Spearheaded by a trio of steadfast comics, Date Night brings the laughs to EAV
Monthly comedy showcase Date Night provides an intimate night of comedy at Argosy's Brigantine Beer Parlor
THREE RING CIRCUS: Under the guiding hands of Travis Jones, Ian Aber, and Jen O’Neill Smith, Date Night has brought a spark to Tuesday nights in EAV.All in good time. Last fall, the Brigantine Beer Parlor, aka the backroom of Argosy, started serving up more than just beer and Skee ball. Comedian Travis Jones invited his funniest friends to perform in the hip EAV spot underneath the giant metal squid that lords over the parlor. Like every beginner comic, the show experimented, going left and right in search of its voice, and after a brief hiatus, that vigorous voice has blossomed.
Date Night is the new groove that’s truly worked over East Atlanta. Proving three heads are better than one, Jones teamed up with two of the city’s busiest comedians, Ian Aber and Jen O’Neill Smith, who originally tipped Jones off to the venue. Neither are strangers to running a show. Jones also hosts comedy the last Monday of each month at Second Self Beer Co. while Aber has been one of the guiding hands to the storytelling open mic Backstory at Relapse Theatre. “I began running a brunch comedy show with Jen and Ian and we all worked so well together,” Jones says. “When the idea of the three of us taking over Date Night was brought up, we were all excited about the idea.”
Despite its name, Date Night has no real theme, but rather the name embodies the vibe of the show and space. Since its first iteration, Jones set out to create “an intimate show which should feel like a conversation, or a date, with the audience.” However, the show offers a two-for-one ticket deal for those who attend with a special someone. And while some shows tend to be overwhelmingly monotonous with its line-ups, the trio consistently dish out the most diverse bills in the city. Hearing the same topics over and over turns the night into blur. Date Night handpicks a bouquet of performers of different styles, personalities, opinions, and backgrounds. While most comedy rooms in America stage eight guys wearing the same shirt and Warby Parkers on stage, Date Night’s line-up leaves little confusion as to who is who. Considering the showrunners themselves are a diverse lot, the hosts work in tandem to make sure everyone is represented at Date Night ... and audiences are falling in love.
“I think the attendance has been so great because a lot of people keep coming back, and they tell their friends,” Jones says. “The show doesn't feel like a classic comedy club, where you are part of an economic exchange; it feels like you wandered into a secret show in a magical room where squids are suspended in the air and everyone is hilarious.”
With its footing firm and the gears well-oiled, the backroom at Argosy has rightly become a viable date night destination.