Notes From the Whirlpool

Hey there! Sit down, have a drink. We should get acquainted…
Me? I’m JAMES GATES. What’s that? Well, that’s a tricky question…You might call me a Wichita…what? Character? Fixture? Gargoyle? I don’t know for sure… I’ve lived in the Wichita area almost 79% of my life. Most of the time I haunt Delano and the Old Town district like they were my own personal Whitechapel—you may only catch glimpses of me, floating in the background at a bar, a show or an art opening, but there are traces of me everywhere. (Wow, that didn’t sound creepy at all, did it?) I’ve been around long enough to have met some people… And let’s face it, I’m recognizable. I’m six and a half feet tall, rail-thin with blond hair, goatee and yellow-tinted glasses—I look like the three-way love child of Andy Dick, Shaggy, and Lurch from The Addams Family.
If there’s one thing I’ve been known for over the years, it’s random, bizarre, goofy shit. Tales are still told of the time I staged a re-enactment of the Oswald assassination in front of the Bohemian Bean Co., or when I held an impromptu white-slavery raffle to pay my rent… After awhile, it just seemed a natural to go semi-pro, which I did in 2006 with the sketch comedy group PANIC BUTTONS. I’ve been performing on stages and microphones throughout the Wichita area ever since, pursuing the goal of building a live, local comedy scene. In March 2007 I started doing THE JAMES GATES SHOW, a live comedy experience based around A) the late-night talk show format, and B) a whole bunch of me. And the rest is, well, the stuff of much confusion…
Anyway, this is my log. I get to write about anything I want, anytime. I like that. Hope you do too.

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Mon May 3

WICHITA-AREA COMEDY EVENTS, May 2010

Wichita-based Comedy Events, May 2010

· WED, 5/5 – SUN, 5/9

THE SANDMAN @ the Loony Bin, 6140 E. 21^st St. (21^st & Woodlawn)

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call for ticket prices (Hypnotist/Standup)

· FRI, 5/7

HEADLINERS OF COMEDY @ the Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg

Featuring TONY ROBERTS, MARVIN DIXON, DAMON WILLIAMS, SHANG, & HOPE FLOOD

7PM – 21+ to enter – $25-$45 tickets (Nat’l multi-act Standup tour)

· TUES, 5/11

TUESDAY NIGHT COMEDY REVUE @ Rock Island Live, 101 N. Rock Island

Featuring the SCALLYWAGS, LAMONT JAMES, GABE PERRY, JG SHOW, music & more!

9PM – 18+ to enter – $3 cover (Multi-genre)

· WED, 5/12 – SUN 5/16

TODD YOHN @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call for ticket prices (Standup)

· TUES, 5/18

99 CENT OPEN MIC @ Blue Lounge, 608 E. Douglas

9PM – 21+ to enter – $.99 cover (18+ / no cover for performers) (Open Mic)

· WED, 5/19 – SAT, 5/22

TIM KIDD @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call for ticket prices (Standup)

· FRI, 5/21

THE EAR & EYE SHOW @ Rock Island Live, 101 N. Rock Island

Featuring ELLIOT ROAD, JUSTIN FRANCE, MICHELLE MONGER, comedian RYAN HARRELL & more!

7:30PM – 18+ to enter – $5 cover (Music / Variety)

· WED, 5/26 – SAT, 5/29

BRANDON VESTA @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call for ticket prices (Standup)

· SUN, 5/30

ICT COMEDY @ Blu Nightclub, 8715 W. Maple (Maple & Tyler)

8:30PM – 21+ to enter – no cover (Standup)

· SAT, 6/5 (included since I missed listing this month’s show…sorry guys!)

SAY WHAT?! @ Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas (Douglas & Emporia)

9PM – All ages – no cover (Improv comedy)

…and don’t forget to visit the comedy-friendly local OPEN MICs:

· OPEN MIC with BRANT, every Monday @ 10PM – Blue Lounge, 608 E. Douglas

· COMEDY SLAM, every Wednesday @ 8PM – Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

For any questions and/or info, contact:

James Gates: (316) 992 -7922 – jgates01@gmail.com

ICT Comedy: booking@ictcomedy.com

ScallyWags: (316) 282-3762 – www.scallywagsonline.com