The New Redesign Is Here!

Starting today, the Boston Comedy Blog looks a little different. I have ditched the old blocky design for something I hope looks a little cleaner and is easier to read and use. I’ve also retooled some of the features to make this a site you can visit every day for useful information.

The most extensive change by far is the listings, which you can access by clicking the “Comedy Calendar” in the top navigation. These are the most complete comedy listings for the city of Boston and beyond that you will find anywhere. I have made an effort to include every club, open mics, and even TV and radio spots. There are a few more stragglers coming in as the monthly schedules change, but what’s there so far takes up over 60 pages in Word format. If you have any listings for me, click on “Contact” above and e-mail me, including “Comedy Listings” in the subject line.

I also have a box in the upper righthand corner featuring a few shows going on every week, which I will update on Mondays. So if you’re planning your week, look there first. If you don’t see anything that suits you, check the calendar. There’s bound to be something to make you laugh every week (even if you just stay home and watch something like Showtime’s Fierce Funny Women special, which features Betsy Salkind and debuts March 10 at 8:30PM).

I will be approaching some of the content a little differently, as well. I will be writing more feature type pieces – like one about why comedians leave Boston that is forthcoming later this week. I will be out at Eugene Mirman’s show at the Paradise tonight taking pictures to provide a gallery and review. I will still have longer print interviews like I have done with Louis CK, Barry Crimmins, and Dick Gregory. I will also have short, 6-10 minute video interviews. And every so often, I will dip back into the past 13 year’s worth of interviews I have done writing for publications like The Boston Globe and The Boston Phoenix for some unpublished quotes and Q&As.

I have also added to the “Classic Clips” section, which will be a work in progress. Ideally, I will be adding video of comics from different eras in Boston comedy history that either capture a comic at a Boston club or a performance from around the time they were here. If you have a good one, e-mail me. Or if you’re a comic, venue, radio show, or local comedy blog, let me know and I’ll add you to the appropriate list in the top navigation.

Finally, if you’re curious about who the hell spends this much time writing about Boston comedy, I have added an extensive biography in the About Nick section (that’s me – Nick Zaino).

I have a few more ideas for things to add to the site that are still developing, so check back to plan your comedy viewing schedule, to find out what’s going on this week, or to learn a bit about the rich history of the Boston comedy scene.

Thanks for clicking me.