By Kathy Chouteau
With myriad issues concerning society right now, from the skyrocketing cost of living to ICE encounters to a surprise war and more, it’s reasonable to crave a great escape.
A cure from the chaos can be found in the most amusing of ways: The live Standup Comedy Showcase at The Factory Bar in Richmond. The April 1 lineup included Host Nate Schwartz, Iain Langlands, JD Arandia, Denise Lee, Jay Rich and headliner Saul Trujillo. Each comedian was off-the-hook hilarious and common themes touched on the crazy little rhythms of everyday life. For me, it was just what the doctor ordered and definitely a new fave thing.
“You may hear about the same topics at a comedy show that you see in the news that make you nervous, but in a way that makes you laugh about it,” said Arandia, the show’s producer.
He suggested that local comics, as opposed to world-renowned ones, are particularly equipped to help you forget what ails you.
“We’re doing it also for ourselves because that’s how we cope with things, we make a joke about it. Because we’re living in it too.” Arandia emphasized, “We’re stuck in traffic with you.”
The Factory Bar’s Tom Lyons said the show has been going on for four years. It received the East Bay Express’ Best of the East Bay for Comedy show the last two years. He said that Arandia has lined up comedians who are really taking off right now, and the comedy scene in Richmond has exploded recently.
Arandia, who grew up near 4th Street & Nevin Avenue in Richmond, said, “To produce a good show, I think it helps if you’re also a comic, because you’re out there seeing who’s good.” He said he does his best to line up local comedians who “are sharing scenes with the people on Netflix, the people on HBO.” For instance, he said that Iain Langlands opened for Andrew Santino at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. And Jay Rich, also part of that show, is “literally one of the best comics in the Bay Area, maybe all of Northern California,” according to Arandia.
Past comics have also included Rory Scoville, a well-known comic who Arandia said performed his HBO special at The Factory before he put it on tape. Arandia himself is on an upward trajectory: This Friday, he’ll open for Pete Davidson, formerly of SNL, at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, CA. The show starts at 8 p.m.
Arandia said the Standup Comedy Showcase at The Factory typically happens once a month on every first Wednesday, unless there happens to be an extra show that month. The next show is set for Wednesday, May 6 at 8 p.m. However, there will be comedy shows on both July 1 and July 16, one of which will feature Tom Rhodes, an early Comedy Central comic, he said.
The Factory’s Polka Dot Room, which holds 42 people and which Arandia said is like a “living room,” is the perfect spot to enjoy the comedy show’s hilarity, while patrons enjoy the bar’s solid lineup of drinks.
Adding to the living room vibe the night this reporter attended was a little Maltese dog named Lou, who meandered onto stage for a spell, and then went back to her seat.
Find The Factory Bar’s Standup Comedy Showcase and more at 12517 San Pablo Ave. in Richmond.
