Being under 21 years old in a town like Bloomington can be difficult.
You can’t go to the Bluebird Bar to hear live music. You can’t go to Kilroy’s on Kirkwood to get a T-shirt.
But you can go the Comedy Attic.
The Comedy Attic is the home of Bloomington’s stand-up comedy community, and the best part is that it is open to everyone 17 and older.
That’s right, you may not be able to drink, but you can go see a real show in an intimate setting with your friends who can.
There are many reasons The Comedy Attic is considered one of the best places for live comedy in the United States, but my favorite is that no matter the name, big or small, you feel like the performance is only for a group of your closest friends.
On the corner of Fourth Street and South Walnut Street, the place is almost literally an attic, located upstairs from the entrance in a quaint room with small tables set close together.
If you’ve never been to a formal comedy show or a venue like this, the Comedy Attic is the perfect place to dip your toes in. You’ll become familiar with the two item, food or drink, minimum rule and the no heckling rule.
Shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with two show times on Friday and Saturday. I always prefer the later show times as it has given the comedian a chance to season the act.
Tomorrow night Todd Barry will perform, and Saturday night he’ll take the stage again for the Eighth Anniversary Benefit for Middle Way House, which will be hosted by Academy Award nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg.
Another reason to stop by for a show is to join the mailing list to sometimes find free tickets to shows in your inbox, which presents. A no-brainer on what to do on a Saturday night.
Being in college — or just being in Bloomington — means you should try something different. Just because you aren’t 21 doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to experience culture in town.
Student tickets are usually $10. There are not many other places you can go to see top-notch comedy that cheaply.
Make sure the Comedy Attic is on your Bloomington bucket list, and make sure to cross it off early because you may regret not doing it sooner.
