Mike Hanford @ City Winery Haymarket, Boston, MA [01-10-25]

It’s my first week back at work since the break and my hatred for it has been restoked. And now it’s Friday and there’s not much to do in Boston because it’s been such an infuriatingly cold week. Do I even want to leave the house? To go see Mike Hanford perform his comedy hour at a venue I’d never been to before that’s only 10 minutes away, sure I do. After all, of all the Birthday Boys, him and Mitch were my favorites. Comedy show reviews are hard to write, if you didn’t already know.

The City Winery in Haymarket in a nice and cozy space, but the room is only half-packed which surprises me, because the early show sold out. Would this crowd be drunker and more rowdy? Maybe? Would Hanford be funnier in the later show? Maybe also.

I’ve heard Hanford on the Doughboys podcast a lot (and hey, he has his own podcast the Sloppy Boys), and always got the impression that he’s ready to make a joke about any topic and can always perform for any audience. Well, he certainly was on tonight. The crowd was small, but definitely on board for Hanford’s show. Right at the beginning, he gave an audience member the mic to sing along to his entrance music by Whitney Houston, then proceeded to cover topics like life in New York, relationships, drug use, drinking, family life, and even Gollum impressions. I say “cover” topics but really his show is a random mix of setups and punchlines. His humor is less observational and more cheeky and theatrical. There were plenty audience interruptions as well, which Hanford comfortably ran with and riffed on. If he sees an opportunity for a joke, he takes it. At the end, he delivered endings to books that have not been written yet which were hilarious as well. So much so that I was sick for the next couple days recovering from the comedy I had been exposed to. Comedy so good, it gives you a fever, that’s what Hanford will be known for from now on, I’m sure.

Hanford’s set was witty, smart, and very very funny. Is this an hour that’s going to be part of a special sometime soon? I don’t know, but the man is still on tour, dammit! Make sure he doesn’t perform to half-packed rooms anymore!

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