“Swimming is a confusing sport, because sometimes you do it for fun, and other times you do it to not die. And when I'm swimming, sometimes I'm not sure which one it is.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
February 15 I had the opportunity to see Demtri Martin, an American comedian, live at the Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall.
I have been to many live shows throughout my life, but I had never seen standup comedy in person before.
The show ran for about 80 minutes which is much shorter than most live music performances, but Martin had the audience and myself laughing the whole time. Also, a local comedian did a short 10 minute set before Martin’s show to get the audience warmed up. This is a great way to see local talent as well as big names in the comedy world.
Most people commonly attend mainstream live events like sports or popular music concerts, but attending this event has really shifted my view on live events. Since most comedians have much smaller followings than a popular band or famous symphony, they tend to perform at smaller, less-known venues. However, these differences give the amazing opportunity for attendees to get to explore some very beautiful venues that go overlooked by bigger, more mainstream shows.
Also the tickets were only $30 each which is minuscule compared to the $100-200 you could be forced to spend on other events.
In addition to getting to see a performance in a new venues, attendees also get a much more personal experience. At the end of the show I attended, Martin actually addressed the crowd, and we were able to ask questions directly to him since there were only about 700 in attendance. Something like this wouldn’t be logistically possible at a Champagne Papí show with thousands of people in the audience.
If you like to laugh, and are looking for a change from the usual overcrowded events that we all overpay for, give standup comedy a chance.
Who wouldn’t want to enjoy some clever humor in an interesting venue when you get to hear jokes like . . .
“I was eating some pizza and I burnt the roof of my mouth. Then I thought, ‘wait a minute, this is the ceiling of my mouth.’”