It’s 2 a.m. on a Thursday night, the last comedian has just strutted off the stage and up to the bar, where he is met with high fives, cheers and a sack full of smiles. The tension that once filled the room evaporates as the bartender shouts for last call. The small comedy club on Sansom Street has just wrapped up its weekly tradition—one that has made the venue a staple in the Philadelphia comedy community: the famous Raven Lounge open mic night.
“A bunch of notable names that started in Philly have performed here,” says Paige Campell, host and organizer of the Raven Lounge’s open mic night. “It’s kind of an institution for Philly comedy. People know it as a room where a lot of names get started.”
First founded in 2006 by Chris Cotton, H. Foley, Conrad Roth and owner Jonathan Hunter, the Raven Lounge’s open mic night has been a home for comedic personalities at all levels. The venue has welcomed everyone with open arms and has provided a platform for comedic chaos. The Raven Lounge is open to anyone to join in on the fun or simply watch and enjoy—all for the hefty price of free.
“We started out as a variety show. I mean, you name it; we had comedians, improv, performance art and acoustic stuff,” Hunter says. “Eventually, the comedians started outnumbering everyone pretty quickly. So, then I had to break it up and do a comedy open mic. Now, we’ve been the longest-running open mic in the city.”
More than 18 years later, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Thursday, the Raven Lounge plays host to anyone daring enough to take the stage, face the crowd and show off their comedic material. Newcomers and veterans alike flock to a signup sheet and wait in a queue for the opportunity to perform for up to five minutes in what many consider comedy’s most vital format: the open mic.
“It’s very important. It’s something that’s weird and kind of unique to comedy,” explains Campbell. “Open mics are practice. People don’t get that you have to practice in front of a real crowd.”
Once the crowd had been properly warmed up and become rowdy enough for a long night of comedy, the first name of the night was called. An aspiring comedian and Raven Lounge regular, Rachel Peters, had her hands tightly clutching a leather notebook that contained jokes inside. She made her lonely, spotlighted walk up to the stage.
“It’s a little bit of anxiety, but there’s also a level of readiness,” Peters explains.
While some were lucky and well-rehearsed enough to be met with a sea of laughter, many faced a cricket-like silence. For most comics, using new material that doesn’t land is an all too familiar foe, but they must find a way to proceed.
“You just got to roll with it,” laughs open-mic comedian Grant Cook. “Sometimes, even acknowledge it. Get the crowd back into it. Make fun of yourself a little bit, that really helps. Sometimes it just doesn’t go well, but you just have to keep going.”
However, the moments of awkward silence never last long. The Raven Lounge is a smaller venue that provides a more intimate experience for the comedians and their crowd. Comics were met with slaps on the back, high fives and supportive cheers as they walked up to the stage, and again as they stepped off. The crowd at the Raven Lounge is engaged, supportive and—possibly due to the plethora of drink specials – a little tipsy.
“The open mic crowds are a little rowdy and they might get a little drunk, especially as the night goes on,” says Cook, “They yell a little bit but they’re fun. It’s a good time.”
The lucky few who spent hours belting their material in front of a mirror or in the shower were able to pull off sets that cracked even the stiffest crowd member into laughter.
“When you have a great set and you walk off, you feel like you’re on top of the world, dude,” open mic comedian Dean Blizzard says. “It feels like you have just won America’s Got Talent –that’s how it feels.”
Ribs sore from a night of laughter, the crowd saluted the comics for their night of hard work before stepping out the door.
“I was expecting a lot more fails on stage tonight, but they all killed it. I genuinely thought they were all hilarious,” says first-time Raven Lounge attendee Ryan Sassi.
As their adrenaline calmed down from the performance-induced spike, the comedians rejoiced at the bar with their peers. Good or bad, the night was over. They had all faced the beast of the crowd and lived to tell jokes another day.
“I wanted to be funny since I was a kid. I have wanted to be a comedian since I was 14,” Peters says. “It’s indescribable. Indescribable. You just get really into it, and you really commit to it, and the next thing you know you’re living your dream.”
For more information on attending or partaking in The Raven Lounge’s Open Mic events, follow them on Instagram @theravenlounge.
