When you think of cities that have strong comedy scenes, the places that usually come to mind are New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Of course, comedy has existed in the relative underground everywhere else in the country, and the Northwest is no different, but for whatever reason comedy clubs outside of the well-known areas never quite get the same attention.

Recently, here in Tacoma, the formation of several comedy clubs has taken place. One might say the most successful of the lot is the Tacoma Comedy Club.

Seeing comedy live is a great and markedly different experience from watching it on television-which is how most people have taken in stand-up since the early '90s. Live comedy is a completely different beast. The power of seeing a performer mere feet in front of you, the possibility of something spontaneous and unexpected happening, and the communal effect of laughing with a group of strangers is palpable.

Since opening in October 2010, and moving to a new location in the old Rhythm & Brews building in March, the Tacoma Comedy Club has seen a steady rise in the national recognition of comedians they're able to book. Comedians of all types have passed through, including Dave Chappelle writing partner Neal Brennan, absurdist alt-comic Rory Scovel, and veteran motormouth Bobby Slayton.

"We started smaller with more local acts and then we branched out to using national comedians," says Tacoma Comedy Club manager Adam Norwest. "Now, we're able to sprinkle in bigger acts, here and there. ... I think the longer we're open, the more often we'll be able to have them. But, we do make sure that, each and every week, even if the comic isn't somebody you've heard of, that it's quality comedy. We really strive to bring something different to Tacoma that hasn't been seen a million times... We think, if you come one week and enjoy the show, you'll be able to come the next week and enjoy the show just as much."

In addition to the Tacoma Comedy Club's regular shows, the club also offers live jazz and blues on Sunday, a College ID Night on Thursday (wherein you get in free if you flash a college ID), and a comedy open mic on Wednesday. If you've never seen a comedy open mic before, you should really check it out. As one would expect, the performers are hit-and-miss, being that they're generally just getting started in comedy. But it's a fascinating thing to watch or even to participate in.

Complete with a full bar and a cool atmosphere, the Tacoma Comedy Club is a great place to visit on a Friday or Saturday, or even just to swing by during the week.

[Tacoma Comedy Club, 933 Market St, Tacoma, 253.282.7203]