Chicago Broadcasting Network

Headliner Erica Rhodes has appeared on Modern Family and Veep. She was making her way back to Los Angeles through Chicago after working the comedy club Penguin’s and a casino bar in Iowa over the weekend.  The lithe thirty something wearing a corduroy jeans jacket with fleece collar had a white knit cap pulled tight over her blond hair, looking like she was ready for the worst that the Windy City had to offer.  She may have looked cold but her comedy was hot on this rainy October evening.

The show @ North Bar began with Steve Gerard the warm up comedian. A native of Minnesota currently living here said he works this venue a few times a month honing his craft and trying out new material.  His set was an amusing array of mostly disjointed thoughts and non sequiturs randomly offered to see what might be worth further development. Overall a perfect opening act which had no fear of overshadowing the headliner.

Erica confidently took the stage and began a very comfortable conversation with the intimate audience. When someone said something about band camp Erica began to riff for about ten or fifteen minutes about her first love and first kiss as a fourteen year old at orchestra camp in Maine. She is a cellist and both of her parents are professional musicians.

It’s obvious this young comic has been a studious observer of her (no kidding) uncle, Garrison Keillor as she did a superb job of sharing this seemingly extemporaneous humorous and winsome tale of young love. The second half of her set consisted of more of her prepared material but full of pithy observations and enjoyable anecdotes.

Erica’s approach is not loud in-your-face or confrontational comedy. She is much more introspective and smart. Like having a drink with a very funny friend.

This set had a lot of relationship humor which would play well with couples or on a date night but certainly resonates with those who might be at “loose ends.”

I think both performers did a good job of sizing up this particular audience which skewed a bit older as they deftly avoided the more overtly sophomoric humor you usually find at most comedy clubs today.

Erica Rhodes can be found on twitter @ericarhodes and will be touring several military bases in the U.S. and Guam in the coming months.

This Wicker Park tavern serves stand-up comedy nearly every night.

Check out the Live at North Bar Calendar http://www.liveatnorthbar.com/calendar/ to see upcoming shows including an open mic at 4:00 on Saturdays.

Details: @ North Bar, 1637 W North Ave., Chicago, IL 60622 Telephone: 773-697-3563

Open nightly until 2 a.m (3 a.m. on Saturday) Closed Tuesday. Light food available by delivery from nearby restaurant. There is a modest cover charge for performances, check website for details.