FUNNY STUFF
Legendary New York comedy club reportedly relocating to downtown Austin
Austin could use a good laugh these days. Thankfully, two legendary clubs have announced plans to do just that.
Cap City Comedy Club, the nearly 35-year-old comedy mecca and venue for touring acts and festivals, closed its Research Boulevard spot in September, with the owners citing financial strain brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. But February 10, the club announced on its social media that it would reopen in a new location at the Domain this fall.
“We will continue our tradition of booking national acts, Austin-based comedians, and cutting-edge up-and-comers, now in a new location at The Domain,” the post reads, noting more details will be released soon.
And the laughs keep coming. According to The Laugh Button, comedy-focused news site, a revered New York City comedy club that closed in December 2020 — supposedly permanently — because of the pandemic is resettling in downtown Austin.
The Creek & The Cave, a staple of the New York City alt-comedy scene for 14 years, will open April 1 at 611 E. Seventh St., in the space formerly occupied by Barracuda, which shuttered in June 2020 after five years in business.
The Creek & The Cave’s move to Austin came about in quite a serendipitous manner. With a crowdfunding campaign underway, Creek & Cave owner Rebecca Trent made an appearance on a podcast that was heard by Austin comedy producer and comedian Marty Clarke, who touched base with Trent within days of her club’s closure.
“I reached out to Rebecca and we found an amazing spot that we can turn into something really special for the Austin comedy scene,” Clarke told The Laugh Button. “The stars aligned for us to build something cool and supportive that the whole community can feel a part of, continuing the legacy of The Creek & The Cave.”
In partnership with RoughCut Comedy, Clarke and fellow comedian Colton Dowling’s entertainment biz, the new comedy venue will include indoor and outdoor stages, and offer food and drink menus. And in the spirit of its longtime effort to support burgeoning comedians, The Creek & The Cave aims to make its funny business accessible to a variety of comedy aficionados.
“The Austin comedy scene has always been a wonderful and magical place to hone the craft and, as the scene grows and becomes more robust, we want to build a true clubhouse to serve as a place all comics can call home,” Trent says. “We will be providing a platform for the up-and-coming local comedians, as well as exposing them to big-name headliners: part master class, part dojo, part club, and all funny.”
