The 222 Comedy Boom 2

Tiffany Broden
Contributing Writer

It was two months ago when a small room in downtown Fargo was filled with big laughs for the first ever 222 Comedy Boom. The show, which featured local comedians, packed the house on a Wednesday night, and sold out Studio 222. Now Adam Quesnell is back at it again and scheming for the second 222 Comedy Boom. The show is scheduled to take place May 7 at the same location, Studio 222. 

“I want to try to make it a thing I put on every other month,” Quesnell said. “And this next one being a success is critical for that. I think that any show can be successful once, but it’s about building an audience that comes out. I’m hoping and anticipating to sell out again.”

“It’s been a madhouse lately with local comedy,” according to Quesnell. The Red Raven’s open mic night has been hopping, usually packing the house with a crowd ready to laugh at and with the comedians from the FM area. With Courtney’s Comedy Club closing for the summer, Quesnell has the right idea to bring the Comedy Boom downtown.

This show, just like the first Comedy Boom, is to start off with an open mic onslaught. There are eight available slots with each comedian getting three minutes to perform. Comics who want to show Fargo what they have are encouraged to show up early. “I think because we didn’t get the word out last time about the open mic we only had three openers,” Quesnell said. “I already feel bad there are only eight spots this time because I know there are at least 20 people who are going to be in line trying to get up. But it’s just the first eight comics in line when the doors open that’ll get the spots. It’s going to be a big, fat local open mic, with a few people coming from out of town.” The signup sheet will be posted at 7:15p.m.

The lineup this time features a mixture of comics who participated in the last show and a few new acts. Josh Wallace has the feature spot and The Kamikaze Snowmen, “the house band of the Comedy Boom,” according to Quesnell, will be back at it again with something fresh that is sure to make everyone pee their pants. “They have a set drastically different from the last one,” Quesnell said. “They’re going to do something to keep it current. They usually don’t do topical stuff but they have something interesting planned.”

Ben Baukol will be another one of the featured comics. “I’ve seen him 50 to 60 times and this is the first time I get to see him at a booked show. In the last six months this kid has gotten really funny.” Watch for him playing music, his hip-hop bit, and his unique sense of humor.

There will be an improv troupe known as The Sandwich Faction. “I’m stoked to have these guys on the show, they are hilarious,” Quesnell said. “These cats are really experimental and they are willing to take risks to dig into the comedy of the scene.”

The headliner this time around is JD Provorse. “He’s one of the big driving forces behind me getting into comedy in the first place. He invited me out to Courtney’s Comedy Club back in December of 2009, and I haven’t missed a show out there yet,” Quesnell said. The comedy that JD Provorse does is very dark, but also playful and wacky.

This show is guaranteed to have something for everybody. It’s open to all ages, but what they really mean is, “all ages that want to hear damaged people talk about potentially adult things in the language of adults.”

Another difference with this show is that it is scheduled for a Saturday rather than a weekday. You’re definitely going to want to get to Studio 222 early to get a good spot. If a weekday Comedy Boom fills up, this show is sure to pack the house fast. “I think there’s a much better chance on a Saturday,” Quesnell said.

“The great thing about the Comedy Boom for me is that it’s five bucks and you get to see everything from people who might be doing standup for one of their first few times to people who have professionally done hundreds of shows,” Quesnell said.

There is a lot of variety in the Comedy Boom that showcases local comics. The comedy scene in the FM area is booming right now and the show by Quesnell, like the Red Raven open mic nights on Tuesdays and Courtney’s Comedy Club, really showcase the talents people of our local comedians. If it’s something you haven’t been to yet, it’s for sure a thing you want to check out. “I want as many people as possible to get exposed to the tiny scene in Fargo with a huge variety of styles of jokes,” Quesnell said. “I just want everybody in Fargo to know that you don’t have to go more than a few blocks away from your house to see great comedy and people that know what they’re doing.”

Something to keep your eye out for is the July Comedy Boom. “There’s a chance because summer is a different sort of animal since most of the students are gone, I might book a comedian from the cities to headline a special event,” Quesnell said. “It’d more than likely cost ten bucks and be more of a comedy show price rather than a showcase. The next step for me is to get a few more Comedy Booms to sell out, and then try to get friends from the cities to come and be able to pay them like it’s a regular gig.”

“I just have to thank all the people that came out because it was just a total success and it easier for me to be confident in doing another one,” Quesnell said.

Beer and wine will be available for purchase provided by Atomic Coffee.

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IF YOU GO:
222 Comedy Boom 2
When: Sat. May 7
Where: Studio 222
Tickets: $5