Dec 29, 2009

A January Show and Maylee Todd.

Hi world,

There was a free night at the Comedy Bar so Graham is sailing back from Mexico to do another Iron Cobra Show.

These shows are the best and only seem like they are happening monthly. From now on, Iron Cobra is living in the now and only booking shows with almost no warning.

We can warn you of this, though: We will be performing on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 8:00pm at the Comedy Bar.

This time, our very special musical guest will be the lovely and ageless Maylee Todd. Maylee is great and you will love her a lot.

maylee


Again:
Saturday
January
16
2010
8:00pm
Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
Toronto
$5

Nov 6, 2009

Guest Announced for November Iron Cobra Show.

Magali Meagher is going to be joining us for this, our last Iron Cobra Show of 2009. Also, this might be our last show ever...or our last stand-alone Iron Cobra show in Toronto for some time, anyway. We say things like this a lot, but they are always true.

So come on out, see Magali sing beautiful songs and laugh at something awkward unfolding before you.

As always, Mark Andrada will be helping/hindering us from the booth.

IRON COBRA Show
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
9:30pm
The Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
$5 at the door

Oct 30, 2009

Tim Meadows Weekend. November 6-9, 2009.

While not an official Iron Cobra show, we thought we should announce this very special Catch23 Improv show that is hovering on the horizon.

For the Friday, November 6th Catch23 show, the regular crew will be joined by both Saturday Night Live alumnus, Tim Meadows, and stellar Winnipeg improv duo (and our pals) CRUMBS.

Graham and Becky will probably not be playing together but will both be in the show.

Why is this all happening, you ask? Why, to celebrate the first anniversary of The Comedy Bar. The Comedy Bar is the home of both Catch23 (which we co-produce) and the Iron Cobra Show. We could not be happier that someone was crazy enough to found a venue dedicated to the vibrant and varied independent comedy scene of Toronto and wish Gary and James nothing but success in the long life of this space.

Catch23
with CRUMBS, Tim Meadows & more
Friday, November 6, 2009
8:00pm
The Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
$8

Oct 13, 2009

Guests announced for extra-spooky October 29th Show.



Hey look up there! It's long-time friend and honorary Cobra, Kenneth Farrell of Gravity Wave. He will be hollering at y'all solo at our next Toronto show. Maybe he'll jump around (it happens), or help us make scenes.



And who's this plucky ranger? Why it's Bob Kerr of the Sketchersons and Sunday Night Live (I can't find links for you guys, Google just throws me weird worship circles and the like). Bob set himself a lofty goal of doing 100 stand-up sets in 2009. At last count he is at about 88. Not only do we generally respond well to challenges of quantity, Iron Cobra also loves to coattail on any record attempt. ANY. So we are giving Bob the stage for part of our October show. But since these Iron Cobra shows aim to be a fully integrated entertainment experience and not just your run-of-the-mill cabaret, Bob has agreed to our caveat that we be given microphones during he set so that we can comment on the proceedings as they happen. This is true.

As always, we will also be nuzzled by Mark Andrada from the booth. He also has a microphone back there...

Iron Cobra Show
Thursday, October 29th
Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
10:00pm
$8
on the facebook

Sep 27, 2009

Friends, the time is nearing.

Hi guys,

So our weekly Toronto engagement is set to begin in just a few days (on Wednesday at 9:30pm, to be precise) and we thought we should fill in some last-minute details and surprises for you, the people of the future.

First, We are being joined on stage (kinda) but local sci-fi folk singer/songwriter and longtime compatriot, Laura Barrett. That's a picture of her above.

Secondly (but not in a secondary way), Mr. Mark Andrada will be joining us from the booth. Mark is an endlessly talented performer both on and off stage and we are very lucky to have him calling our scenes and making them better through technology.


Okay, see you all Wednesday.

Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
9:30pm
$8

Sep 18, 2009

Catch23 Improv. Friday, September 18, 2009. Toronto.


Photo by Prof. Bill Leahy

We will be explaining ourselves on stage together tonight at Catch23 in Toronto.

8:00pm
The Comedy Bar
$8

You should come.

Sep 14, 2009

Home on the Road.


