Oakerson, Burr, Hannibal and More Rock Out Gramercy Park for the New York Comedy Festival
Friday night Bill Burr, Hannibal Buress, Big Jay Oakerson, Matteo Lane, and Iliza Shlesinger all took to the stage for the Josh Adam Meyer’s Goddamn Comedy Jam as part of the New York Comedy Festival. The theater was jam packed, with seats in back and a General Admission floor packed shoulder to shoulder with some pretty drunk fans excited to see their favorite comics rock with the GDCJ’s live band. Everyone knows that deep down inside a lot of comics wish they were rock stars (and a lot of rock stars wish they were comics). This was their chance to stand up on stage with a live band and a jam packed theater and kill it. Each of the comics performed a stand up set first before switching over into Rock Star mode.
The event opened with a phenomenal double set from the multi-talented Matteo Lane, who followed a great comedy set with a ready-for-theater rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Lane is much too talented for one person, so for gods sakes, why can’t he find love? Look at what he has to offer! And he can draw and paint and speak French. P.S., He’s looking for a boyfriend. Here’s a short clip.
Big Jay Oakerson came out next and absolutely slaughtered the crowd with an amazing set about– his balls. There’s nothing more that could be said to do justice. He followed that with Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So and got the crowd raising the fist of the metal child. Or rock child. Or whatever, he was great. Watch a clip here.
Iliza Shlesinger, more than anyone, channeled the rock visual, with some Aerosmith in tight leather rock pants. Iliza gets the passion award in her rendition of Cryin. She fucking meant it people and she looked and sounded fantastic.
Hannibal Buress destroyed the room with an amazing stand up set that opened with a series of one-liners complete with rimshot. Do you people all realize how good this guy is? Hannibal followed his comedy set with a surprise pick- Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets- and had a chorus of every-mother-fucker in the room singing along with him.
When Bill Burr walked out on stage it sounded like the room doubled in size. The man is a legend and it was clear that as much as this crowd loved all the performances, it was Burr they came out to see. He performed his set in ready to rock gear which included a bright blonde wig for his turn on stage. Burr didn’t sing, but he joined the band on drums as Steven Adler for a round of Guns n Roses with the Goddamn Comedy Band and Josh Adam Meyers on vocals.
For the grand finale, Josh Adam Meyers brought everyone back on stage, along with lyric sheets for Hey Jude and an assist from roastmaster Jeffrey Ross, and comedian Wayne Federman. It was as if none of them had ever heard the song before and clearly they had no idea they’d be singing it till that moment, but that’s okay, the audience picked up the slack. Here’s a clip.
Read more comedy news.
