As one of the biggest comedy festivals in North America, Moontower brings a TWO-WEEK comedy onslaught to the heart Say whaaa? That means over 150 of the world’s top and emerging comedians performing everywhere from fancy arena shows to the sweet, sticky floors of intimate comedy clubs during our 4-day comedy binge. Ya just need to grab a badge for the club binge, then add on any single tickets to your must-see headliner shows in the larger theatres!
Schedule of Events:
5pm - Goblin Happy Hour
John Goblikon is a beloved internet sensation, metal band frontman, insurance salesman, published author and podcast host. As the lead singer of the band Nekrogoblikon, John has starred in several viral music videos leading to sold-out tours across North America, Europe, and Australia. John hosts the hit podcast RIGHT NOW!, where he chats with celebrities he admires. Past guests include Pete Holmes, Andrew Santino, Ron Funches, and even Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit fame. John is the author of the worst selling self-help book John Goblikon’s Guide to Living Your Best Life —His philosophy? “Be less mean, be more green. Don’t be a troll—be a goblin.” Come see the goblin take on the world, one laugh at a time.
Doors: 5pm
Location: Higbie’s (720 Brazos Street)
5:45pm - Some of this is Bad
Hosts Colton Dowling and Dylan Carlino bring the wild world of SOME OF THIS IS BAD to the stage. A chaotic tornado of segments, **** talking, and some bullying too…probably. Comedy, crowdwerk, and chaos…plus some famous drop ins?? Come put your name in the bucket and answer the infamous question “if you were gay, which one of us would you rather sleep with?”
Some Of This Is Bad’s past guests have included icons: Ian Fidance, Corinne Fisher, Jordan Jensen, Blair White, Mike Cannon, Casey Rocket, Kam Patterson, Mathew Broussard, Salina Es Titties, Kat Timpf, Tommy Pope, Lukas Zelnik, Gianmarco Soresi, Katherine Blanford, Uncle Lazer, Liza Treygar, Jason Ellis, Maddie Smith, Dave Jay and more more more.
Doors: 5:45pm
Show: 6:15pm
Location: The Creek and the Cave (611 East 7th Street)
6pm - Unhinged
Doors: 6pm
Show: 6:30pm
Location: Higbie’s (720 Brazos Street)
6pm - Atsuko Okatsuka
Following the success of her first comedy tour and HBO special THE INTRUDER, ATSUKO OKATSUKA’S current global tour, THE FULL GROWN tour, has performed to sold out theaters in 56 cities in 12 countries. In addition to her standup career, she had two films debut at the Tribeca film festival: ALL THAT WE LOVE directed by Yen Tan and GROUP THERAPY directed by Neil Berkely and produced by Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat productions. She also wrapped the feature studio comedy OUTCOME, for APPLE starring Jonah Hill and Keanu Reeves. Her debut standup special, THE INTRUDER – directed by Tig Notaro premiered on HBO, December 2022 and was named the "Best Debut Special of 2022" by the New York Times and one of the "Best Specials of 2022" by Vulture and Variety. She won the 2023 Gracie Award for "Best Special" and Atsuko was nominated for "Best Comedian" by the Wowie Awards. She was named one of Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch for 2022, and when she made her late-night stand-up debut on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN, Vulture proclaimed she “won late-night.”
Other on-screen credits include HISTORY OF THE WORLD PT. II (Hulu), ROOM 104 (HBO), and THE SHOW NEXT DOOR WITH RANDALL PARK (ROKU+). Atsuko was recently featured on THIS AMERICAN LIFE with Ira Glass and told the story of how she got to the USA. She was raised by her grandmother, and they created the #DropChallenge together which has amassed more than 10 million views. Her unique upbringing brings an artfully offbeat resilient persona which is perfectly embodied in her blunt bangs and bowl cut.
Doors: 6pm
Show: 7pm
Location: The Paramount Theatre
6:30pm - New York's Finest
Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7pm
Location: Antone's Nightclub (305 East 5th Street)
6:30pm - Ian Bagg
Ian Bagg is a world-touring comedian whose comedy was recently described as "dangerously flawless" on the JRE. But he is not just a comedian he is also the cohost of the weekly hockey podcast, "Enjoying Orange Slices with Jeff and Ian." Early in his life, he discovered a love for hockey. Whether he was involved in minor, junior, pro, or friends getting together to play shinny, he loved hockey! He went to some camps and was cut, realizing he had no chance of making the pros. He knew it was time to use his natural talent to make people laugh. Life has been fantastic for this energetic and wildly funny boundary-pushing entertainer. Touring nonstop across North America, he has started taking over the world with Australia, China, and the Middle East. With Europe being one of his latest stops. His fast-paced, off-the-cuff, quick-witted, animated style has him winning over television audiences. He placed in the finals of NBC's "Last Comic Standing." He made appearances on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "The Tonight Show," A popular guest on WTF, YMH,a half-hour comedy featured on Comedy Central and HBO, not to mention one-hour specials on Showtime "Getting to know you" and Amazon Prime "Conversations"! It also has earned him roles in award-winning movies like MVP 2! (humble brag) His fast-paced multi-direction show has made patrons want to see multiple shows on a weekend. The audience becomes characters in his performance as they answer questions. Most comedians have a monologue; Ian has a dialogue. Attend a show immediately and see why his high school history teacher asked Ian's parents if there was something he should know about Ian.
Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7pm
Location: Speakeasy (412 Congress Avenue)
Josh Gondelman
Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian who incubated in Boston before moving to New York City, where he currently lives and recently worked as the head writer and an executive producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. Gondelman also contributed to the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which was a thrill for both him and his parents. Prior to that, he spent five years at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, first as a web producer and then as a staff writer where he earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards. His debut standup special People Pleaser (2022) was produced by Comedy Dynamics and is available to stream now.
If his face seems familiar, you may recognize it from his appearances on Conan (TBS), Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC), and The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS). But you may also know his voice from his regular appearances on the NPR news quiz show Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me. Gondelman is also the author of the essay collection Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results published September 2019 by Harper Perennial. And, if you remember this far back, he was the co-creator of the popular Modern Seinfeld Twitter account.
Josh’s album Dancing On a Weeknight came out in 2019 on Blonde Medicine Records. (His prior album Physical Whisper debuted in March of 2016 at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts (as well as #4 on the Billboard comedy chart) and stayed there for…well…longer than he expected, honestly.) Additionally, Gondelman is also the co-author (along with Joe Berkowitz) of the book You Blew It, published October 2015 by Plume. In the past, Josh has written for Fuse TV’s Billy On The Street. His writing has also appeared in prestigious publications such as McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, New York Magazine, and The New Yorker. For a while he had his own game show podcast called Make My Day that was a lot of fun. You can still listen to it if you’d like. Why wouldn’t you? It’s new to you.
That’s probably more information than you need, but hey…he did these things and he’s proud of himself, okay?
Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7pm
Location: The State Theatre (719 Congress Avenue)
7pm - The Texans
Doors: 7pm
Show: 7:30p
Location: The Velv Comedy Lounge (521 East 6th Street)
7:15pm - Killers
Doors: 7:15pm
Show: 7:45pm
Location: Vulcan Gas Company (418 East 6th Street)
7:30pm - Redban’s Secret Show
Comedy Podcast Aficionado", Brian Redban is a Columbus, Ohio native and founder of the Deathsquad Podcast Network and co-owner of the Sunset Strip Comedy Club in Austin Texas.
A nationally touring comedian, Redban performs at comedy clubs across the US. He appears weekly on the Kill Tony podcast, and is notably known for his role as the original producer and co-host of The Joe Rogan Experience. Called "The future of funny" by Culture Magazine, Brian is one of the fastest rising comedians today. Featured in the movies The Culture High and Doug Benson's Chronic-Con, Brian can also be seen in a recent issue of Rolling Stone.
Doors: 7:30pm
Show: 8pm
Location: Sunset Strip (214 East 6th Street)
7:45pm - Stand Up on the Spot with Jeremiah Watkins
Jeremiah Watkins is heralded as the comedian for making Judd Apatow fall in love with comedy again, and that’s a direct quote from Judd himself! His debut 1 hour standup special Jeremiah Watkins: Family Reunion is streaming now on Amazon Prime and his second hour special DADDY is streaming now on Youtube. You can hear him as the voice of the iconic role of The Joker on DC Superhero Girls and you can see him weekly as the co-host of the Trailer Tales Podcast. His hit series Stand-Up On The Spot continues to receive viral attention as well as his numerous sketches online that he also directs and writes. Other credits include Carpool Karaoke, Lights Out with David Spade, Netflix’s Historical Roasts, Jimmy Kimmel Live, HBO’s Crashing, Nickelodeon’s The Casagrandes, Dr. Phil LIVE & more! Jeremiah’s off-the-cuff and physical standup style guarantee you a m
emorable show experience like you’ve never seen before!
