When they say the best medicine is laughter, it's not a joke.
When the organizers behind LouFest dropped the fateful news that this weekend's event would be canceled at 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, a lot people took a hit. The musicians who booked gigs to play on the stage, as well as the companies that set up the electrical and built the stages. Furthermore, local companies like Arch Apparel, breweries like Urban Chestnut Brewing Company and Four Hands, and eateries such as Hi-Pointe Drive in and Gioia's Deli were suddenly all out of a job.
Local comedians also felt the sting of the event being washed out, because the special comedy event, The Last Laugh, aimed to be a breakthrough for the local comics to showcase their best material to a new audience. A little less conversation and a lot more laughter was the idea. Chris Denman, the co-founder of the local entertainment and media company that partnered up with LouFest for the original event — 'We Are Live!' — expressed dismay with the abrupt change in events Wednesday, with an emphasis on the local talent and their audience missing out on something special.
"We're extremely disappointed in the news about LouFest, " Denman stated in a press release this afternoon. "The comedy scene in St. Louis has been growing, and we were excited to showcase it on a festival level," said Denman. The co-host of the WGNU morning show, Saint Louis Live, had a quick solution for the entertainment-deprived audience.
"While today's news was no doubt a major hit to the metro area, I believe St. Louis will find other way to support musicians, entertainers, and local businesses this weekend. One option. Come out to Southtown Pub on Saturday," Denman said.
The popular Kingshighway establishment will host the rebooted "Last Laugh" event from 2-8 p.m. with a rebooted roster, including local comics Stephon Hightower, Jon Venegoni, Angela Smith, Chris Cyr, Duke Taylor, Nathan Orton, Emily Hickner, Bobby Jaycox, and Kenny Kinds. National headliners Matt Rife (Wild 'N Out) and Mia Jackson (Last Comic Standing, Inside Amy Schumer) will distribute LOLs by the minute as well.
You don't make this kind of thing happen without help from local companies, and 'We Are Live!' is no different. Second Shift Brewing and Urban Chestnut are collaborating, local bands will be incorporated, and Mr. Gary (Them Yo People) aka The King of Hospitality will also be in attendance. Along with Southtown Pub, companies such as By Jack, Tommy Bannister Circa Properties, Gateway Powder Coating, and St. Louis Counseling Services are sponsoring the event. The mental health nonprofit, Project Wake Up, will be featured on Saturday.
This event is the epitome of the kind of town that St. Louis is. When something unfortunate occurs, good people come together and find a way to keep the smiles flowing and good times going. Other cities may have simply promised a rescheduled event that existed more as pure fantasy than an actual reality. When the bad news came down, Denman was on the phone with comics, musicians, breweries, and local businesses. "We invite everyone to come have some laughs at our recalibrated comedy stage," Denman added in the release.
If you are mad about missing out on one of St. Louis' best music events, you can expect some white hot LouFest jokes on Saturday. Smith was warming the crowd up on Twitter Wednesday morning and afternoon.
Instead of being stuffed next to a thousand different people in the sweaty confines of Forest Park and getting rained on, you can head on down to South City's finest drinking spot and laugh until you can't breathe. When that happens, you eat a bowl of chicken wings and get back to laughing again. A good time is the only cover charge at Southtown Pub's front door.
Jaycox, one of the hardest working comics in this town, knows just how important an event like Saturday could be for the city. "Comedy has been a big part of St. Louis for years and it feels like the whole city seems to be embracing us now," said Jaycox.
Tina Dybal, voted Funniest Comic in St. Louis this past summer at the Helium Comedy Club, elaborated on the other great comedy festivals that St. Louis is proud to present. "We have so many cool things happening for the comedy scene," Dybal said. "We have Flyover Comedy Festival, which is now in its second year. There are a lot of consistent rooms and fans of the comedy scene. Comedy in St. Louis is growing at a rate I don't think anyone really saw coming."
One of the great things about comedy and St. Louis is that they endure despite the worst turn of events. LouFest being canceled due to a myriad of problems that will force the organizers of the event to stare inward and rehab the underground makings of the show put a damper on many people across the entire city. A two-day event that brings the best of the best in entertainment cost a lot of people money and sweat equity.
With one event, Denman and 'We Are Live!' are trying to make sure all is right in the world again, at least in the world of comedy. Thanks to sponsors, collaborators, local talent, and the best this city has offer, the comedy will continue this weekend at Southtown Pub. If you are mad about LouFest, come by, support local, buy a drink, and get ready to laugh a lot.
As 'We Are Live!' states on their event page, "LouFest is canceled. Comedy continues. The Last Laugh Stage lives."
This weekend, come party with the finest goofballs St. Louis has to offer.