Photo by Rene Dellefont

We had very little internet access this weekend so updates about this year's World Domination TheatreSports Tournament were not as constant as they could have been. Just to make sure we never forget, I will try to list everything that happened over four days here:

-My mom drove us to Buffalo
-We ran into Woodhands in the Buffalo Airport
-Chris Blair told us that Team Vancouver had been turned back at the border
-We did a show where we got totally slimed
-Prison Shower!
-We got drunk
-We blacked out for the rest of the time
-Vague memories of everyone being really funny
-Whirly Ball!
-Graham threw up from eating too much ribs
-So did Josh
-We made things up on stage and/or read some favorite scripts
-Dance party DJ'ed by Rene!
-Donuts!
-Another blackout
-Chris Blair helped us clarify our artistic visions on stage
-Drinking games
-We lost our trophy or maybe Arlen stole it
-We got to ride back to Toronto on a double-decker bus!

So that is my version of things. Graham might pipe up with his, but it seems unlikely. Also, more pictures might appear here (but this is also unlikely). At the very least, Whirly Ball merits some visuals aids. So does the reality of what we look like soaked in maple syrup, mayonnaise and chocolate.

Love,

Becky

Sep 5, 2009

Sneak Preview of New Commodities.



Yesterday, the Iron Cobra labs were all abuzz with merchandising. Pictured here is a sneak peek at some "tee shirts" we have been developing to support our "comedy".

Look for them at our monthly shows and on your backs.

Huge thank-yous go out to Shannon Gerard for doing the printing and Reverend Aitor for making the artwork.

Young Willy wanted one so badly that he had to take off his shirt to get one. Don't be outclassed by an eight year old.


Aug 29, 2009

Hot town, here we come.

Yup.

We're coming back to Atlanta.

Fathers, lock up your ribs.

Aug 18, 2009

Department of Mythology produces results.


Photo by Dustin Parr

Thank you, Dusty, for capturing our collective spirit, yet again, in soul-stealing photographic form.

Everyone ever should hire Dusty to shoot all their lucrative cool pictures, especially arty magazines.

Note from Becky: Non-thank you to both Graham and Dusty for refusing to help me pull off my dress when that ant was biting me in the chest.

Jun 16, 2009

Next Stop, The Twin Cities. June 26, 2009.

We are very pleased to be performing at the Twin Cities Improv Festival for our first time ever, and it is quickly approaching. Even more pleasing is that after consulting with the schedule, we discovered that our show is a double bill with one of our favorite Minneapolis improv outfits, Ferrari McSpeedy. What a treat! Tickets are on sale now and are a very reasonable $10.

Becky is also teaching a couple workshops over the weekend if that's the sort of thing you are into. Come learn how to be weird and awkward while Graham sleeps or pouts. Or both!

Jun 13, 2009

Big news: New monthy show in Toronto.


Photo by Charlie Bellemare

Apologies for this strange and out-of-date picture. We are much older and normaller now. It's just that the internet is so visual these days we couldn't fathom imageless news.

But this is not important. What is important is that we have just done some hand shaking with Mr. Gary Rideout Jr. to secure a monthly spot at the illustrious Comedy Bar on posh Bloor Street West.

After we get some summer touring out of our systems, we will be taking over the 9:30 slot on the last Wednesday of the month. Here are some details for that hardcore fan of ours:
Wednesday, September 30 - 9:30pm
Wednesday, October 28 - 9:30pm
Wednesday, November 25 - 9:30pm

We are going to give this thing a three month go so it will be up to you, throngs, to tell us whether it is a good idea or not. If it is, we will extend the run and end up performing the day before New Year's Eve. This can't fail!

Jun 8, 2009

Ghost Jail. Sunday, June 14th. Toronto.

It is the truth; we will be doing a pre-tour opening set for Toronto's Ghost Jail Theatre on Sunday, June 14. Then we stick around to climb into their regular longform improv set. These Ghost Jail shows are always a load of laughs so we are looking forward to both causing and watching some trouble unfold. We also get to return to the stage on which we were born. Ick.

Sunday, June 14, 2009
Clinton's Tavern
(Bloor & Clinton - at Christie Station)
7:00pm
$6/$5

Jun 5, 2009

New artwork for a new year (the kind of year that starts in June).

Look what the good Reverend Aitor made us!

Stay tuned for this illustration's upcoming purposes.

Jun 2, 2009

catch23 lives on.


As our million readers well know, IRON COBRA was orginally born as a team at catch23 Improv, a loosely competitive improv show in the city of Toronto. At that time we also had some dead weight named Josh holding us back (thankfully, we managed to pawn him off on a string of television and film successes and were able to get on with our public spats unhindered).

catch23 has gone through many, many changes over the years. It has gone through plagues of fights, many power shifts, at least one demise and many resurrections. At this point, it seems time to accept that the vicissitudes of the show are within its basic nature.

