Punch Line Philly will put on an outdoor comedy series
Concert promoter Live Nation is taking a second step back into live entertainment in Philly with a series of outdoor patio shows at the Fishtown club Punch Line Philly.
In its next small step back into presenting live events, Live Nation announced Wednesday that it has booked local comics for an outdoor concert series that will kick off next week at the Fishtown club Punch Line Philly.
The Punch Line Patio Series begins with Pat House & Friends on Aug. 7, and the plan is for it to continue through the warm weather months. The shows will be staged in a patio area previously known as the venue’s Callback Bar.
So far, the Punch Line Patio Series features all local Philly comics. Mary Radzinski, who released her debut album Discomfortable in 2018, is scheduled to appear on Aug. 8 and Setoiyo on Aug. 13.
Socially distanced seating arrangements will limit the outdoor audience capacity to 50 patrons, who will be required to wear masks as they enter the venue and move to their tables. Food and drinks will be served.
There’s no word on whether national acts like Bill Bellamy or Dominique — comics scheduled to play Punch Line this month who had shows canceled due to the pandemic — will be added in the future. It seems unlikely, however, with the current limited seating capacity.
The Punch Line Patio Series is a second step in Live Nation’s return to booking shows in Philadelphia after four and a half months of quiet since the pandemic brought the live entertainment business to a halt.
» READ MORE: Live Nation concerts are coming soon to the Citizens Bank Park parking lot
Last week, the company announced its Live-In Drive-In series of shows in the parking lot at Citizens Bank Park, kicking off with comedian Bert Kreischer on Aug. 16 and including dates with the Struts on Aug. 22 and Dark Star Orchestra on Sept. 5 and 6.
Tickets for the Punch Line series are $27.50 and on sale at punchlinephilly.com. It’s expected that more acts will be added to the club’s calendar in the coming weeks.
Live Nation also runs the Fillmore Philadelphia, the music venue across the street from Punch Line Philly, also shuttered since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.