The First Annual

Laugh Riot Comedy & Music Festival

Laugh. Vote. Riot.

Cincinnati's comedy and live-music scenes collide at The Comet every Saturday this summer — July 11 through August 29 — for an audience-powered showdown. 56 comedians compete. You decide who advances.

Each week, 6 Rookie and 3 Veteran comedians take the stage and battle for your votes and judges' scores. Weekly winners earn $50, a future Bombs Away! booking, and a spot in the Finals. After the laughs, Cincinnati's best punk, metal, hardcore, and rock bands play the night out — plus killer burritos. Tickets are priced low so everyone can make it.

The heart and soul of Bombs Away! Comedy lies within the legendary, storied music venue known as The Comet. For 30 years, The Comet has been an iconic locale for music across every imaginable genre, and now hosts Bombs Away! Comedy shows every Saturday night. If you’ve ever wanted to be the person who is able to say, “I saw them back when…,” these shows are the place to do it.

Reserve your tickets for an offbeat date, an unconventional night out with friends, and see some of America’s best comedy acts in an intimate setting. The Comet is a Northside institution featuring giant burritos, easy street parking with ample lighting, and a staggering selection of spirits and local craft beverages. If you’re not already hip to this staple in Cincinnati nightlife, join us!

Tonight's Performers

Rookie Comedians

Ralph Bright, Ryan Bush, Nicole Donahue, Cody Morrison, Jazmin Smith, Stephen Stewart

Veteran Comedians

 Rashika Jaipuriar, Shondolyn Jones, Josh O’Neill

Headliner

Vik Pandya is a nationally touring stand up comic based in Chicago. Known for his sharp self-deprecation, observational humor on dating, & hilarious crowd work, his comedy album 'Friends With 401(k) Benefits' debuted #1 on iTunes / Top 10 on the Billboard Charts. Vik’s Dry Bar Comedy special ‘No Refunds’ hit Top 10 on the platform, and his Only Fans TV special is now streaming. Listen to his popular podcast ‘The Business of Comedy’ on all platforms.

Vik has opened for Trevor Wallace, Roy Wood Jr., & Michelle Wolf and performs regularly at Zanies Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory, & The Improv in Chicago. He's been featured in 24 comedy festivals across the country including: San Francisco’s Sketchfest, NBC's Breakout Fest, & the Riot Comedy Fest.

He's also a regular opener for international acts like Vir Das, Zakir Khan & Atul Khatri. Vik's comedy has appeared in Vulture, the Chicago Sun Times, & the Chicago Tribune. Follow him on IG / twitter @vikpandya and TikTok @vik_pandya

Live Music

Green Fuzz

Prizes

Weekly Winner

$50+ booking + Finals invite

Finals Winner

$300+ second booking

Your Vote Counts

Winners are decided equally by audience vote and judges' scores. Each ticket gets you a vote for your 2 favorite rookies and 2 favorite veterans. No joke experience required — just an opinion and a good time.