Charlie's Standup Comedy Journal
August 16, 2004: Debut at the Cantab Lounge
Comedy at the Cantab Lounge is quite an experience, folks. I'm not sure that a simple text description can really
do it justice, but I'll try:
Comedy night is Monday. There aren't many people there. We do our acts in the basement, under harsh lights
and exposed industrial pipes. The acoustics are weird, and the place smells a little funny.
Hmmmm. Nope, I guess I was wrong. That pretty much
does do it justice. Welcome to the life of a
beginning standup comic, folks. Pass the champagne -- we livin'
large, mofos!)
Anyway, there are
good things about the Cantab, too. You can get a spot in the show just a week or two
in advance. It's within five minutes of my office, so I can leave straight from work and be there in a jiffy. Half
a jiffy if I catch the traffic lights just right. And the bartender downstairs keeps
plenty of Guinness
bottles handy, so it's
always a party at the Cantab Lounge on comedy night. Kind of a lonely, depressing,
'
Hey, is this a boiler room or what?" party, but still -- party. Always.
(Ooooh, plus, after the show, if you get out in a reasonable amount of time, the excellent
burrito place
across the street is still open, and you can munch down on some crazy snacks after the festivities. Folks, are you
getting all this -- comedy, beer,
and tasty food?! Plus an atmosphere straight out of the
Silence of the
Lambs perp's basement? Come on! Somebody
pinch me; I'm dreaming!)
At any rate, check out the clip. If nothing else, you'll see what I mean about the lights. And the pipes. And
the acoustics. The surroundings are a bit
grim in general, I have to admit. But it's another venue, with a
cool barkeep and cold drinks, and I'm happy to have another place where I can tell jokes until the crowd throws
bottles at my crotch. Mmmm-mmmm, good.
(Um, seriously. Somebody pinch me, dammit. Please tell me this is all a dream, all right? Uh, hello? Hello?!
Aw, bitches.)
Download Clip of 08/16/04 Set --
Cantab Lounge, Cambridge, MA (5 minutes, 57 seconds):
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