About STAND UP ON THE SPOT: Stand-Up on the Spot with Jeremiah Watkins was recently featured in GQ Magazine as one of the “Five Funniest Nights in America”. Watch the show's series on Youtube where the episodes and clips have garnered millions of views! The show has been entertaining audiences around LA since 2010. Comedians go up with no prepared material, ask the audience for suggestions, and create Stand-Up on the Spot based off of those suggestions. This is the only stand-up show where you, the audience, get to suggest what the comedians talk about. Stand-Up On The Spot has been showcased at numerous comedy festivals including Netflix is a Joke, JFL Montreal, Moontower, and numerous times at the New York Comedy Festival
Location: The Creek and the Cave (611 East 7th Street)
8:30PM - Party Animals
Doors: 8pm
Show: 8:30pm
Location: Higbie’s (720 Brazos Street)
8:30pm - Stars in Bars
Doors: 8:30pm
Show: 9pm
Location: Antone's Nightclub (305 East 5th Street)
8:30pm - Crushers
Doors: 8:30pm
Show: 9pm
Location: Speakeasy (412 Congress Avenue)
8:30pm - Genius + Poison Magic Week
Rob Zabrecky :
There’s simply no other entertainer like Zabrecky. Through a wide range of artistic work that spans acting, magic, comedy, and music, Zabrecky has established himself globally as an original performer. As a magical humorist, he creates a dryly abstracted, austere universe that pushes magic to its very edges and explores bizarre and contemplative human behavior. There’s probably more “theatre” in the wonderfully strange Zabrecky magic and comedy act than in most Broadway shows—more surprises, musicality, and character. Like film director David Lynch, Zabrecky sets the stage for everyday life, then sets it on fire. His one-person show, The Zabrecky Hour combines highlights from his award winning Magic Castle act along with new work and bundles them into one highly entertaining performance featuring a distinct point of view.
Derek Hughes:
The live performances of celebrated conjurer, “Stand Up Magician” Derek Hughes, have been lauded by audiences and critics alike, with the New York Times calling him “thoroughly entertaining.” Hughes has performed his magic on MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, CW's Penn & Teller: Fool Us and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. He's a consulting producer on TRUtv’s hit magic series, “The Carbonaro Effect” and was a top ten finalist on NBC's “America’s Got Talent”.
Nick Diffatte:
Nick Diffatte takes the concept of a standard "Magic Show" and flips it completely on its head, keeping audiences laughing uncontrollably the whole time. As one of the most sought-after variety acts touring the globe, Diffatte’s wide-ranging appeal makes him a repeat favorite for theaters, cruises, universities, and many of the world’s biggest brands - from Disney to Cirque du Soleil.
Nick’s award-winning mashup of eye-popping magic and uproarious comedy has led to regular performances at Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle and features on programs such as CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden. Diffatte has performed at nearly every property up and down the Las Vegas strip, including the New York, New York Hotel & Casino where he is currently starring in Cirque du Soleil’s hit residency, Mad Apple.
Doors: 8:30pm
Show: 9pm
Location: The Hideout (617 Congress Avenue)
9pm - Stamptown
A raunchy, chaotic, full-on fever dream, Stamptown is 90 minutes of pure spectacle featuring the most anarchic and wildly entertaining performance from around the world.
Hosted by the bad boy of clown, Zach Zucker, this show has packed out rooms at Netflix Is A Joke. Just For Laughs, Glastonbury, SXSW, Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, O2 Arena and Off-Broadway in New York City.
Past acts include David Cross, Aisling Bea, Neil Patrick Harris, Karen Gillan, Lolly Adefope, Reggie Watts, Bridget Christie, Jamie Demetriou, Cat Cohen, Richard Gadd, Mae Martin, Huge Davies, Kemah Bob, Sam Campbell, Rachel Sennott, Randy Feltface, Natalie Palamides and MORE!
“The best late-night show on the festival circuit” Steve Bennett, Chortle
An absolutely insane night of comedy that is impossible to replicate, which is what makes it such an appealing show to come back to” Broadway World
Location: The State Theatre (719 Congress Ave)
9pm - Surrounded with Mike Falzone
Created at the Hollywood Improv Lab in 2019, Surrounded is a stand-up comedy show uniquely staged in a 'theater in the round' format. Here, the audience becomes an integral part of the show, serving as both spectators and the material itself. In this innovative setup, comedians are given a microphone and an audience, allowing their spontaneous interactions to drive the performance and create a truly immersive experience.
Surrounded has garnered widespread acclaim, being featured at prominent comedy festivals across the country, including the New York Comedy Festival, Moontower, and the prestigious Just for Laughs in Montreal. The show's distinctive format and engaging premise have also led to its adaptation into the virtual reality space, where it has been featured for two successful seasons on Meta's Horizon Worlds.
The show has attracted A-list comedic talent such as Mark Normand, Lil Rel, Fortune Feimster, and many others, who have embraced the challenge of performing in the round without material. These renowned comedians bring their sharp wit and improvisational skills to create unforgettable experiences for audiences, making each performance of Surrounded a one-of-a-kind event.
