Punch Line Philly, the city’s newest comedy club, located adjacent to the Fillmore Philadelphia, hosted its grand opening on Friday, July 8. After a successful soft opening the week prior, in which comedic powerhouse Dave Chappelle delivered four gut-busting performances, the kid gloves came off for a full-fledged launch this past weekend.

  Ruben Paul, playing the role of MC, kicked off the night by acknowledging the string of tragic and racially charged news stories before delivering a solid set that centered largely on his background as the son of Haitian immigrants.

  After Paul, Steve “Short Bus” Krause took the stage and delivered one of the most “did he really just say that?!” sets a crowd will ever see. Krause was born with arthrogryposis, a rare condition that confines him to a wheelchair and leaves him with extremely limited arm and leg movement. Krause used his condition as the basis for an extremely irreverent (and hilarious) 15-minute set that left the crowd squirming.

  Headliner Russell Peters (Last Comic Standing) brought down the house with an hour-long set that played up his Indian heritage. Peters began with a 20-minute riff fest with audience members before launching into a seemingly stream-of-conscious diatribe that ranged from the patently outrageous (being duped into buying a $10,000 “castle bed” for his daughter) to the hilariously mundane (painstakingly tiptoeing to the bathroom in the middle of the night, so as to not disturb his girlfriend).

Sharing the spotlight with these three talented comedians was the venue itself. For most in the crowd, this was their first look at the 300-seat club that will compete with dozens of entertainment venues nearby. While Punch Line Philly doesn’t stray too far from the traditional comedy club aesthetics, there are a few reminders that this is a brand new facility. While waiting for the show to begin, audience members are treated to a rotating array of jokes and reminders (Two drink minimum! No heckling!) on a state-of-the-art projection screen. The industrial feel of the building is complemented by modern furniture and lighting.

  Like the Fillmore next door, it’s clear that promoters want to make the club a destination, not just a detour. A fully stocked detached bar (with accompanying outdoor patio) encourages club goers to come early and stay late. General Manager Asyia Ahmed acknowledged as much in a conversation with Spirit News.

  “The Fishtown entertainment scene is growing rapidly and with the success that we’ve seen with Live Nation’s Fishtown music venue, The Fillmore Philadelphia, we knew that it made perfect sense to bring Punch Line right next door. The combination of the two venues makes it an entertainment destination where you could potentially see a comedy show and a concert all in the same evening while enjoying great food, drinks, and atmosphere,” she said.

When asked if Punch Line plans to expand beyond the realm of professional comedy to embrace and engage the local Fishtown community, Ahmed didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, absolutely. We will look to host open mic nights eventually as well as private events. We have an amazing Special Events team that coordinates parties, fundraisers, banquets, and more,” she said.