CHICO — Stand-up comedian Dave Stone has been telling stories peppered with jokes for 17 years.
“I started writing jokes in my early twenties,” Stone said. “I thought, I’m not getting any younger, so I figured doing stand-up would be a fun thing to try, so I did and got hooked.”
Chico may get hooked on him as well. He’s set to perform at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. next week after last playing here six years ago.
Before becoming a comedian, Stone was a police officer in Atlanta for five years. Originally from a small town in Georgia, he started his comedy career in 2006.
Stone said his comedy is autobiographical, sometimes with a theme of lessons he’s learned growing older.
“I realized I don’t know as much as I thought I knew,” Stone said. “It’s more of a story then a joke. I also tell jokes about growing up in the south, which is a re-occurring theme. I pull from different life experiences. There’s a technique to telling a story in comedy form with jokes and laughs along the way.”
He became a headliner in 2008 and started working around Atlanta. He did that until 2012 and then moved to Los Angeles, where he still lives. He began performing and traveling out of town when he became a feature act in 2008 and began working regionally as a featured artist.
Stone said laughter from the audience is definitely “motivating.”
“Laughter is a form of approval from the audience,” he said. “I want people to trust me and for me to trust them. If I get more laughter I have the freedom of going off script.”
His comedic influences incoude Patton Oswald, Louis C.K. and David Cross.
“They got me excited to try it,” Stone said. “CK is one of the greats, although his is not a popular name to drop.
“It’s fun to make people laugh,” Stone continued. “Comedy is like a super power. If things go right you make people laugh their butts off whether they want to or not.”
Stone’s friend Ryan Singer is a comedian as well. Singer has known Stone for 15 years and they met through performing stand-up.
“There’s a common bond that forms among young comics,” Singer said. “We are drawn to people who are funny. I had a ‘comedy crush’ on Dave. I thought he was talented from the first time I saw him.”
Singer also lives in L.A. and performs anywhere from two to seven times a week. He said Stone’s comedy style is “home cooking.”
“It’s personal and relatable and hyper specific to his life,” Singer said. “He story tells with southern charm and in shows in characters he plays. He’s a natural storyteller and joke teller. He appreciates the craft of comedy.”
Singer loves to observe Stone’s comedy.
“Dave is a huge fan of stand-up comedy and that shows,” Singer said. “His love for stand-up comes through during his performances.”
Andy Sandford, another comic, is another fan of Stone.
“Dave and I started in Atlanta around the same time and he’s my longest comedy friend,” Sandford said. “Comedy wise, he has never wavered in honing his material to be more and more authentic. I think that’s why people listen to his podcasts every week and go see him every time he plays their town. He is always a genuine article with whatever he’s talking about.”
Stone will be performing March 21 at the Big Room at Sierra Nevada. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Also appearing are Tony Zavala from SF Punchline, Emma Haney from SAC Punchline and Maryam Moosavi from Laughs Unlimited.
To purchase tickets, visit https://sierranevada.com/event/dave-stone. Tickets are between $30 and $45.
Sing along with ‘Garth’
It’s not quite the real thing, but it’s probably as close to Garth Brooks as we can get.
The Oroville Concert Association — now in its 70th year — is presenting “Key of G Live! A Garth Brooks Tribute” on Friday, at 7 p.m. at the Oroville State Theatre.
The group is led by AJ Bistro on lead vocals and guitar, backed by a 6-piece band. Bistro is said to have an “uncanny resemblance” to Brooks’ sound.
More information and tickets are available at https://orovilleconcertassociation.org.
