Where dreams go to die. Live! I mean live.
Cover bands pop up like groundhogs each October. For two or three solid weekends, you can count on hearing strains of some familiar tune, courtesy of various local acts who seize the opportunity afforded by Halloween to dress, play and sing like their musical idols.
Local comedians haven’t always had the same opportunity. For one, there haven’t always been very many local comedians. But the community has exploded of late. (It’s no coincidence that comedy’s crown prince, Louis C.K., chose Athens over Atlanta on his current tour.) Open mics abound, and it’s now common to see funnymakers headlining our town’s most premier venues.
It stands to reason these miscreants would want to get in on the cover act, too. For the second year in a row, Schtick or Treat provides an arena for local comics to perform as the icons who inspired them.
Originally organized by comedian Craig Hoelzer, this year Chris Patton joined the fold “to try take the show to another level,” he explains. The 2012 show features nine locals, each of whom will don the garb and channel the energy of a chosen comedy hero.
The pairings are mostly obvious: think Nate Mitchell as Neil Hamburger. (“Nate loves Neil and is every bit as awkward,” Patton says. “They even kinda look the same.”) But some are more off-the-wall. Host Gabe Synan, for instance, will transform into Joan Rivers. Andrea Boyd will become George Carlin.
What’s the thread that binds all the cover-ees? “Drugs! Alcohol!” Patton says. “None of these comics being covered are [or] were exactly clean.”
But that’s only the half of it. “I think everyone represented is known for their unique style… There are a ton of great comics, but the thing that sets the [true] greats apart is their ability to be unique.”
In music, as in comedy, it’s a requirement for greatness. Someday, who knows? Maybe these locals will be the ones being imitated.
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