TNK Brings On The Ha Ha

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 7, 2011 7:20PM

This year, Tomorrow Never Knows is branching out to the Hideout, and to comedy. Sure, Chicago is home to the Second City elite of funny, but over the past few years, we’ve seen the live performance worlds of music and comedy colliding as music festivals around the country bring more than just bands to the stage. Wyatt Cenac, Todd Barry and hometown hero Hannibal Burress round out the comedy line-up for TNK 2012 thus far, but keep on the look out for at least one more act to be announced in the coming weeks.

Wyatt Cenac is best known these days as a Daily Show correspondent (and writer), but starting out, he was also writer on FOX’s King of the Hill. Cenac gave us a peek at some of his stand up act at yet another Chicago music festival when he appeared at Pitchfork in the summer of 2010. He returns to the windy city, and a whole different climate, for two TNK shows on Saturday, January 14. Showtimes are 9pm and 11pm. Tickets are $20 (TNK badge holders should RSVP to hideoutinn@gmail.com since only 20 spots are held for each set).

The temporary Third Conchord on HBO’s Flight of the Conchords was just one of Todd Barry's memorable television appearances. He’s also guested on Bored to Death, Tim and Eric and Chappelle’s Show to name a few. You also may remember him as Mickey Rourke’s deli boss in 2009’s The Wrestler. His stand up is known for being low-key and deadpan, but no less funny, especially for those high-brow intellectuals. Barry performs two shows on Friday, January 13 at 9pm and 11pm. Tickets are $20 (TNK badge holders should RSVP to hideoutinn@gmail.com since only 20 spots are held for each set).

Hometown boy made good, Hannibal Buress, is currently a writer for NBC sitcom 30 Rock after spending a couple of seasons writing for Saturday Night Live. He shows off his stand up chops with a live show on Thursday, January 12 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and go on sale this Friday, December 9.