October is upon us and the treats this year aren’t limited to candy. There are some tremendous stand-up comics on the way and I’m here to tell you all about it. Listen, there’s too much negativity in the world these days. I highly encourage you to give yourself a night or three to relax, smile a bit, laugh a lot, and remember that there’s an abundance of joy out there – if you allow yourself to take part in it. Scroll on down and see why I’m so pumped about October and the silly-good stand-up comedy in Richmond this month.
Nate Bargatze – Friday, October 1st.
I first heard Nate Bargatze as a guest on the Flagrant 2 podcast with Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh (yeah, I love stand-up). I’ll admit as a self-described hill person, I found his strong southern accent endearing. Bargatze is also known as one of the funniest “clean” comics out there. He doesn’t rely on crude language or topics to get the laughs. Don’t get me wrong, I find crude hysterical (Tom Segura next month, anyone?). But it’s nice to know there are comedians out there crushing it while avoiding the cringe-worthy speak so prevalent today. If you’ve got some free time this evening watch one of his recent Netflix specials – I particularly recommend The Tennessee Kid. Don’t dilly dally around though, he hits the stage at the Dominion Energy Center tomorrow night!
2. Brian Regan – Saturday, October 16th
One of the first comedians I ever listened to, and definitely the first on a burned CD. My older brother turned me on to Brian Regan years after his hit debut, Brian Regan Live. His self-deprecating, sarcastic style struck a chord with me that remained through the years. Similar to the comedian above, Regan shies away from profanity and typically avoids taboo topics altogether. That said, even the raunchy comedy lovers will appreciate the Jerry Seinfeld-inspired gentleman. You’ve got a little more time to get familiar with Regan so pop that corn, grab the bottle of wine and your boo, and check out Nunchucks and Flamethrowers on Netflix. Head over to the Dominion Energy Center on the 16th and see the fella that received praise from comedy legend such as the aforementioned Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, David Letterman, Bill Burr – and none other than these next legends…
3. Steve Martin & Martin Short – Friday, October 22nd.
These two icons and long time pals need no introduction, but I like hearing myself type so here it is. If you’re not familiar with Steve Martin you either just woke from a long, long coma, are under 30 years old (barely an excuse), or are just plain unfortunate. Seriously, his filmography has its very own Wikipedia page. Short is a legend unto himself with a preposterous amount film, tv, and voice work – as well as a legendary roll in inner-circle Hall of Fame movie Mars Attacks!. Their current tour is a follow up to the uber-successful run of An Evening You’ll Never Forget, which happens to be available on Netflix too. It’s not every day you get a chance to witness two comedic legends still-crushing it, much less together. So do yourself a solid and get over to the Altria Theater on October 22nd. You can thank me later.
There you have it, folks! We’re waltzing into a month of epic stand-up comedy in Richmond. If you’re new to the scene, get out of your comfort zone, sit around a bunch of potentially masked good-timers, and prepare to laugh your tail off. And if there’s anything else I can help you with, just give me a holler.