Mike Falzone has established himself as a multifaceted talent in the comedy and digital content realms. Beginning his career as one of the first creators on YouTube in 2006, Mike has since performed on some of the most prestigious comedy stages across the country.
His versatile talents extend beyond stand-up comedy. Mike has appeared in animated series like Final Space on Adult Swim and the comedy series Coming to the Stage on Hulu. Additionally, he was a former host of Discovery’s popular YouTube channel, SourceFed. Mike's collaboration with Seven Bucks Productions (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) led to his own YouTube show, where he portrayed the character "wrestlin’ Fred."
Currently, Mike hosts two widely-followed podcasts: Dynamic Banter and Welcome to Our Podcast, which he co-hosts with his wife, Zoja. His dynamic presence and engaging content continue to resonate with audiences, both on stage and online.
Doors: 9pm
Show: 9:30pm
Location: The Velv Comedy Lounge (521 East 6th Street)
9pm - Fern Brady
Scotland’s queen of comedy Fern Brady (Taskmaster, Live At The Apollo, Roast Battle, Russell Howard, The Last Leg) is back with a brand new show. What happens when you get everything you want and it’s not enough? This is a great show to come and see if you are a fan of the Scottish comedian Fern Brady. Fern is the author of Sunday Times best selling memoir STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER whose previous show POWER AND CHAOS was broadcast on BBC1.
Doors: 9pm
Show: 9:30pm
Location: The Thompson Theatre
9:15pm - What's Your ******* Deal?
with Big Jay Oakerson
Doors: 9:15pm
Show: 9:45pm
Location: Vulcan Gas Company (418 East 6th Street)
9:30pm - Tag It!
The Sklar Brothers host this unique stand-up show where their funny friends perform sets as the brothers backstage and, in real time, write tags for their friends’ bits. After each set, the Sklar Brothers come on stage and pitch the comedians their tags. This show gives audiences insight into the type of riff session that happens in comedy club green rooms all over the world. The Sklars pull back the curtain as to what it feels like to be in a writer’s room or green room when comedians pitch each other tags and riff in real time. Tag it! A new way to present stand-up comedy in its actual process.
Doors: 9:30pm
Show: 10pm
Location: Sunset Strip (214 East 6th Street)
10pm - Unzipped
Doors: 10pm
Show: 10:30pm
Location: Higbie’s (720 Brazos Street)
10:30pm - The Goddamn Comedy Jam
No one can do what Josh Adam Meyers is doing with comedy and music.
1 part stand up comic, 1 part rock star, Josh brings comedy and music together with his signature high energy, raspy voice, and command of the stage; combining killer jokes with music, he is the best of both worlds. Everything in the club is part of the show; the staff, the audience, and you never know when a full rock band will join him on stage.
Growing up in the Washington D.C. area, Josh was a funny kid who played in bands. Now as a professional comedian and musician - he has come full circle. Josh spent the summer of 2023 opening for Jelly Roll in front of 20k a night at 45 different arenas and amphitheaters around the country, with more high profile concert dates coming in 2024.
For Bill Burr, Josh Adam Meyers tours arenas with the man, he was featured on Bill Burr’s Friends Who Kill (Netflix), The Ringers (Comedy Central), and can also be seen voicing ‘DJ’ Howlin Hank’ on Bill Burr’s F is for Family (Netflix).
Josh Adam Meyers is a nationally touring headliner performing at clubs and festivals as a stand-up. He has appeared at the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival as a New Face in 2013 and continues to be a regular on the festival performing on The Nasty Show and other festival favorites. Josh has performed at Madison Square Garden, Kennedy Center, Netflix Is A Joke Festival, JFL Toronto, NY Comedy Festival, Moontower Comedy, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, Blue Whale, Outsidelands, RIOT LA, Bridgetown, Life is Beautiful, and Clusterfest amongst others.
He is the creator and host of The Goddamn Comedy Jam, a live comedy show where famous comedians sing a cover song with a live band, which continues to be one of the most popular live shows in Los Angeles at its homebase, The Comedy Store. GDCJ inspired a TV version and a special on Comedy Central. The show has toured the continent performing on the live festival circuit in front of thousands of die-hard comedy fans.
On “The 500 Podcast with Josh Adam Meyers”, he combs through Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, the show was a Spotify Original from 2019-2020 until Spotify spent all their money on Joe Rogan.
Doors: 10:30pm
Show: 11pm
Location: Antone's Nightclub (305 East 5th Street)
10:30pm - Best of the Fest
Doors: 10:30pm
Show: 11pm
Location: Speakeasy (412 Congress Avenue)
