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Promotional art for Live in Burlington
Cover image credit: Promotional image via Comedy Dynamics

Live in Burlington

Mike Finoia

Comedy Dynamics · Album · 2017 · 54 min

An outsider's self-deprecating tribute to a cozy Vermont town.

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Mike Finoia kicks off his debut comedy album by claiming he hid a jar of weed somewhere in Burlington and advising the crowd to ‘Pokémon Go’ themselves around town to find it. Recorded at the Vermont Comedy Club just days after the 2016 presidential election, the set leans heavily into his self-professed crush on the state, contrasting the pristine, outdoor lifestyle of the locals with his own unhealthy New York habits.

Finoia spent years as a comedy producer for TruTV’s Impractical Jokers and an opening act for the Tenderloins, but this performance is a highly localized affair. He skewers Vermont-y tropes like Subaru Outbacks with marathon stickers while also covering aging, pretentious baby names, and why booze warms a cold soul.

He kept the production entirely local, hiring Vermont-based audio engineers and donating the show’s proceeds to Phish’s charity, the WaterWheel Foundation.

The set list

2 bits

  1. Hiding a jar of weed somewhere in the city of Burlington.

    Tells the crowd to 'Pokémon Go' themselves around town and follow their nose, joking that Lake Champlain monster Champ helped him hide it near the lake or at music club Nectar's.

  2. Burlington's healthy and athletic culture.

    Expresses affection for Burlington while joking about feeling unhealthy and suicidal upon seeing a Subaru Outback bearing a 26.2 marathon bumper sticker.

How it plays

Tone
Sharp, humorous, and affectionate.
On stage
Affectionate, self-deprecating, and interactive, contrasting his unhealthy NYC habits with Vermont's outdoorsy culture.
About
Burlington and Vermont traits, weed, Donald Trump and the election, love, marriage, aging

What the critics said

Eileen Shapiro of Get Out! Magazine gave Finoia high praise, highlighting 'some of the most astounding comedic philosophies that I've ever experienced, and some of the funniest lines ever.'

In the room: Described as a 'hysterical,' smart, and eclectic crowd.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: sevendaysvt.com, catalog.ocls.org, comedydynamics.bandcamp.com, getoutmag.com, open.spotify.com, dead-frog.com.

Backstory

Recorded over Veterans Day weekend in November 2016 just days after the US presidential election in Bernie Sanders' home turf of Burlington, Vermont. Finoia invited veterans and armed forces service members to the taping and gave free copies of the finished album to attendees.

Details

Released
Taped
2016, Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington
Runtime
54 min
Where
Comedy Dynamics (album)
Topics

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