC.  A new venue.  Friday night was the beginning of a new adventure for everyone involved.  It was an exciting and fun way to kick off a new era in local comedy!

First off, the new venue.  The Idiot Box has moved from its downtown Elm Street location.  The new location actually is the result of a partnership, of sorts, with Geeksboro Coffee and Beverage Company.  The shows take place in the downstairs cinema space.  The new venue adds a whole new dimension (for lack of a better word) to the club going experience.  As you walk into Geeksboro, there is almost a palpable buzz in the air from the coffee, the game players (video and otherwise), and the gathering of friends.  If you are not used to such an atmosphere, it can catch you by surprise, but once you get past that, the friendly and, yes, slightly goofy, vibe is almost impossible to miss.  Even more so than the downstairs location, it is very possible to make an evening of it.  Either stay in Geeksboro and enjoy the goodies they serve or walk next door to either Hops Burger Bar on one side or Boo Radley's on the other.  What makes it especially appealing is that it makes it easy to make it a family outing for an all ages Improv show downstairs and hanging out for games upstairs.

Okay, moving on.  It is almost show time, so you head down the stairs to the cinema space.  You step into the room and realize that it is a smaller venue then the old one.  Don't let this put you off though! This is one time when talking about an intimate venue is not only fitting, but accurate as well. The room is a work in progress, but there is nothing to distract from enjoying being there or from enjoying the show.  With the refurbishing that has been done to the space, it has a definite comedy club vibe.  Another thing you may notice is that it seems to kind of amp up the ambient energy level, making it feel even more welcoming.  The buzz of conversation and anticipation builds up the energy; helping 'warm up' the audience.

Then it happens!  The lights go down and the voice of Steve Lesser pours out of the speakers welcoming everyone to the 2016 Ultimate Comic Challenge opening night.  Then, with the introduction of the host, Eric Trundy, the evening is off and running.  As good as he is at hosting in larger venues, this set up plays incredibly well to Eric's strengths.  Within 2 sentences, the crowd is caught up in Eric's energy, laughing loudly and responding with hoots and hollers.  The energy didn't even waver as the rules and voting method was explained.  Not giving the audience a chance to drop their energy, the first comic of the night is introduced and the real fun begins.

The show itself was amazing overall and showcased a wonderful mix of styles and topics.  Each of the comics were well received by the audience.  It was one of those crowds that is ready and willing to laugh and respond; giving back as much energy as they were getting.

Leading off the show itself was Caleb Elliot.  A great choice for the first slot.  Caleb hit the mic and had the crowd well in hand in short measure.  Demonstrating a smooth delivery style and easily bouncing from bit to bit, Caleb made it almost impossible not to get caught up in his routine.  In what was an indicator of things to come, the interactions between him and the crowd were spot on. Getting a good response as he finished his set, he left a lot of energy for the next comic to build on.

Next up was a comic that I am familiar with, and always enjoy watching work her comedy magic, Mimi Benfield.  I had high expectations for her set and she did not disappoint.  The set was one of the most enjoyable I have seen her perform.  Her set was polished without seeming impersonal.  She played the audience well.  The intimate venue helped make her set feel even more personal; like that one friend that is always catching you up in their stories without trying or meaning to.  I also thought she had one of the best bits of the evening (spaghetti girls...).

Coming next and riding the energy from Mimi's set was Seth Fox.  Another comic new to the UCC, he had a kind of frenetic delivery style that was a perfect follow to Mimi's.  There were lots of high points in his set and the audience responded well to them.  He worked best when he was either focusing his humor on himself or when he was doing bits that kind of made the audience nervous.

Next up was a comic that I have seen perform lots of times, Leo Hodson (Greensboro's only sit down comedian).  It has been a busy year for Leo, comedy-wise, and it showed.  His routine was as honed as any I have seen from him and his timing was dead on.  Always good at using the deliberate pause to full effect,  Leo was the master of this technique in his set.  His delivery style was an interesting contrast to the prior comics and it quickly helped him win over the audience.  It never fails to be fun to watch how audiences respond to his poking fun at his being in a wheelchair and he had one of the most memorable lines of the evening (...maybe next year).

Following a set like that can be nerve-wracking, but Zach Yonk faced the challenge well.  Using self-deprecating humor as well as any comics I have seen in a while, Zach had the audience on his side from the start of his set.  With an incredibly personable stage demeanor, it is hard not to get caught up in his routine and root for him.

The next comic up picked up the pace and the energy even more.  Jiwan Kapp took the stage and had the crowd hooked in short order.  With his high energy and the way he smoothly transitioned between bits, I was left a little breathless after his routine ended.  Of course, the fact I was laughing almost the entire set may have been a factor there too. It was the first time I have seen him on stage, but I am more than ready to see him perform again.

The final comic was, like Jiwan, a comic that I know by reputation and have been looking forward to seeing on stage, Kenyon Adamcik. Also, just like Jiwan, Kenyon exceeded my expectations.  He had a high energy, fast paced set, but he focused more on longer bits, milking each topic for maximum laughs.  He is another comic that I can't wait to see on stage again.

With all of the comics done, Eric took the mic again to re-emphasize the voting procedure.  After all the ballots were collected, Eric did a set to entertain the crowd until time to announce voting results. Again, playing the crowd perfectly, Eric showed off the chops that helped him become a UCC winner. It was definitely a set that needs to be seen to get the full impact of it.

Time to name the winners, but before that, a reminder of how this works:  2 of the comics advance straight to the 2nd round by virtue of audience vote.  One other comic gets a chance to advance to the wild card round by virtue of comic vote, with another chance at the 2nd round on the line.

Having said that, the comic that was voted into the wild card round:

                                               JIWANN KAPP


The two comics voted straight to the 2nd round by audience vote:

                                               KENYON ADAMCIK

                                                               &

                                                the night's top vote getter,
                                                LEO HODSON!

Congratulations to the night's winners and again, a huge thank you to the rest of the comics for helping kick off the UCC in proper style and making the show so enjoyable!

                                                 SETH FOX
                                                 MIMI BENFIELD
                                                 CALEB ELLIOTTT
                                                 ZACH YONK