Comedy wars in Louisville?

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on September 8th, 2008

Terry Boyd, writing in Business First of Louisville, details the opening of a new club in that city’s Fourth Street Live complex. It’s not the first time that venue has had a comedy club– Rascal’s briefly opened there a few years back.

The new one is called Stand Up Live. The owners also have interests in comedy clubs in Nashville, Marco Island (FL), West Palm, and Lauderdale. They see the Louisville market as “underserved.”

The comedy club will feature “A” list talent, Bachkoff said, such as Comedy Central regular Sinbad and Jimmy Fallon, the comedian and actor who got his start on Saturday Night Live.

On the opening weekend, Pat Godwin is scheduled to perform. Donnie Baker from the nationally syndicated “The Bob and Tom Show” is scheduled during the Ryder Cup weekend, Sept. 19 and 20, Bachkoff said.

The new venue is 2.5 miles from the Comedy Caravan comedy club, which has served Louisville for two decades.

“It’s not your average comedy club that sells popcorn and beer,” said managing partner Joel Bachkoff. Ouch! It seems to be the new strategy: Open up in one of those complexes that feature retail, restaurants, parking, maybe a multi-screen movie theater– and provide a high-end experience which includes, “expensive materials for a high-end look, including premium restroom fixtures, stone floors and wood accents.” It’s the maturation of the standup business. Whereas before (in the early ’80s) funky was the order of the day (think of the old Catch A Rising Star on 78th in Manhattan), now stone floors and daiquiris and banquettes are offered. It’s a strategy for the long haul.

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