Damn That’s Funny is more than just a Comedy Show
At DTF we pride ourselves on being one of the few comedy experiences. It’s not your run of the mill comedy show. Some of our shows can be like that, but for the most part, you should think of it being a good alternative to an escape room, singles mixer, paint and sip, etc.
We pop up in random locations throughout the tristate area to create beautiful landscapes for stand up comedy. Not only that, but we try our best to make sure it’s as affordable as possible, often including free drinks, live music, local brand giveaways, and more in the ticket price. Most people find themselves leaving saying, “I can’t believe I only paid $40 for that.” Why wouldn’t we make it affordable and fun? You can watch standup on your iPad drunk and in your pajamas. This should be FUN!
There are generally a few flavors of Stand Up Comedy Shows you can see. We’ve taken the best parts of each of them, and melded it into one incredible experience. I’m going to go into more details about each of them - give you the pros and cons, and then tell you how we’ve learned from each of them to create an incredible Stand Up experience at DTF.
If you don’t feel like reading this whole thing and want to see how we get down check out our website at dtfcomedy.com
Or just come to a show dtfcomedy.com/shows
Main types of shows: Comedy Clubs, Indie Shows, Headliner Shows, Cabaret and Experiences.
Comedy Clubs:
The experience formula here is pretty well known and standardized. You arrive, check in, sit down, and watch anywhere from 6-12 comedians ranging from newbies to headliners; it’s usually a good show depending on the club you go to, but it also might be bad. At these clubs, you buy your ticket and then are required to buy 2 items from the bar which some people find off putting. However, you’re in a venue that is literally designed for Stand Up - the seating orientation, the lights, the stage, and the sound are all carefully orchestrated to maximize potentiality for laughter. If you want to see the mecca of this genre - go to the Comedy Cellar. You’ll see national headliners practicing their 15 minute sets in an intimate environment.
Why would something like this ever be bad? Usually this comes down to the experience of the comics you’re seeing.
If you’re going to a comedy club, you want to make sure it’s a “house show.” This is a show where the club assumes all the financial risk of producing the show so they’ll be sure to book the best talent they can access.
Clubs allow younger/newer comics to produce shows. In the industry we call them “privately produced shows.” They still take place in the club which is inherently good for the producer because they get to use the clubs reputation as marketing fodder. However, the comic is responsible for filling the room with audience members or risks losing the show.
Some comics/ non comics run shows called “bringers” where they take newer comedians and tell them they’ll give them stage time in exchange for the comic selling a few tickets, the comic, who keeps none of the money and wants the stage time, convinces or “brings” a few of their friends to buy tickets. They then get to go practice their material in front of a real audience as opposed to an open mic which is comprised of other comedians who frankly don’t give a sh*t about anyone else's jokes. These shows usually suck because the producer, who wants to make money, books 12 new comics and requires them all to bring 5 people. At $20 per ticket they’ve just made $1200. And now you have to watch 12 brand new comics recite their porn and therapy jokes. Yay you! Not only that but you STILL have to buy two items from the club.
Another rendition of the bringer show is the barking show. Comics aren’t required to sell tickets in advance but rather have to stand outside the club and “bark” people in, selling tickets at discounted prices to get the audience in. The club doesn’t care so much about making money off of the tickets as they’re able to enforce drink minimums to guests once they’re inside, on average collecting anywhere from $20-40 from each person over the course of 2 hours.
Once a comic reaches a certain level, they no longer feel the need to bark as they’re getting booked on shows people want to buy tickets in advance to see.
Pros: The venue, the atmosphere, the incredible comics. 60% of the time it’s great every time.
Cons: Drink minimums and the possibility of seeing an amateur show masked as a house show.
Indie Show:
Basically the same thing as a comedy club, but it’s mainly all amateurs putting on their own show. This can be an AMAZING place to see up and coming stars of tomorrow, however, you’re taking a big gamble. Tickets for these shows can run anywhere from free to $25, but usually never more. They generally take place in bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. They might have a drink minimum, but not always.
More often than not, you pay $10 for a ticket, you watch a few people bomb, but you’ll see some hard working newbies absolutely CRUSH. Everyone likes discovering someone before they got famous. If you own vinyl records, drink loose leaf tea, or shop at thrift stores - this might be your ideal show.
Pros: Could be a cheap show where you have an amazing time and see future stars in a venue that’s not usually built for comedy. That’s pretty fun!
Cons: Might be packed to the gills with amateurs - but you get what you pay for. Indie shows can be a big gamble.
