ST. LOUIS — Look, I could just tell you that popular New York comedian Rachel Feinstein is in the St. Louis house this weekend, and that should be enough for the reclining chair to smack back into place, the Netflix to be turned off, and your car to begin its warming process. But what if I told you there were a trio of fierce, pierced, and very funny ladies bringing the laughs when Flyover Comedy Festival invades the Grove neighborhood on Saturday. Do I have your attention now? Oh yeah.
Like a true south city native, I tell no lies and only most of the truth. Angela Smith is hosting the event and Tina Dybal will be featuring for Feinstein Saturday night at the old Ready Room (the daylight title is Hot Java Bar) in Tower Grove, part of Flyover's invasion. That's what it's called on the cool socials, but isn't the right brand of comedy an invasion of the nice variety? I think so. A good laugh can always storm a moody beach.
Both ladies are veterans of the St. Louis comedy scene.
I first came across Smith on Twitter, where she more out of 140 characters than most people soak out of 280. A joke about the failed Loop Trolley once upon a time made me laugh so hard that my car pool attendant dropped her phone and kids almost started getting into the wrong cars. Whether it's onstage or via her social media accounts, Smith has an effortless delivery.
There's a "no fuss, here's the funny part" speed to her stories and tales, and you keep coming back for more of them. Finding the funny in the everyday normal, as well as the largely unneeded county projects, comes easily to Smith, who has performed on stages all over town--including Helium Comedy Club and the now-closed Monocle.
Speaking of the former, a comedy club inside the Galleria Mall, that was where I first experienced the Dybal Effect. In other words, laughing until you just about start to pee. She was competing in the St. Louis Funniest Person contest: the annual gathering of the Lou's finest laugh creators that she would win two days later.
To say Dybal's humor knows zero bounds is like saying gooey butter cake is merely good. While some comics like to run away from the uncomfortable aspects of relationships or womanhood, Dybal runs straight into that fire and comes out with a few flames of her own. If you leave the show this weekend needing more Dybal, look up her bonkers podcast (co-hosted with Libby Higgins), Slop City.
Audiences love them both, and will get to see their work thrive on Saturday night. Keep an eye out around the Grove for other comics flipping tables over with life experiences, like Rafe Williams and Bobby Jaycox. Max Pryce, Aaron Porter, Eliza Skinner, Kenny Kinds, Charlie Winfrey, Grace Jung, and so many more talented people will also be performing. If you missed them, seek them out on Facebook and find their next show.
Good comedy is always needed, but the Flyover Comedy Festival feels even more vital in 2021. Here is where you can order tickets for Saturday's show with Smith, Dybal, and Feinstein.
