Alongside I Love Video, another Eighties Institution and Survivor closed its doors for good. Originally Cap City was a Laff Stop franchise during the Eighties’ Comedy Boom, when places as tiny as Springfield, IL had a club! When the Comedy Bust came, I think in the early Nineties, Austin survived and in 1996 the name was changed alongside new ownership. From those days on, Cap City did much better as national acts were booked, the new talent was cultivated (the owners helped rookies get to the bigger festivals in Montreal and San Francisco) and the venue was key to the Moontower Fest; this was also canceled but will be back in 2021 (hopefully) as three weekends. Austin also received some fame through the place: Matha Kelly, Chris Cubas and Daniel Webb started here; Patton Oswalt’s album Werewolves and Lollipops was recorded here; and Matt Bearden’s Netflix special was taped here several years ago (it paid for the stage’s makeover). Other comedians often joke about how our club was part of a strip mall when they were guests on Marc Maron’s show; hey, maybe I can learn karate between sets!
For me, the list is very long of who I’ve seen since I started going around 2000. You can see them all via my Brushes with Greatness section. I’m a tad behind updating it since Jackie Kashian deserves her due, she’s great and originates from Milwaukee! The staff was always good to me. For a place with a two-item minimum, they had excellent cheeseburgers and they weren’t stingy on soda refills.
Given Austin’s size and the growth, all is not lost forever. When it comes to stand-up comedy, this is just a painful setback. We’re the 11th largest American city. We remain loved by creative types despite the Dallasification/Californication happening; I think Austin is like LA or Chicago with less bullshit. Moontower is likely to continue. Not every comedian wants to play the Paramount, State Theater or Bass Hall, they lack intimacy and I’ve seen how many stand-ups are energized by the audience. Plus SXSW has a comedy element and I’ve gotten hooked on J T Habersaat’s Altercation Fest after seeing Eddie Pepitone headline last year.
Cap City. Thank you. You brought in so many people who made me laugh until it hurt. Something TV and film doesn’t do very often. You introduced me to Austin’s local talent and I hope they keep on reaching for the stars. I know you will rise from the ashes. You may have another name. You may have another location. But you can count on me to be there whenever my faves or others I’m curious out come to your venue.