Every Thursday night, the back room of the bar at 222 Hyde St. fills with people from different walks of life. There's a female tech worker who's negotiating a salary at her new job, a sports reporter, a Lyft driver with a degree in philosophy, and a student studying performance arts. They're all there for one reason: comedy.
222 Hyde was established in 1940 under the name Three Deuces, and saw the likes of Miles Davis and John Coltrane as they spilled over from next-door jazz club Black Hawk. In recent years, the space has gone through several owners and name changes; most recently, it was a dance club and comedy spot named for its address, which shut down in 2013. Its replacement, The Basement, opened in January as a bar and comedy venue.
On Thursday evenings, a diverse crowd shows up for a weekly comedy open mic, called Where The Funny Things Are. Tenderloin resident Christian Reyes launched it shortly after The Basement reopened, and ever since, the evening of comedy has drawn a crowd. At last week's event, every seat was filled (though standing room was still plentiful).
Reyes created the event as a safe space for comedians who are testing out new material, allowing them to get crowd feedback. Each performer is allotted five minutes: a perfect length of time to garner laughs, but short enough to reduce any agony if the work isn't yet up to par.
Reyes is hoping to draw more people from outside the neighborhood to events, as well as bring out the local community. He keeps the event free to make it accessible to anyone who wants to come in off the street, and encourages people from other neighborhoods to venture to the Tenderloin for an evening of comedy. The comedians also hail from various points around the city and the Bay Area: some travel from Oakland or San Leandro for the event.
The diversity of the crowd speaks not only to the neighborhood, but also to comedy's reach across cultures and generations. A 21-year-old student performs right before a 42-year-old unemployed man. Performers from a variety of backgrounds take the stage; one comedian does a set entirely in Spanish, and with laughter echoing out from the crowd, it's clear that the audience is as diverse as the performers.
Where The Funny Things Are isn't The Basement's only regular comedy event. On Tuesday evenings, comedian Michael Brandon hosts Moe Green, another stand-up comedy open mic. The show runs from 8-10pm; comedians are asked to arrive by 7:30pm to sign up. And every second and fourth Saturday of the month, the venue hosts The Setup, a showcase of established comedians from around the country who each get 10-15 minutes to share their material.
The Basement's cocktail list is also a draw, with drinks named as homages to the neighborhood. Attendees can sample the Black Hawk Jazz Club (aged smoked salt, Italian vermouth and grapefruit), or the Dr. Turk and Mr. Hyde (shochu, ginger beer, lemon juice, basil, jalapeno and mint).
If you're into watching comedy, like drinking cocktails, or just want to get to know the Tenderloin a little bit better, try swinging by a comedy event at The Basement. And if you're a performer, the microphone is ready and waiting.
Where the Funny Things Are takes place every Thursday, from 8pm until the performers' list is done. Admission is free.
