Comedy Loses One of The Great Ones: Austin’s Historic Cap City is Closing
Late this afternoon we heard the sad news that Austin’s Cap City Comedy Club is closing its doors for good. The club is one of many victim’s of 2020 and Covid Restrictions and its a big loss for comedy. The club has been one of the great ones with an ownership and management team that truly loves and gets comedy. It’s a place where great comics want to perform, record albums and specials.
Rich Miller, Margie Coyle, Colleen McGarr and Duncan Strauss have been as important to comedy as anyone in the business, and they’re all devastated to have to shut down a club that has been helping to put Austin on the comedy map for 35 years. Austin has been such a vital part of the North American comedy scene, whether its providing a home for great live comedy, and great recorded comedy, or nurturing the country’s best up and coming comics, Cap City has always attracted the best of the best. With F.I.P.A. choosing the funniest person in Austin and the long running PUNCH series, its no wonder Austin sends young comics to Just for Laughs every year. Cap City has always provided a home for creativity and experimentation, and pushing the envelope, they’ve given back to the community with the Central Texas Food Bank and team CC has been such a tremendous part of one of the best comedy festivals in the world, and so much more.
We were always welcomed with open arms by the Cap City family whenever we were in Austin for the Moontower Comedy Festival, and had so much fun seeing great shows there. KLBJ’s Dudley and Bob + Matt Show host their annual Sideshow there, and through that, I met Colleen and the team, and formed forever friendships. The Dudley and Bob + Matt podcast was the best way to kick off Moontower every year at the club. And Cap City was always on The Interrobang’s year end list of the best clubs in North America. The loss will leave a huge gap in comedy.
You can read their announcement in their own words, below. Send some love on socials to Cap City– a great home for comedy. Cap City, you’re already missed.
Dear Austin Comedy Lovers,
We laughed until we cried
We are devastated to announce that we have to close the club.
After 35 years in this location, and 17 for us as owners, the struggle of being closed since March has proved insurmountable. It is a perfect storm of pandemic, lease and wanting to be responsible to our staff, comedians and audiences.We are part of the Austin Covid-19 story and stats- of entertainment venues that just could not survive.
Being owners of this amazing comedy club has been a highlight of in our lives. From Bill Hick’s live recordings to Patton Oswalt’s “Werewolves and Lollipops” to Ari Shaffir’ s Netflix special, to Matt Bearden’s “Punch” shows to Dale , Bob with Matt’s Sideshow podcasts, the magic of Maria Bamford, Ron White’s pop ins for tune ups, to the rise of Leanne Morgan to the Moontower special events, Doug Benson, the yearly JFL /Montreal showcases and of course to our crowning glory F.P.I,A. (Funniest Person In Austin) and seeing Lashonda Lester crowned at last. It has always been our mission to shine a light on, provide a space for and celebrate our extraordinary Austin Comedy Scene- the best in the country.Our blessings are too many to mention but here are a few:
Our beloved friend and partner Alex Coyle, he raised our collective bar to new heights. Chandy Popp-Kurzweil , Samantha Mitchell, our incredible waitstaff, staff past and present , our kitchen crew led by Kevin Creaney, every comedian that “brought it” from near and far and most of all our amazing audiences that supported every show, every new idea, star and newcomer.To our future ticket holders, we ask for your patience as we begin the refund process, you will be contacted if we need more info from you.
So live standup in Austin will be re-ignited at some point and please support. Cap City might be back but a little different. In the meantime THANK YOU to all the comedians, our amazing agents ( they are not as bad as you hear), our wonderful Austin Arts media, our partners at Moontower Comedy Festival, KLBJ, The Interrobang, The Comic’s Comic , our friends at Netflix and Comedy Central past and present and everyone that has made this such a proud and magical experience.
THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING 35 Years at 8120.
Rich Miller, Margie Coyle, Colleen McGarr and Duncan Strauss
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