Nov 14, 2010
MC Diaz Mackie warms up the crowd at LA Comedy Club, Eve Nightclub location in Las Vegas.
LA Comedy Club owners Joaquin Trujillo and Matt Chavez have taken on a third partner with Eddie Rivkin to open their new location inside the Eve Nightclub in City Center in Las Vegas last Friday night.
When the era of the comedy club has seen its better days and clubs are struggling to get audiences, this club still packs them in. Their opening night was packed with people eager to laugh away their troubles and Saturday night was no different with three hundred reservations on that night alone. There were issues with the surrounding stores complaining about their long lines of people wanting to get in. Their announcement of the partnership and the new location was only three days old, but their club sold out for the first two nights. When I asked Eddie Rivin how the hell he did that, he smiled and only said, “That is a proprietary secret.” I’m anxious to see if they manage to sell out their third night tonight as well.
Brandt Tolber, a Las Vegas local comedian opened the show for Shang, the headliner. Another local, Diaz Mackie, MC’d the event. The list of Shang’s TV appearances is a fairly long list and he certainly knows his way around the stage in the comedy genre. He has acted in many television shows and has appeared on Comedy Central.
This was the first time I’ve been inside the Eve Nightclub and I have to say, it is pretty nice in there, as nightclubs go. Most of them I’ve been in have been designed in a warehouse type of look with high ceilings and very little décor. Eve has this look also to a point, but it is much cozier and offers more of a high end lounge feel. The view overlooks the valet area of Aria, the tram, and their awesome fountain. I tried to get a good photo of those fountains going off but I couldn’t get a quick hang of what it was doing and eventually gave up. I didn’t want to stand there for an hour to attempt the perfect fountain shot. So you’ll just have to go see it for yourself.
Eve Nightclub looking towards the view.
The show started late both Friday and Saturday nights. One of my favorite pastimes is to bug Eddie about the start of his shows that he produces. It seems he finally found a way to shut me up. As I stood outside the place and tired of standing there, I asked Eddie what time it was. He’d look at his watch and tell me it was 7:20pm. The doors were to open at 7:30pm but they were having the usual opening weekend annoyances which held things up a bit. So I’d ask again as it got closer to 8pm, and he’d move the time on his watch up just a little to 7:28pm. A lady in line corrected him with the time and he shushed her and told her that he didn’t want to clue me in about that. The next time I asked, it was 7:28pm and 8 seconds. Eventually it was almost time to go in and his answer to my repeated question of, “What time is it, Eddie?” was, “7:29 and a half. We’ll be going in shortly.” Cool, we’re going in soon and it is right on time! But only “on time” in Eddie’s watch’s alternate universe. To the rest of us it was about 8pm.
A small part of the crowd settling in and getting ready for the show.
Last night, the show opened with Diaz Mackey, one of my favorite local comics, who did a short set and then introduced the special guest comedian of the night, Brant Tolber. Both of them killed. I’m always fascinated by the differences in the group conscience and it isn’t all that unheard of for me to see a show a couple nights in a row to see the difference in reaction. The audience laughed a lot Friday night and was having a great time, but Saturday night they roared.
Brandt Tolber performing.
When Shang took the stage everyone was ready to roll in the isles with laughter. And that is pretty much what they did. Shang is a very high energy comic and takes control of the entire room the second he hits the stage. The jokes were hard core, and they went to dirty shortly after hello. The audience couldn’t get enough.
Shang telling people how it is.
Shang really works the crowd and drags everyone into the act, willingly or unwillingly. It is hysterical. One man named Alan, in particular, caught his eye on Saturday night and was a great sport about being one of the features of his act for the entire night.
Yep, dirty jokes do appear to be his speciality.
The audience was so receptive to Shang’s dirty jokes that he ended up performing a lot longer than he did Friday. He even appeared to be writing and performing at the same time by the end of his time on stage. The audience was just going nuts for him.
I’ve seen other comedy club’s opening nights and even with a huge name of a headliner, they were not able to completely sell out the room. The LA Comedy Club did. And they did it twice so far. I’m thinking that this is going to be the place to go.
Shang working the crowd.
After the comedy experience, Eve Nightclub quickly turns back in to a nightclub. People are ushered downstairs during the transformation and are offered a deal to get into Eve.
The LA Comedy Club inside Eve Nightclub is a first class experience. They put on only the best of the comedians on the circuit and blend in the best of the local working comedians. The owners are always wandering around in the crowd checking on people, shaking hands and making sure every single person has the time of their lives. This is much more like the old fashioned Las Vegas we used to know and love. I’m so happy someone brought back first class treatment of their guests in Las Vegas.
LA Comedy Club
inside the Eve Nightclub inside Crystals Retail & Entertainment Shops at CityCenter, Las Vegas.
Showtime is 8pm
Tickets are regularly $30 for general admission
$40 for VIP
Give my name “Love” at the door for the show tonight, November 14th, and your ticket price is waived, or if you want VIP, it will be only $20.
Be sure to ask Eddie Rivkin what time it is. You know, for me.
The show last night was fantastic!
Where can we find the schedule? LA Comedy website only offers Four Queens locatiuon information.
Hi Yuri,
I will try to find out for you. Yeah, I noticed that website is fairly outdated also.
Pam
Hi Yuri,
Until they have their website updated, they’ll let me know who is booked and I’ll post it here on this website. Also, you can stay up to date by following Eddie Rivkin on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Eddie.Rivkin He posts information on his FB page for all the shows he produces.
So what’s going on with this club in Aria?
We asked about it in Tix4Tonight box office and they know nothing about it now. Again, only Fout Queens location.
Do they still have comedy in Aria?
Unfortunately, so far, the show was that weekend only, sad to say.
Eddie Rivkin does put on other shows also. You should keep track of his shows by seeing his Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/Eddie.Rivkin
He always posts updates on where his shows are being held on his Facebook page.
Pam
Wow, this place looks great. Shang looks especially fine and polished too ! Shang is a wicked comic, we will follow him wherever he goes ! If you havent checked him out yet, you should, he will have you laughing all nite !