Pushing the pianos aside and bringing out the microphone, Gainesville’s Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar is set to host comedy Wednesdays at 9 p.m. during September.
Rockeys, located at 112 S Main St., will showcase two professional comedians in addition to a local Gainesville comedian that hosts the show.
Comedy fans who are 18 and older can enjoy the show for a $3 cover charge, an entertaining alternative to midtown bars and downtown clubs during the week.
“I’m excited for a different scene, away from the typical party nights,” said psychology senior Katie Edson. “My roommates and I wanted a place where we can talk and chill out during the week. So these comedy nights are definitely a nice change to everything else in town and allow us to have bonding time together.”
Audiences can enjoy quick-witted comedians Roy Haber, J.B. Ball, J. Bliss, Ken Garr, Rene Bray, Johnny Oz, Darryl Rhoades and Carmen Morales throughout September.
Rockeys hopes to keep the comedy nights going past September as long as people are willing to come out and watch, said Zach Givens, general manager of Rockeys.
“All of us here are huge stand-up comedy fans, and I feel like we put out some of the best touring comics out there,” Givens said. “I find myself having a hard time focusing on work sometimes, because these guys really know how to hold your attention.”
For people who missed the August comedy night lineups, comedian David Nickerson, from Howard Stern’s Killers of Comedy Tour, and Florida comedian Chris Matson took the stage for the Aug. 22 show and interacted with the audience for many of their joke setups.
“Comedy is a release, so it’s definitely good to have college students come out and feed off the comedy,” Matson said. “I started writing jokes in college, and I’ve somehow transcended that feel over the years for this type of demographic.”
For the older-than-21 crowd, attendees can enjoy $4 Jameson, $3 wells and $2 domestic draft drink specials Wednesdays. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, so Rockeys recommends attendees arrive early.
“If you want to go out with some friends, Rockeys is a great place to go out, have a good time and lift your spirits up,” Givens said. “We offer the best comedians out there that you can get for this kind of setting, so we hope no one misses out.”
For more information on the weekly comedy nights, or to reserve seating for large parties, call 352-505-0042 or visit rockeysduelingpianos.com.
Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar, will host a weekly comedy series on Wednesday nights throughout the month of September. The bar is located downtown at 112 S Main St.
