Some Thoughts on Massachusetts
Considering I've spent roughly 1170 weeks in Massachusetts, I've decided to not do a week here as part of this adventure, but I'll still write a thing or two about the state.
Comedy:
I feel very lucky to have gotten to learn how to write and perform comedy in MA, because there is a ton of opportunities and support for amateurs, which in just planning my itineraries for the first couple of states I'm quickly realizing is not true everywhere.
My favorite open mic to perform at was the comedy lottery Wednesday nights at ImprovBoston in Central Square, and my favorite venue to see comedy was The Comedy Studio above the Hong Kong in Harvard Square. It's probably no coincidence that I happened to live the closest to them for my four years of college, but they also truly are really great clubs with consistently strong performers and friendly, accessible hosts. The Comedy Studio is frequently ranked as one of the best comedy clubs in Boston and the fact that it is in the attic of a Chinese restaurant lends it a certain offbeat charm. This also makes it a continuation of an interesting Boston legacy of good comedy clubs in Chines restaurants after the closure of the Ding Ho where many legends like Louie CK, Steven Wright, and Paula Poundstone started out.
Other Boston Open Mics I've really liked are The Tavern at the End of the World in Charlestown, The Middle East in Central Square, and The Hideout in Faneuil Hall. In general, I've found the scene to be pretty supportive and friendly. The hardest I ever bombed was at the Middle East, but that was definitely all on me not the venue. In all honesty, most of the performers I've seen at open mics have been really strong. I think most frequently you see people with pretty good material who are working on delivery and confidence, either because it's new or they are. I've definitely seen the inverse as well with some people having tons of confidence and great delivery of material that just isn't great. For open mics, the latter tends to actually go over a lot better but the former tends to be better in the long run. It's a really cool feeling getting to see people you like from open mics start to get stronger and get booked gigs.
Overall I'd say the types of comedy I saw most consistently get laughs at open mics around Boston were one liners and kinda rant-based sets. Political stuff or more story driven stand-up was more hit or miss, and I only ever saw a couple people do really out there experimental stuff but I never saw it go over too well. It always makes me wonder how some of the more experimental comedy geniuses like Steve Martin or Andy Kaufman started out. People must have hated them. I wouldn't necessarily say that comedians in Boston tended to be more or less politically correct, but I would describe the scene as having a tendency towards "grumpy liberalism". People's thoughts in their material tended to be pretty progressive but there is this kinda resoluteness in using whatever words you want to express those thoughts. I never really saw anyone cross any huge lines, and when material seemed to be offensive it tended to be more misogynist than racist. Fortunately, at most open mics I was at there was usually enough good female comics who were not afraid to call out other comics or audience members if they said anything too off-color.
People always ask me about hecklers, but I never really saw them at open mics. The only time I remember seeing anyone yell a lot at a comic, they were trying to be helpful because the comic's bit about "Bob Wayne Gacy" was dying on stage, and this one guy was trying to help correct the name. It was pretty strange and surreal. There tended to always be one heckler if I saw a professional show though. I saw a guy get dragged out of a Hannibal Buress show once. Maybe they knew to be nicer to people just starting out, or maybe they just didn't pay that much attention. God forbid, if there was a Red Sox game on in a bar at the same time as an open mic, nobody was watching the comics except the other comics and even that was up in the air.
Non-Comedy:
Favorite Pizza: Themis Pizza in my hometown of Rockland has a special place in my heart, largely because they make a mashed potato pizza. The Venus Pizzas all around the South Shore are really good pub Pizza, and Santarpio's in East Boston is a classic.
Favorite Ice Cream: Peaceful Meadows in Whitman, JP Licks around Boston/Cambridge, and specifically the Dairy Queen in Abington, I don't know why it's better it just is.
Favorite Bars: Grendel's Den and Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square, Lamplighter Brewing near Central, JJ Foley's near South Station, and Doyle's in Jamaica Plain.
Favorite all around restaurant: Thelonious Monkfish in Central Square. Great Sushi, Great Noodles, Free Jazz
Favorite Local Band: Stray Bullets. Local punk band, not necessarily for everyone but I really love them. During Christmas a few years ago, they got a deal with bandcamp to have all sales for the second record go to charity so the guys at bandcamp asked them if they wanted to lower the price it was normally sold at it, and the band said "Screw it, we believe in people. Let's raise the price". They raised a bunch of money and that's possibly the most punk rock thing I've ever heard, because despite all the distorted guitars and yelling the heart of punk is a weird optimism that if the right people are loud enough things will get better. It's always a little hometown pride to see that in action.
Favorite weird things you might not know about:
Asia Barong in Great Barrington is this antique shop that also has a lot of hand-crafted art made in house that is as amazing as it is strange. Just look at this cabinet of hand-carved penises:
Another favorite is the Tunnel Bar in Northampton which is located in an abandoned railroad tunnel that's been refurbished into a classy cocktail bar. It's dimly lit and has nice wooden tables, leather chairs, great drinks, and reasonable prices. Ron Swanson would love it.
Lastly, all the museums are great if you can go. MassMOCA, the MFA, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are probably my favorites.
I'm sure there's so so much more I could say about the Bay State, but that all I've got for now. It's been a hell of a place to grow and learn in comedy and everything else, and I'm very lucky for all the people I've met while I was there.