Now that I am officially out of concerts for the year (for now), I suppose I also needed to finish off with some chucks and gigs with two events this week!
At the start of the work week my sister and I headed up to see the rescheduled comedy show from Pete Davidson. The show was originally supposed to take place the weekend he got tapped to host SNL after the writers strike. Luckily, it wasn’t put off too long, and the evening was truly a very funny one! I will say, this was the first event that I’ve ever been to where they had the audience lock their electronic devices in some padded pouch. My sister was definitely more uncomfortable about it than I was, but it does make you aware of how often you look at your phone. And I for sure understand the need for these things. Not only does it make the audience more present, but it also prevents distractions for the performers and recording and distributing material without their consent.
The show itself went way longer than I was anticipating, and as an attendee of the late show, it went pretty late! Davidson had four comedians open the show for him, but it was neat to hear that they’ve all been a part of his professional life for quite some time. I did recognize two of the performers from his show Bupkis, but the last opening comedian, Ricky Valez, was perhaps my favorite. He had a buzzing energy and the laughs never seemed to stop. That was a good energy to lead into Davidson’s set, some of which I had head before, but he still kept it fun. He also went at a pace that was a bit faster than I was expecting, but that just really made it seem like he was having a good time up there. Overall, I’m glad we ended up getting tickets to the show.
Then, just two days later, I headed out with my friend to catch A Conversation with Nick Offerman at a beautiful theater in Akron. Admittedly, when I was asked if I’d like to go to this, I assumed it’d be another night of comedy, but when I learned the “a conversation with” was a part of the title, I was less sure of what the night would have in store. It turned out to be more of a Q and A with a local news anchor, but the flow was smooth, the host was prepared, and the crowd was definitely excited to be there. Offerman himself, with his very laid back attitude, too, seemed happy to be there. And actually back in the area! The Kings of Summer was shot in and around the Chagrin Falls area, so he’d been around before.
As to be expected, there was a fair amount of time talking about Parks and Recreation, but I was glad to hear about other acting experiences, especially those he’s gotten to participate in with his wife, Megan Mullally. It is clear they still have a very strong love for one another and enjoy being in each other’s presence probably more than a lot of couples can say. He also spent some time talking about his woodworking endeavors, along with the five books he’s published so far. Given that this event was put on by the Akron-Summit Public Library, he also shared his deep connection with libraries in the form of many of his family members. He’s a very literate man, and that little tidbit made the event seem just that much more special.
Ultimately, two evenings that turned out much different than I expected were both very fun and entertaining. I always hope to add more things like this to my year, so I’ll certainly be looking for more in 2024.