2025.11.10_Haymaker PDX and Underbar Vancouver

Mondays have two high-quality open mics both in terms of management and audience. There's also the Cheerful Tortoise comedy open mic which is a testing ground. If you cam get their attention you win, make them laugh and its gold. I love that mic too.

Tonight was a fun night. It's a Monday as I said and I have tomorrow off for Veterans Day so I was able to get out to Haymaker by 7:15 and hang out with Downtown Matt Brown and Michael J Phelps pre-mic and not feel rushed to be anywhere.

MJP f*cking killed out of the starter spot. From there the work was easy, stay in the pocket and you'll do fine, thanks Michael. It was a packed house tonight at Haymaker and a lot of fun with the mic runners doing a great job at keeping the transition times down to under a minute in most cases. Good job.

Here are some photos from last night, filtered.

Next up, Vancouver's Underbar. An outstanding mic just across the bridge in Vancouver, WA where some of the best comics in the PNW work out their material. The mic is run by Juan Duran who is always looking out for comedians and is generous with his praise without being patronizing.

I had fun as a comic working on some ideas I've had and hatching an idea at Haymaker, post set, before working it in to the evening set and killing with it.

This scene is exploding with talent and the hard work of not just comedians, but the producers, bartenders, and kitchen crews keeps it moving. It takes a village as they say.

It was heartwarming to see everyone and I took a few photos but mostly enjoyed the evening hanging with friends doing comedy.

I saw and captured Meanroth (Men-roth) studying before he went up and he worked it out something special tonight. I was snapping a photo of him at the mic and even caught Sabrena Contreras laughing her *ss off at Men's set.

Meanroth is one of the founders of SEA - Southeast Asian Comedy Collective which runs a great production up in Tacoma, WA. I've been fortunate to be hired as a videographer twice at the Collective's shows. Part comedy, part social event with the Southeast Asian community there. It's a damn good time. Get some food and Hennessey from Radnor's.

Yep. It was a good night.

Some of my fave sets, when I thought to write them down.