To that end, the two of us have come back on board again as producers (for as long as the show will have us back). We are joined by Kurt Smeaton, Kayla Lorette and Alana Johnston in this undertaking and like them all quite a great deal. Even when we are away on tour, catch23 will be our home in Toronto - a show where people can kind of do what they please even if they make a hot mess. That's how we like our homes; hot and messy.

You can join us for catch23's 7 Year Anniversary Show on Friday, June 5th, 8:00pm at the Comedy Bar (945 Queen Street West). Graham will play with Alana and Becky with play with Kayla.

For more information check the catch23 website, facebook group or twitter.

May 24, 2009

Atlanta, Georgia, is our best friend.

We are pleased as peaches to announce that we will be returning to Atlanta, Georgia, once again this fall for the World Domination TheatreSports Championships hosted by Dad's Garage Theatre. This festival is a highlight of our year and probably keeps us alive through a harebrained alchemy of barbeque ribs, bad choices, screaming and yelling, and...oh, right...improv comedy.

The festival runs September 10-12, 2009 at Dad's Garage.

We might even have some surprises up our sleeves. Or maybe not. You will have to come out and see for yourself (and possibly be disappointed).

Apr 22, 2009

Help Needed in the IRON COBRA Department of Mythology.

Hi computers,

We need to do new promo shots. Can you help us come up with some ideas? Please refer to the picture above to see what sorts of 'concepts' we come up with on our own. We were trying to ape the VHS packaging for Overboard but somehow went astray.

Help.

Mar 16, 2009

Brokeback Pontiac. April 24, 2009. Toronto.

brokeback pontiac close
Artwork by Tyler Brett

Our next Toronto performance will be at Brokeback Pontiac, a funrasing evening for Boris Carloff (Becky's car that has taken us everywhere). There is a great line-up of performers and a silent auction early in the night that will have a little something for everyone.

See:
Brokeback Pontaic
Friday, April 24, 2009
6:30pm (doors)
7:00pm (silent auction)
8:00pm (show starts, silent auction closes)
The Comedy Bar

Hosted by Chris Locke

With performances by:
Kathleen Phillips
Zeesy Powers
Iron Cobra
Kurt Smeaton
Alana Johnston & Kayla Lorette
Megan Fraser
Levi MacDougall
Katie Crown
Sara Hennessy
&
More!

And silent auction items from:
Leah Buckareff
Claire Milne
The Sweetie Pie Press
WORN Fashion Journal
&
More!
Find out more here.

Feb 25, 2009

Memory Lane.

We need some pictures for a few upcoming things so I went on a computer picture hunt and found some old stuff. Then I started putting them online. I wonder if this activity will continue. I think I am aging better than Graham.



Love,

Becky

Feb 20, 2009

Twin Cities Improv Festival.


It has taken us three years to hook it up, but we are finally attending the Twin Cities Improv Festival this June. Get ready, cities. We plan on wrecking you up.

Feb 2, 2009

Gracing the Stage Launch Show. February 20, 2009.

When asked to host the show for his upcoming web launch, we told Steve it sounded like a bad idea. But his website, Gracing the Stage, is quite a good idea and he is a loyal friend, so we threw caution to the wind and agreed. But we need you help. You need to come to the show and enjoy it.

February 20, 2009
Bread & Circus
299 Augusta Avenue
(in Kensington Market)

Here a write-up from the facebook event:
Hosted by improv duo Iron Cobra, the 1st launch party will take place at Bread and Circus on Feb. 20th, featuring performances from Entire Cities, The Williamson Playboys, Gravity Wave, Levi Macdougall, Maylee Todd, 10,000 to Flight, Convergence Theatre, and Carnegie Hall!

The line-up for the second night, at Comedy Bar on Feb. 21st, will be announced shortly.

Advance tickets for both shows will soon be available at their respective venues, and at record store Soundscapes (572 College St.). Tickets will be $12 in advance, and $15 at the door.

The venues were chosen for the fact that they are artist owned and operated; since neither is particularly large, advance tickets are HIGHLY recommended. These shows WILL sell out!
At the very least, don't you want to come to understand why the man pictured above runs one of Toronto's preeminent performance blogs?