Headliner Shows:
We all know this one. You, or someone you know, is a big fan of the main act. You pay a higher amount for tickets and see them in a theater or larger performance venue. It’s usually not very intimate, but it’s always exciting to see someone you admire on the big stage.
Pros: In regard to the performance - you’re going to have a great experience. There’s hardly any risk because you like the comic.
Cons: Not very intimate, ticket prices can be expensive.
Cabaret
Do you like live music and a little more of a social experience? Cabaret might be for you. Live music always makes an event feel a little more communal as you don’t have to pay perfect attention to the performance. Cabaret shows can feature musical acts, improv, and stand up. In my experience it’s usually 1-2 musical acts, a funny MC (usually a comic) and a comedian headliner.
I don’t have much to say in regards to cons on this experience. Usually if someone has a bad time it comes down to personal preference. You’re kind of locked in not knowing whether the musicians or the comic are going to be good. But, you like what you like. I’ve seen really cringey cabaret shows, but I’ve also seen really great ones.
If you can, find out who’s performing and check them out first. In my experience, a lively, engaging musical act can actually enhance the energy of the room for the Stand Up portion.
Experiences:
Not many Stand Up shows are categorized as “experiences.” We make up 33.33% of the experience shows that I can think of.
Don’t Tell Comedy - a secret show similar to So Far Sounds. You know the neighborhood in which the show will take place, you know whether or not it’s BYOB or if alcohol will be available for purchase. If you buy a ticket, you’ll be sent an email the the day of the show with the address of the venue. You don’t know who the comics are until you see them on stage. These can take place at a bookstore, mansion, art studio, or barbershop. They do an incredible job of making each unique location feel like a unique and intimate comedy club. These tickets are generally $25 and are usually BYOB - which people LOVE!
They have over 100 shows weekly across the US and Canada. It’s comedy’s “best kept secret.” 10/10 recommend attending one of these shows.
Comedy Underground Overground - only based in NYC, these guys do big shows in unique locations similar to Don’t Tell. They’ve even done one in the famous Katz’s deli! What’s cool about them is they offer a more luxurious experienc. You can get an open bar ticket for something like $90 which is attractive for those who want to not think about buying drinks and accidentally spending $150. Their shows are a little less frequent but ALWAYS a great time as they generally aim to book bigger name comics who are guaranteed to put on a good show.
Pros: VERY unique - it feels really cool to be a part of it.
DTF Comedy
We’ve taken the best parts of all these comedy shows and combined them into one thing to make sure that YOU have the best time possible. And we don’t really stay in one place - we do pop up shows all over the place. We realize that drink minimums, amateurs, and run of the mill experiences are getting a bit old for some people. So whether you’re looking to shake up your Comedy experience, or you just want to have a great night all around - we’re definitely the best comedy show to see.
The setting: We’re a pop up comedy club. We take unique locations just like the experience shows and turn them into intimate comedy clubs. We create beautiful backdrops and set designs to make the audience feel like they’re at a broadway show.
The acts: We go above and beyond to ensure that our comics are either someone you’ll recognize from television, or someone you’re guaranteed to see on the big screen one day. No amateurs.
The price: Let me just give you one example: we have an open bar show that costs $40. We also have regular BYOB shows for $25. Come get your drink on without having to wonder whether or not you can cover your rent.
The experience: We often have a “lounge” experience before the show, featuring a musical act, brand giveaways, and open bar. We think everyone should have a chance to come together and enjoy each other's company and then share a few laughs.
If you’re interested in seeing any or all of the flavor blends we offer, check out our 3 main show types:
“Regular” Shows
There’s nothing regular about them. We’ll take any place and turn it into an incredibly unique, and intimate comedy experience. These shows usually run 75-90 minutes but allow for time before and after the show if we’re including free drinks in the ticket price. But if it’s a quick BYOB jammy then think of it as more of a really great way to kick off or add to an evening. They’re just regular-degular comedy shows that can either start your night off right or be your entire nights worth of enjoyment.
“The Experience”
Sometimes, we’ll partner with some seriously cool people to put on an EVENT! They’ll have “the lounge” featuring local brands, lite bights, live music, alcohol sponsors etc. Then we’ll bring in some absolute KILLER comics - EMTs will be on site with oxygen for anyone that’s laughing too hard to breathe. These run about 3-4 hours.
“The Tapings”
These are so special to us. We get to celebrate some of the hardest working people in the industry and give them a chance to make their jokes known to the world. We bring in an entire film crew to ensure these folks get some incredible content for the Instagram Gods. Please only attend these if you’re a true, die hard, comedy fan. We need the best crowd possible for these soon-to-be legends.
