Relapse Comedy Theatre hurts so good

[Above: Relapse headliner Keenan Burton.]

Coming up with something to do on an idle Saturday night when the cash is running low is never easy, no matter where you live. Good thing for us, Atlanta has a thriving underground comedy community just waiting to joke away your cares-- and on the cheap, no less.

Relapse Theatre features a host of shows four nights a week in its 14th Street hideout, an old church transformed into a mecca of hilarious entertainment hosted by some of the most creative and hip of Atlanta’s comedy elite, recently voted ‘City’s Best Comedy Club’ by AOL.

I decided to pit Relapse against my NYC-tempered, Upright-Citizen’s-Brigade-loving expectations on their “special night of professionally immature stand-up comedy” last Saturday, Aug. 30. Usually a Tuesday night show, the gang is prepping a move to the weekends (check out the full Relapse schedule here).

With a packed house of hip youngsters, host Matthew Wolff kicked off the night with a hilarious (and cohesively seamless) streamline of jokes aimed at everything from kids selling heroin to comic book movies. Wolff kept the night going with sets from six other comedians, displaying a range of talent and content. One thing they all have in common is their affable involvement with their audience, often stopping short to ask how your day was. Or, you know, hit on you if you’re hot. But beware sitting in the front row and snickering with your friends: This is live comedy, not a film festival. Hecklers, beware.

Comedy changes, so you never know what you’re going to get. People surprise you. But on this night, the best sets were undoubtedly from Connor Barrett and headliner Keenan Burton. Barrett’s material was stream-of-consciousness, neatly packaged into laugh after laugh detailing peacock sex, the HOV lane and meatballs. Don’t ask-- just go see it for yourself.

Burton reminds me a little of Kevin Smith, mixing punch lines with homegrown experiences to give you that “it’s funny because its true” vibe. And as if his stand up set wasn’t enough to have you in stitches (and nursing pained ribs) for days, he grabbed his guitar for Stephen Lynch-style comedy songs in the second half. Thing is, he is honest-to-God a better musician than Lynch and his songs are original and charismatic. (Check them out at RelapseComedy.com.)

Other comedians appearing that night included Billy Anderson, Matt Farkas, Kellan Meador and Trey Dunn.

Though reccomended, Relapse is most definitely not the only show in town. Personal favorites include Funny Farm and Punchline, which has a great amateur night on Wednesdays with a touring comedian as the headliner.

Let the hysterics begin!

Related links:
Comedy on PasteMagazine.com
Seth and Liz make Kevin Smith's Porno
Relapse Comedy on MySpace