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.
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