• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

Attendance Explodes at Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival 2013

May 7, 2013 by Guest Blogger 1 Comment

Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival The Parish

Moontower attendees wait for a show outside The Parish

This guest blog post is by Kelly Love.

The Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival – yes, another festival in Austin! – premiered last year at main stage presenter Paramount Theatre. In its second year, the festival brought over 100 talented funny people here from April 24-27 2013.

This year’s fest saw a rise in attendance and badge sales, along with the introduction of midnight headliner performances at the Paramount. As with most festivals, it’s impossible to be everywhere at once. But since Bill Hader of SNL fame was one of this year’s headliners, I’ll give you a summary as Hader’s popular NYC club-hopping character Stefon (who made an appearance during his show) would put it (it helps to read the following in Stefon’s voice):

“Austin’s hottest new festival has everything…angry clowns, giant megaphones, hipsters on longboards, angry women with tattoos who will yell at you in exchange for cash, game shows that dare you not to laugh, geese riots…”

OK, so no actual geese. But I did attend one show where the most hilarious bit was in the audience, a person who had the best honking laugh. It didn’t even matter what was happening on stage, people laughed because the honking person laughed. This is why I love comedy.

Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival

Moontower 2013 Headliners

Besides Hader, this year’s festival featured names like Jim Gaffigan, Dana Carvey, Michael Ian Black and Janeane Garafalo, playing to sold-out audiences at the Paramount. Chris Hardwick of The Talking Dead and Nerdist podcast, Godfrey (who brought it, seriously funny), Maria Bamford, Derek Phelps, Todd Barry, and Marc Maron all appeared at Stateside.

I’d love to give you a rundown on Bamford’s new material, exactly what Godfrey said about pit bulls, and whether or not Jim Gaffigan did his Hot Pockets bit (he did), but I was too busy laughing to take notes.

I’m not a critic, I just love comedy. And I love comedians, which is why I thought the all-access festival badges are so great. Not only could I flit from show to show on a whim, but badge holders were also invited to attend nightly “Laugh Your Ass Off” happy hour parties at the Esquire Lounge/Stephen F. Austin Bar & Terrace, complete with DJs spinning and funny people milling about.

Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival Happy Hour Party

Moontower happy hour party

Let me clarify that I’m not a comedy groupie. I’d put myself more in the voyeur category. I like hanging out with funny people. I’ve attended more improv class “showcases” than I can count, as most of my friends have taken improv classes. I have not done so myself, being averse to any situation that involves people pointing at me and demanding, “be funny.” But I love to watch.

What I like about mingling with comedians and comedy audiences (who are mostly funny people as well) is that people who choose to stand on a stage and do 30 minutes of funny for a living usually don’t make that decision because they had sunny childhoods or a lack of psychological problems. I get it. I’m the daughter of a psychotherapist. Shrink’s children are not necessarily poster children for mental wellness either, but I don’t think many of us could top the deep, abiding neurosis of a comedian.

I’m not going to name names, but you could literally tell a comedian the most traumatic, messed up thing that happened to you and they will not blink. Then they will top it and you will never be able to forget. Tell your worst to a “normal” person and they gasp. Tell the same story to a comedian and they’ll tell you about the time their stepfather smoked too much meth and sat up all night on the end of their Scooby Doo comforter with a loaded shotgun in his lap. Comedian: one. Me: zero.

Psychological issues aside, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love to laugh. Four straight days of showcases and headliners, laughter guaranteed? We’re so there. I’m happy to tell you that you can LYAO next year, as the Paramount just announced that the third annual Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival will be held April 23-26, 2014.

Stay Updated on Local Comedy

Follow Moontower on Twitter or Facebook for festival updates and next year’s lineup. Check out Moontower’s web page for video highlights from this year’s fest and announcements for 2014.

Moontower Comedy Festival Badges Sold Out

Don’t forget to get your badges and tickets early – VIP badges and ACE badges sold out a few weeks before the festival

If your funny bone can’t wait until next year, Austin has some great local talent and venues like The Velveeta Room, Cap City Comedy Club, The Hideout Theatre and The New Movement Theater that play host to locals and out-of-town headliners alike (the latter two even offer improv classes). Get out there and get your laugh on!

Kelly Love Johnson is a writer and editor who moved to Austin from Charleston, SC, for a year…a little over three years ago. She’s been semi-regularly blogging semi-funny things on her site, Microfamous, since 2003-ish.

 

Festival photos courtesy of Nick Simonite.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events Tagged With: comedy, paramount

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin this week of October 2

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of October 2 include Broadway Austin presents Six, House of Burton: Austin, and more

Our top choices for things to do in Austin this Week of October 2, 2023, include Broadway Austin presents Six, House of Burton: Austin, Maisie Peters in Concert, and more! Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily, there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of the week. […]

10 Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Texas Pumpkin Fest 2023, Touch-a-Truck 2023, and more!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of September 29, 2023, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Texas Pumpkin Fest 2023, Touch-a-Truck 2023, Boulderfest 2023, American Indian Heritage Day 2023, and more! Editor’s […]

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Bat City Scaregrounds, St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, and More!

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Bat City Scaregrounds, St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, and More!

There are plenty of fun things to do in Austin this Weekend of September 29 which include Bat City Scaregrounds, St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, NAMIWalks Central Texas, Oktoberfest at Banger’s, and more! Whether you’re planning a date or having fun with friends, these events and things to do in Austin this weekend may be right for you. […]

Austin Labor Day Weekend 2023 Events - Top 10 Things to Do

Austin Labor Day Weekend 2023 Events – Top 10 Things to Do Include Fish Fry by ACLC, Cornhole Tournament at Frontyard Brewing, Live Music, Parties & More!

The much-awaited Labor Day 2023 is right around the corner! And as we all know, everybody wants to make the most of this special day and enjoy the last bits of summer. Labor Day pays tribute to the social and economic achievements of American workers. In addition to that, it also symbolizes the end of […]

Caverns in Texas - 12 Best Austin Caves & Cave Tours Near You

Caverns in Texas – 12 Best Austin Caves & Cave Tours Near You

Looking for caverns in Texas? Want to explore the best caves in Texas? Luckily, there’s a great mix of both in Austin! Before we dive into the different bat caves in Texas or caverns Texas has to offer, what’s the difference between the two? Well, while used interchangeably, a cave is a naturally occurring cavity […]

Recent Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of October 2 include Broadway Austin presents Six, House of Burton: Austin, and more
  • 10 Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Texas Pumpkin Fest 2023, Touch-a-Truck 2023, and more!
  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Bat City Scaregrounds, St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, and More!
  • Rooftop Bar Austin – 20 Best Bars, Dinner Spots, High Rise Restaurants Near You
  • Austin Labor Day Weekend 2023 Events – Top 10 Things to Do Include Fish Fry by ACLC, Cornhole Tournament at Frontyard Brewing, Live Music, Parties & More!

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • 8 Laid-back Waterfront Restaurants in Austin (Besides The Oasis)
  • Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street
  • Austin’s Speakeasy Secrets (Shhh): Floppy Disk Repair Co.
  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this weekend of September 29, 2023 include Bat City Scaregrounds, St. Elias Mediterranean Festival, and More!
  • Birthday Freebies Austin 2023 – List of Over 45 Best Restaurants, Food Places, & Stores with Birthday Month Deals Near You

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

wpDiscuz
x
x