How to Choose the Best Comedy Club for Your Humor Style
What makes you laugh?
Many people have never given it a second thought. After all it's not that mysterious. If it's funny you will laugh, if it isn't you might roll your eyes or find somewhere else to be. But the fact is that there are many humor styles. A joke that leaves you cold could put someone else on the floor with a bad case of the giggles, and that same person might gawk in horror at the type of jokes that make you guffaw.
It really isn't that simple.
So what makes you laugh? Many people's sense of humor is very much colored by their life experience; your upbringing, education and vocation all have a role to play in determining what amuses you. Some people find great enjoyment in sarcasm, while others never learn to understand it at all.
The good news is that be best comedy clubs have something for everyone: dark humor, slapstick, edgy, vocation specific, and open mic nights where you can hear great new talent and even try out your own brand of humor on the audience. The best comedy club for you is surely the one that has the best selection of shows.
What Makes the Best Comedy Clubs Stand Out
If you have never been to a live comedy club before you may struggle to understand what the point is. There are dozens of comedy shows available for streaming, both scripted and unscripted, and all the great comedians of the present and past can be seen for free from the comfort of your own home. With Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live, Jerry Seinfeld and Adam Sandler at your fingertips, why would you get in the car and go pay for a chance to laugh?
Quite simply, the experience you get at the best comedy clubs is something that cannot be compared to anything else. Once you find a club and a show that meets your preferences you are in for a real treat when you get your first experience of live stand up comedy. If you're on the east coast, you can make your way to New York to hit a Broadway comedy club and find out what the fuss is all about; but what if you're out west? Say... Santa Barbara?
In that case, there is the Crow. The name stands for "Comedy Reflects Our World," and the comedy club lives up to its name, offering a diverse cast of comics and a plethora of comedic shows of every stripe.
Open Mics: A Great Place to Hear New Comedy Styles
If you don't even know what to look for when seeking a comedy club to attend, consider starting by finding a club that hosts open mic nights. In these performances the comedians--both up and coming talent and well established in the industry--pay for a few minutes to do a bit in front of a live crowd, honing their skills and getting exposure for their own careers.
At each open mic night there will be many different comics, each with their own style and topics. You're sure to hear something that makes you laugh, and then you can look up the comedians you like the best and find out where and when they are performing longer sets.
If you have a few dollars you can even participate, trying out your own amusing anecdotes on the crowd. The Crow in Santa Barbara hosts regular open mics, so check their calendar and pick a night to get a laugh--and, if you choose to join the performers on stage at the comedy club, even get laughs.
Humor in Misfortune: A Time-Honored Catharsis
Ever have something frustrating, scary or discouraging happen to you, only to find weeks or months later that it makes one of the funniest stories in your repertoire?
Yeah, me too.
There's a reason why the hard things in life turn into the funniest. Every one of us has had those moments of difficulty, and sharing them makes them relatable. Hearing others' tales of woe can give you perspective on your own troubles as well.
Believe it or not, some comedy clubs capitalize on exactly this type of humor. At the CROW there is a comedy series called "It's Funny Now," where excellent comics get up and relate their worst best stories for everyone to enjoy. They also do a spin-off show called "It's a Story Now," where community members tell their true tales of all sorts: certain to be an evening as enlightening as it is entertaining.
Self Deprecating Humor
Sometimes the best way to handle your flaws is to laugh about them--and have a hundred or more people laugh with you. If you'd like to be part of this experience, seek out comedy clubs that have shows like "Imposter Syndrome."
Lucky enough to live in Santa Barbara? Then this show could be just what you're looking for. "Imposter Syndrome" features a lineup of racially diverse female and queer comedians, blowing up the comedy scene with their humor and grace in the face of their own shortcomings.
Dark Humor: When you Need Some Freude in your Schaden
The Crow even has a comedy night dedicated to dark humor. Want to hear new material from up and comers in the West Coast comedy world? Make plans to attend "It Might Get Dark" or other morbidly amusing shows at the Crow. In addition to stand up comedy acts, there will also be musical performances at this variety show. Don't miss out.
Community Involvement: The Best Comedy Clubs Make a Difference
All the biggest cities have top comedy clubs where the elites go to enjoy a well stocked bar and hear the most famous comedians of the day do their bits. But are those clubs the best, or even among the best? Does the rarified air of a New York comedy club suit your more pedestrian lungs? Or is there an option that fits your style better--not to mention being closer to your California home?
If you want something close to home, both geographically and in terms of connection to community, then once again you need to consider the Crow. This comedy club has excellent comics, from beginners to rising stars to established talent, and these performers have their fingers on the pulse of Santa Barbara.
Not only do their acts reflect the locality and spirit of their city, but the Crow also helps make comedy more accessible to the local population. They hold comedy fundraisers for schools and other organizations, giving those involved a wonderful evening of laughter for a good cause.
They also hold comedy classes, targeting kids, teens and adults. Helping to build confidence and public speaking ability is nothing to laugh at; these classes are an invaluable tool for everyone, even those who have no interest in a career in comedy clubs. Knowing how to deliver a punchline effectively is a great skill in any industry and a comedy class can teach you to do just that.
Bergamot Comedy Fest
If, after sampling a few shows, you want to immerse yourself in Santa Barbara comedy culture, you should know that the Crow even puts on comedy festivals.
These events are crucial for new talent in the comedy world, letting them be seen by executives. With panels, workshops and lots of laughs, the Crow is a comedy club intent on serving as a hub and focal point of local comedic talent and it shows.
The Best Comedy Clubs Draw You Into Your Community
Going to a comedy club isn't just a self-indulgent way to spend an evening. If you choose a comedy club that recruits local talent and hosts events to support local charity, your support and money will go toward your neighbors. You will also meet your neighbors, and nothing creates more goodwill than laughing together at a great comedy act.
The Crow's comedy scene embodies Santa Barbara, with stand up comedy that draws from local happenings and lore, and events that attract comics from all demographics. There aren't many comedy clubs that can boast such a delicious variety of performers and shows. So whatever your comedic style, if you're local to Santa Barbara, the Crow is a great place to get your comedy kicks.
If you've never frequented comedy clubs in the past, you will be pleasantly surprised by the experience of laughing at and even participating in the offerings of the evening; and if you have been to other clubs you will be enlightened by the positive tone that suffuses the location. And of course, there's the dopamine rush that comes with contributing to a worthy goal. For-profit comedy clubs just don't have the same good-hearted vibe.
So check out The Crow's offerings for next week, and get your tickets before they sell out. Laughter is the best medicine and has a nicer texture than most pharmaceuticals. When you have one of the best comedy clubs in your own community, you owe it to yourself to go explore the amazing world of comedy.