Musical comedy gets a bad rap. People often think musical comedians just end up in their lane because they're not gifted enough to do one or the other on its own. At the "AMP'd" show, this stereotype was both confirmed and proven wrong: house band the Cooties could barely be considered comedic, but their special guests Garfunkel and Oates (pictured) were unbelievable.
The Cooties' songs about making start-ups and seeing god in everything only got a few giggles, but they were very tight musically. Following their unremarkable set, they stuck around to back up Nick Thune and Josh Adam Meyers during their performances.
Nick Thune was self-indulgently aimless for half of his set, but he won the crowd over with a few sharp one-liners and his song about thinking that Iron Man was just about a guy that did a triathlon.
Following Thune, Josh Adam Meyers was amazingly present as he improvised his whole set. Singing about how overwhelmingly white the audience was, belting about taking baths while he's depressed, and forcing everyone to dance in their seats for awkward hilarity, it was clear that his years with the Goddamn Comedy Jam have made him a master of comedic rock.
After Josh Adam Meyers, Mary Lynn Rajskub did a whole set of just standup, no songs. It was decent material, but it didn't tie in to the show's theme and it felt out of place after nearly an hour of back-to-back music. Thankfully, Garfunkel and Oates saved the night with their amazing closing set. Performing all-new material, including one song they'd never performed live before, the duo were completely on point with their multiple key changes and elaborately witty lyrics.
The Cooties' songs about making start-ups and seeing god in everything only got a few giggles, but they were very tight musically. Following their unremarkable set, they stuck around to back up Nick Thune and Josh Adam Meyers during their performances.
Nick Thune was self-indulgently aimless for half of his set, but he won the crowd over with a few sharp one-liners and his song about thinking that Iron Man was just about a guy that did a triathlon.
Following Thune, Josh Adam Meyers was amazingly present as he improvised his whole set. Singing about how overwhelmingly white the audience was, belting about taking baths while he's depressed, and forcing everyone to dance in their seats for awkward hilarity, it was clear that his years with the Goddamn Comedy Jam have made him a master of comedic rock.
After Josh Adam Meyers, Mary Lynn Rajskub did a whole set of just standup, no songs. It was decent material, but it didn't tie in to the show's theme and it felt out of place after nearly an hour of back-to-back music. Thankfully, Garfunkel and Oates saved the night with their amazing closing set. Performing all-new material, including one song they'd never performed live before, the duo were completely on point with their multiple key changes and elaborately witty lyrics.
