Tonight's show at the Cleveland Improv was definitely one to remember. The show featured comedians Rob Ward, Patrick Melton, and headliner Jay Phillips. Phillips is no newcomer to comedy, having been all over HBO comedy specials and Def Comedy Jam. He also carried a leading role in the 2008 film Semi Pro alongside Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, and Outkast's Andre Benjamin. He's now a part of the new BET sketch series The Xperiment!
Rob Ward emcee'd the show, offering his own unique brand of comedy that had the audience at ease. Ward often emcees a number of shows here at the Improv, and continues to build his following with each show. He always does a fantastic job with warming the crowd up.
Patrick Melton followed Ward with a hilarious set that had the audience laughing energetically from the start. There wasn't necessarily one thing that Melton focus on. He talked about a variety of topics, but it was more conversational. That's what made him easily relate with the crowd, ultimately wining them over, Both Ward and Melton were the added bonus of the night, as with the Improv, only the headliner is advertised. You don't necessarily know who you're getting with the openers, so being completely honest, the show could go one of two ways. Tonight was definitely one of those nights where each comedian rocked hard.
Following the trend of the night, Jay Phillips commandeered the crowd with no trouble whatsoever. His often animated delivery made for a fun time, and his style, also conversational, definitely won the audience immediately. It was basically like he was spending the night talking with friends, and nothing was off limits. One of the things that stood out for me was his impression of President Barack Obama. Anyone in the audience would say he was "spot on" with the President's dialect. We definitely can't give too much away in reference to what he joked about, but we emphatically say that Phillips is absolutely hilarious, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not going out to see him, wherever the is.
Phillips will be here in Cleveland throughout the remainder of the weekend performing with both Patrick Melton and Rob Ward at the Cleveland Improv. For more info or to purchase tickets, contact 216-696-4977, or visit www.clevelandimprov.com
Jay Phillips can be found on both Twitter and Instagram with the handle: @jayphillipslive
Patrick Melton can be found on both Twitter and Instagram with the handle: @pmelt
Rob Ward can be found on Instagram with the handle: @robwardcomedy