NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—New Brunswick is surely a hotbed of truly artistic people, and stand up comedians are no exception.

This week the Hub City will feature two great comedy showcases, starting with tonight’s show in the basement of Tumulty’s Pub, at 361 George Street.

On Thursday, October 24, Tumulty’s is hosting the third Colonel Mastodon Showcase, featuring a dozen local comedians.  And, the following evening, Hidden Grounds coffee shop will host another great show.

Standup comedy is finding a supportive and growing community in the Hub City, and both of these showcases are a direct result of that trend.

New Brunswick has many open mics and free shows, but these two showcases are a chance to see professional-level comedy at a fraction of the price.  All the comics are regulars in the tri-state area, and each brings a distinct style to the stage.

The Colonel Mastadon show has a suggested $3 donation, while the Hidden Grounds show is a $5 BYOB event.

The Colonel Mastodon show first began in July when producers Dan Farley and Shawn Barron reached out to the owners of Tumulty’s Pub to propose a show.

The duo have already had two sucessful showings at at the venue and show no signs of slowing down.

This month’s comedians include Farley, Haolun Xu, Daniel Caprio, Alex Nicholas, Tizie Irie, Matt Nedostup, Seth-Michael Serrano and many more.  The show will have a Halloween theme, so attendees are encouraged to wear a costume.

The hosts will once again be Shawn Barron and the author of this article.

Then on Saturday, Hidden Grounds XI continues a tradition of great comedy shows at one of the popular coffee house.

Producers Joe McAndrew and Pat Goldssmith are hosting their own monthly comedic showcase at Hidden Grounds coffee shop, located at 106 Easton Avenue.

The lineup includes comedians Matt Nedostup, Kevin Dombrowski, Jimmie Allinder, JC Hendricks, Joey Massaro and more.

The show producers suggest attendees  get to the venue by 8, and the show starts at 8:30.

Editor’s Note: The author of this article is one of the host’s of the Colonel Mastadon show.