Austin's first Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival is here! All weekend, many of the best and biggest names in comedy have invaded a dozen venues in what's rapidly becoming a city synonymous with comedy. There are many Austin-based comedians that were no-brainers for Moontower, with the red hot Ramin Nazer joining the likes of Funniest Person in Austin winners Matt Bearden, Lucas Molandes, JR Brow, Mario DiGiorgio and John Ramsey, as well as local headliners like Jimmie Roulette and Mike MacRae.
But there are hundreds of comics here, and a handful of up and coming talents are on multiple shows this week, making the Moontower lineup all the more potent, and announcing Austin as a comedy producer, as well as a destination.
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Bob Khosravi is known as the "nicest man in Austin comedy," and it's true — even when his material gets existentially horrifying. You just want to give him a hug, all the time (and he usually obliges).
Brian Gaar is synonymous with Austin comedy, video games and being awesome. His column in the Statesman keeps track of the scene, and his "It's Always Funny With Brian Gaar" showcase finishes a grand run at The Velveeta Room at the end of May.
Chris Cubas is a mainstay of the Altercation Punk comedy tour, a dead ringer for Reggie Watts and one of the most talked about comics in town.
Danny Palumbo is a recent transplant from Pittsburgh. Something about his polished delivery, prolific writing (mostly about restaurants) and winning stage presence seems suspicious. Also, he is too handsome — complaints have been lodged.
David McQuary is the editor in chief of the Texas Travesty, a frequently-seen face at Cap City Comedy Club, and is known to flit in and out of open mics, looking distracted and being hilarious.
A regular at Cap City, Holly Lorka is one of Austin's funniest talents (and also one of the nicest people).
John Tole is everywhere. He breaks microphones with yelling, and with relentlessly funny material, and he's pretty much never safe for work. It's just the John-Tole-ness of the man.
A staple of the scene, FPIA finalist and writer of hilarious bon mots. Fun fact: Jonathan Pace is perhaps the world's best Facebook commenter.
Can we get the term "Barbadorable" to catch on? Kath is one of Austin's most endearing (and hilarious) faces. She's well versed in the best kind of self-deprecation: the uncomfortably funny kind.
Nick Mullen basically wins twitter on a daily basis and blisters through feature sets at Cap City with deceptively intelligent material. Also, this is his official website.
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As if that wasn't enough, Moontower has two "Austin Wildcard" showcases on Thursday night that were just too easy to fill, with talented local names like Amber Bixby, Andrew Tompkins, Kat Ramzinski, Katie Pengra, Kerri Lendo, Kerry Awn, Nancy Reed, Maggie MacDonald, Matt Willis, Michael Priest, Ralphie Hardesty, Ryan Cownie and — full disclosure — me.
For info on any performer's shows, click on their name on the Moontower website and buy some tickets!
