Cantab beds down with alt-comedy Sleepover
By Michael Marotta
The Boston Herald, May 18th, 2009

Forget local music. The most interesting up-and-coming Boston scene may revolve around a network of jokesters who are wrestling the art of comedy away from traditional laugh factories and into live music venues.

Suddenly, alt-comedy is the new alt-rock.

And alternative comedy shows are popping up all over.

The latest entry kicks off tonight and continues every Monday at the Cantab Lounge in Central Square. Led by funnymen Chris Coxen and Robby Roadsteamer, the “Greater Boston Alternative Comedy Sleepover” offers stand-up, sketch comedy, music, assorted characters and storytelling.

The “Sleepover” joins Roadsteamer’s “Greater Boston Alternative Comedy” shows at the Middle East, the Friday stand-up smorgasbord “The Gas” at Great Scott and the monthly “Rob Crean Show” at O’Brien’s Pub as new places to catch local alt-comedians at play. Most of the shows feature a revolving network of young comedians, among them Mehran, Erin Judge and Tim Vargulish. The players also frequently pop up on Roadsteamer’s YouTube shorts.

“This is becoming a scene,” Coxen told Hotline, “and we hope our new show will help evolve the scene into something more concrete and consistent.”

Coxen and Roadsteamer, who occasionally perform at traditional comedy clubs and do opening stints at such venues as the Wilbur Theatre, say they don’t quite know how their brand of funny fits into the traditional comedy world.

“I don’t think Robby or I hate regular comedy, but the two of us feel like we were put on this earth to do something different,” Coxen said. “Comedy is - and should always be - art. (We are) most comfortable in the position of trying to evolve art instead of being an echo of an existing art form.”

GBAC Sleepover, at the Cantab Lounge, 738 Mass Ave., Cambridge; tonight, 8 p.m., 21-plus, free.

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