(Provided by Ian Douglas Terry)
The Mile High City’s stand-up scene got a small but potent shot in the arm last year when Omaha stand-ups and decamped to Denver.
In Omaha, they had been running the fast-growing , which focused on hip, up-and-coming names, so they figured it only made sense to stage a version of the event in their new hometown.
But with three major “A-room” comedy clubs, the pre-existing , and nightly stand-up showcases and open mics spread across the metro area, do we really need another comedy fest?
We’ll find out May 29-31 as Crom’s dozens of local and national comics — including Aparna Nancherla, Allen Strickland Williams, Guy Branum, and members of Denver’s Grawlix troupe — take over venues such as the Oriental Theater, Larimer Lounge and 3 Kings Tavern. (Visit for tickets, lineups and showtimes.)
We chatted via e-mail with Terry, who along with Reinert hosts the monthly (among others) — in part because we really liked the “Conan the Barbarian”-meets-“Tron” aesthetic of the posters, as recently called it.
The Den: Let’s start with some background: How did Crom Comedy Festival start, and how’s it doing in Omaha right now?
Ian Douglas Terry: Crom is a yearly DIY stand-up comedy festival. The whole thing started three years ago in Omaha and this is our first year expanding into another city. Terrified and stoked at the same time. Zach Reinert (the other comedian who helps me run things) and I are looking forward to it. The Omaha fest this year was our biggest yet and very successful, so we have high hopes for Denver.
What’s the general setup of the festival?
We based our layout loosely on punk rock festivals we had attended and the , which was formerly in Denver. It’s a very punk rock-minded and DIY fest with an aim towards exposing up-and-coming comedians from across the U.S. to Omaha and Denver, and to create a network of like-minded comics across the U.S. We also want to shine a spotlight on Omaha and Denver, two scenes which we love dearly. Three hundred submissions turned into 100-plus performers spread between both fests, with an aim towards having a diverse and eclectic lineup.
How have you adapted it to Denver? What’s special about the city that requires a different approach?
Denver is a little more spread out than Omaha is and definitely has more comedy fans. We are trying to get as many neighborhoods involved rather than just rely on one area. We are super stoked to work with so many existing local shows to help spread the party.
What are you doing to interest people who aren’t already comedy fans, or fans of up-and-coming comics? And how do you think Denver audiences will respond?
Hopefully well! Denver has such an awesome comedy scene full of talented comics and some of the best fans/supporters (like ). The response so far has been amazing and we’ve done more interviews for Denver media than for Omaha… so that might be a good sign. Our pal , who runs (which is on Sunday at the Oriental Theater) was a huge help because he is a promotional machine. , who runs (which has a Crom version on Sunday at Ratio Beerworks), has also been a lifesaver with logistics. Everyone in the scene is pitching in to promote and get the word out (and to help out with all of the comics coming to town), which is fantastic and hopefully we can pull in some new folks who haven’t checked out non-comedy club shows.
Where do you see this fest in the ecosystem of Denver comedy? Is it a competitor to High Plains, Comedy Works, etc.?
Definitely not competition. (Producer/comic) has helped us out so much with booking this year and is headlining both fests… so we are legally obligated to not compete. Adam’s dad is a lawyer.
All kidding aside, they are the WWE Monday Night Raw of Denver comedy fests and we are the Ring of Honor Indie comedy fest. They are pulling out the big guns and have the best in the biz, while we are the young spunky new boys on the block. We can guarantee you will fall in love with at least a few of the new faces we are bringing to town. We love working with and ( weekly showcase) and the other Denver shows to make sure the 50-plus comedians coming to town have the most fun and do all of the cool shows.
Putting on festival is hard, even DIY ones. How are you financing it?
The majority of our money is from loans but we managed to get one money sponsor this year, which was rad. Our sponsors are all promotional and logistical, which is still awesome. Sexpot Comedy and Illegal Pete’s have helped out a ton with promotion and making sure Denver is down to party. Next year our focus is going to be to get some business folks on board so we can worry less about paying back loans and having empty bank accounts from our silly DIY ethos… and maybe relax for a few days.
What else should our readers know?
Come to Crom, party hard, hell yeah.
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