Global Vancouver Comedy Fest

[Catrel Stevens]

Well it's coming around to that time again this year in Vancouver, and whoever manages the Global Vancouver Comedy Fest's website is pretty slow on the job.

Global Vancouver Comedy Fest website
Sept. 17-27

Info and shows has been added bit-by-bit. A Comedy DeathRay show is scheduled for the Sept. 24th. Paul F. Tompkins as confirmed on Twitter that he will be in town for the 24th & 25th, so I'm assuming he'll be on the CDR show. David Cross will also have at least one show, the date/time and nature of which has yet to be announced. Jimmy Pardo and Matt Belknap announced on Ep. 518 of their podcast that they will be in Vancouver doing a live Never Not Funny taping on Sept. 26th, however no such show has been listed on the Comedy Fest website yet.

I've tried to contact their box office manager for a better rundown of show line-ups, performers, etc. and have received no response in over a week. Last year, the fest was amazing, with so many great LA comedians and improvisers in town, it was impossible to see every show I wanted to. This year looks to be significantly downsized, but it sounds like there should still be some gem shows happening, if we can just get the full info for 'em.

[Scott Aukerman]

From what I know this is just an early onsale of certain events. If anything, the festival is expanding. It's a pretty amazing list of talent coming. Slightly more CDR info should be appearing today I think.

[Catrel Stevens]

From what I know this is just an early onsale of certain events. If anything, the festival is expanding. It's a pretty amazing list of talent coming. Slightly more CDR info should be appearing today I think.

Oh, well then don't I look dumb? I just assumed when the site first went up it had the majority of show listings already on. It's just over a month away, so I hope they get the info up quick.

I can't really start buying tickets until I know all what shows are gonna be on and who'll be on them, so I know how thin I gotta spread my whacky, Canadian loony.

Looking forward to it!

EDIT - Whoever's managing their twitter account responded to me saying it'll be about two weeks before the line-up is fully announced and fairly finalized. So if you're waiting to see all the fest has to offer before buying your tickets, wait a bit more...

[Daryl DBD]

Thanks for posting this, I might not have known otherwise. I wonder why they're waiting last minute for all the details.

Already bought my CDR tickets!

[ackbar]

Comedy Death Ray
Never Not Funny Live

definitely going to those two shows.
waiting for the rest of the shows to be officially announced.. want to see paul f, kindler, todd barry tho. hoping todd glass is back

[Catrel Stevens]

They've announced via Twitter that the Edge of the Fest show on Sept. 26th at 8PM will be hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and have performances by:

Todd Barry
Tig Notaro
Garfunkle & Oates
Picnicface (Canadian Sketch group)

I wanna see Tig and Todd, but I gotta see what other shows are gonna be on first...

Kindler, Topmkins, and Bamford will be must sees for me, as will Never Not Funny Live. (Maybe Jimmy'll also do a game show or two like last year???) I hope Todd Glass returns too. I was upset that I missed his "Ridiculously Intimate Evening" shows last year. Think there'll be any ASSSSCAT! again?

Don't spread your cash TOO thin though, remember Louis CK is coming Oct. 17th to the Vogue as well.

[Catrel Stevens]

Show news is pretty slow to come from these guys. They announced some Q & A night with Steve Martin. You can check their website if that interest you.

From what I can gather off their performers page, the line up for the CDR show will be:

Scott Aukerman
BJ Porter
Maria Bamford
Paul F. Tompkins
Reggie Watts
Andy Dick

Still don't know what shows Andy Kindler, Sean Cullen, James Adomian, or Nick Thune will be on, or when NNF Live will be.

[isoS]

NNF Live will be Saturday, September 26th, 2pm. That's all I know right now, and I'm not 100% on the 2pm part.

[Scott Aukerman]

Show news is pretty slow to come from these guys. They announced some Q & A night with Steve Martin. You can check their website if that interest you.

From what I can gather off their performers page, the line up for the CDR show will be:

Scott Aukerman
BJ Porter
Maria Bamford
Paul F. Tompkins
Reggie Watts
Andy Dick

Still don't know what shows Andy Kindler, Sean Cullen, James Adomian, or Nick Thune will be on, or when NNF Live will be.

I should mention this is just a partial lineup. We're still putting it together.

[Catrel Stevens]

NNF Live will be Saturday, September 26th, 2pm. That's all I know right now, and I'm not 100% on the 2pm part.

I should mention this is just a partial lineup. We're still putting it together.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the info, guys, very good to know.
I've bugged the fest through email and twitter a few times, but they haven't been the most helpful (or responsive).

[ackbar]

patience is a virtue.
don't stress the organizers too hard.. they manage to pull together a mostly excellent/"alternative" festival with almost all big corporate sponsors

[ackbar]

i'm personally satisfied with the headline shows they've announced so far.. waiting for the various cheaper club shows to be announced.

aziz is the one dude i would have some hope of being added to the festival (maybe irrationally)

[heatherm]

how much cheaper are the club shows usually? i'm going to be in vancouver briefly during the festival, and i'd love to bring my friends to some comedy shows, but $40 a ticket is a little beyond what i can afford.

[MrDys]

When I went 2 years ago, the club shows (meaning the shows at The Cultch and The Media Club) were in the $15-$20 range. The big finale shows and shows at Yuk Yuks were more expensive, I think. Not sure if that has changed.

[ackbar]

ya.. i'd say $15-$20

new shows are listed @ http://www.comedyfest.com, including a david cross book reading w/ q&a (2pm on sun 27sep09). still no listings for pardo, kindler, cullen, barry (outside of the one w/ strobo), etc.

[Catrel Stevens]

Reggie Watts appears to be hosting a show called "Are You Experienced?" A few times during the fest. I like Reggie's performances, but I don't know anything about what the show will entail.

Janet Varney has also been added for a San Fransisco Sketchfest show. The website says, "The San Francisco Comedy Festival presents a no holds barred night of improv all stars and sketch comedy, featuring cast members from The Office, 30 Rock, Entourage, South Park and more!" Varney's hilarious, so hopefully this show'll be just as good. That's on Sept. 26th at 7pm, the same day Pardo's supposed to be doing Never Not Funny Live and You Fascinate Me. Hopefully there won't be a conflict. I'd love to go to all three.

Another series of shows has been announced, the "Out of Bounds My Ass" series. They have themes/subjects such as "The Obama Roast," "I'm Only a Little Racist," "The Hitler Roast," "The Jesus Roast," and I think another one or two. The only performers listed for those shows so far on the website is Comedy Noir, so I don't know how many people will be participating...

Still waiting on tickets for Pardo's shows...

[ResilientRabbit]

Just purchased tickets for the Comedy Death Ray show. Very excited!

[Catrel Stevens]

They've added another Clutch Comedy Lab: SF Sketchfest show, so now you can get a dose of Janet Varney on either Sept. 25th OR 26th. If you can't make one, look into the other. Tickets are only $15 for those shows.

[colestratton]

BTW, the Cultch Comedy Lab: SF Sketchfest show is an improv show featuring Janet Varney, Jessica Makinson, Scott Adsit, Oscar Nunez, and me, Cole Stratton! We'll take a theme suggested by the audience to inspire a set of long-form improv. Looking forward to the fest!

[Catrel Stevens]

Andy Kindler and Brent Weinbach have been added to the CDR show on the 24th. Note: The show is set for 8pm. The Comedyfest website listed it as starting at 7pm for quite awhile, even though ticketmaster always said 8pm. They've since corrected it.