EDDIE GRIFFIN

Critically-acclaimed stand-up comic coming to downtown Evansville

Eddie Griffin has been killing audiences with laughter for over 30 years now. Named one of the Top 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All-Time by Comedy Central, the Kansas City native first made waves back in the early 90's as a main player in the Def Comedy Jam phenomenon that swept the entertainment world. Around the same time his HBO special One Night Stand was nominated for a Cable Ace Award, an accolade that opened the door to acting roles in films such as Coneheads, Armageddon and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. In all, Griffin has appeared in 50+ features, showcasing his talents beyond the stage.

In addition to his film work, Griffin is widely known for playing hilarious characters on the small screen, too. His star turn in the UPN TV series Malcom & Eddie earned him a NAACP Image Award for Best Actor. More recently, Griffin's returned to his stand-up comedy roots, shooting a third Showtime special that aired in 2019 while also making further strides in Hollywood. That same year he acted alongside Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Morgan Freeman in The Comeback Trail; the film is due for a theatrical release in 2023. In 2020, Griffin played the Devil in Bad President, available on VOD.

Don't miss this comedy legend at the Victory on July 1!

For tickets and more info, visit victorytheatre.com. The Victory is located at 600 Main St. in downtown Evansville.

HENDERSON'S

TAPPED

Upcoming Shows

Safe to say that few music clubs can boast the origin story of The Elm, one of the area's up-andcoming hotspots for live entertainment. After all, the venue began life as an award-winning antiques store that served the Henderson community well for nearly a decade. But like so many tri-state businesses, its success was stymied by the pandemic. To make matters worse, a drunk driver then plowed through the front of the building, forcing owner Brian Glick to board the place up for nine months. As the longtime musician succinctly states, "antiques never came back." But as the old saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade... With his main business kaput, Glick went about reimagining the 5000 sq ft space as an entertainment venue, leaning on his connections with many of the area's best bands to create a serious haven for live music that was sorely needed in downtown Henderson.

Glick himself rocks out in three bands currently, including the recently resurrected Scarecrow which will play its first show in 14 years on June 2 at The Elm. But this isn't about giving his own musical projects a platform; he's made it a point from day one to book mind-blowing acts from around the tri-state and beyond, such as Crooked Eye Tommy, The Jim Gustin Band and 2 Miles Back - all of which have packed the place and kept patrons seemingly glued to their seats. "We have space for dancing but most people are just so enthralled with the performances that they're just sitting there with their jaws down, really getting into the music itself," Glick says. But while Glick takes credit for bringing in the talent, he's quick to note the invaluable role that his wife Lisa plays, dubbing her "the one who makes it all happen." In addition to scheduling events and doing design work, she bartends, too. "We couldn't do it without her," Glick maintains.

While June is set to be another banner month at The Elm with a series of great shows lined up, the best is yet to come in late July when the venue will co-host the iconic Sandy Lee SongFest, along with Rookies Restaurant & Sports Bar. Glick considers it a real coup; he's totally jazzed to welcome some of Nashville's most in-demand songwriters to perform and share the stories behind their biggest hits. It's not entirely unexpected, though. Since opening The Elm, Glick has held singer-songwriter nights once a month (they also do open mic comedy and paranormal nights) which have routinely drawn Sandy Lee folks up to Henderson. "Everybody on the [Sandy Lee] board has been coming to the shows - they really love the atmosphere here," he says. "And every band that has played here so far has said it's one of the best sounding they've ever played in."