Patton Oswalt and Friends at Largo

Patton Oswalt and Friends at Largo in Los Angeles, 6.30.08. As a concert venue, Largo is known for two things  – great music and great comedy (well, that and lousy parking). Continuing this tradition from their old home on Farifax Avenue, comedian’s comedian Patton Oswalt‘s comedy show made its triumphant return to the Largo stage on June 30th with a stellar set of “friends” that included Blaine Capatch, Michael Penn and New Zealand superstars Flight of the Conchords.

The show itself is more of a variety type program than the kind of random playlist format you might find at your local Improv. Because all of the performers seem to have a good working report and enjoy sharing the stage with each other, the atmosphere was loose and friendly. Comic Blaine Capatch served as host for the evening and provided a nice palette cleanser and buffer between each performer while giving us just a taste of his talents.

Flight of the Conchords went on first. Their appearance both surprised and deflated the anticipation in the room that was stacked in the New Zealanders’ favor. Their set was short, performing only two songs, both new, both unnamed but more than satisfied the fans in the audience who probably would have been just as happy had they phoned in their performance (literally). They were greeted with such elation and applause that they might as well have been the closers of the evening but the show kept rolling with surprise guest Margaret Cho.

Cho’s material, which included her experience getting a “G-Shot” for an upcoming reality show, was suitably tasteless and hilarious. What really sold her set was a giddy, child like enthusiasm to share, as if she had just been told a dirty joke and wanted to share it with all of her friends.

Writer/performer Karen Kilgariff took the stage next, followed by musician Michael Penn. His compositions acted as counterbalance to the Conchords more jokey (if still quite catchy) comedy song stylings that lent just the right amount of longing to the laughter.

At the close of the evening, Patton Oswalt finally took the stage. His appearance was almost anti-climactic given the stellar talent on display in the moments leading to. Patton has long been one of my favorite comedians and proof that stand up as an end-all-be-all form of entertainment is far from dead. Like the truly great comedians, his work focuses on his obsessions, namely comic books, movies and the general idiocy of the human species. It’s a credit to Oswalt’s comedic abilities that even an ardent George Lucas admirer such as myself found his material on the latest Indiana Jones chapter pretty funny.

It’s a strange thing to see stand up comedy this good presented on a stage that mimicked a high school auditorium but nevermind, tonight’s show served as a reminder that comedy is alive and well at Largo.

- Joe Cortez