Ally Katz & Angels!

Last night I caterwauled at ‘Ally Katz’ nightclub on main street Saskatoon, and, while perhaps not a howling success, I managed not to get knocked off the fence by a flying boot. I’d never been before, but ‘Alley Katz’ is the Master’s new Sunday night venue, and this was his fifth show there. It was a nice, informal setting, with an audience of perhaps 80; a little older crowd perhaps, than I’m used to, but fairly enthusiastic and appreciative.


There was an assembly of angels in attendance, and, though I didn’t spot a single halo, there were plenty of beards, beer bellies and tattoos. Motorpsycho enthusiasts are comedy fans too, and there’s nothing so endearing to a comic’s ear as a hearty beer belly laugh!

The Master was in fine form last night and informed me that he suspects he and his wife are possibly pregnant again; if this is the case it will bring them to just one short of an official dozen! With those domestic numbers I can see why the Master needs to get out nights; however, just for myself, I think my sense of humour would have dried up by six! You have to admire the man; he home schools them all.

The evening was billed as an entirely ‘pro’ night, and I was both surprised and flattered to be given an opening slot. One of my favourites, the irrepressible Jody Peters, took the second slot on the bill, and reminded the audience that realistically, any citizen of Saskatoon is only one generation removed from the farm. He went on to tell us about his two weeks in Italy, and how tourism is complicated when you travel solo, and have no grasp of the native language.

Tommy Savitt was the headliner. This fella’ won the 2007 Boston Comedy Competition, the 2008 Seattle Comedy Competition and a 2009 LA Comedy Award for Best in Comedy. I’d seen Tommy perform last Spring, but, he is soft spoken for a comedian, and I’d been surrounded by chatty people in a room separate from the stage and subsequently didn’t hear much of his material, though I could see the audience in the main room lapping it up.

Last night I had a much better location, and thoroughly enjoyed his 40 minute set. Many of our local comedians, (and here I include myself), tend to be a little too wordy; Mr. Savitt was wordy too, but the difference was that, regular as clockwork, every fifteen or so words brought a huge laugh response from the audience. A great show and I was left wanting more. Tonight at Beilly’s I’ll get more!

Tonight the, ‘Great Western Comedy Contest’, continues at Beilly’s, and Tommy Savitt is competing! Between you and I, it looks like he might be a contender!