Down the stairs and into the spotlight: Bone Dry Comedy hosts weekly open mics

Inside the historic Bozeman Hotel, just behind Tarantino's Pizzeria, there is a staircase leading down to the entrance of Last Best Comedy — Bozeman’s only comedy club. Here, Bone Dry Comedy hosts open mic nights every Tuesday. 

Last Best opened in 2021 and hosts professional touring comics, comedy classes, open mics and improv performances. Bone Dry Comedy started in the American Legion in 2020 and moved to Last Best shortly after the club opened, according to Bone Dry’s Instagram. 

Kaiser Lieb, a comedian who regularly performs at Tuesday’s open mic, said that having a permanent venue changed Bozeman’s comedy scene for the better.

“I would say that [Last Best] has really transformed the Bozeman comedy scene, and the Montana comedy scene more generally. People drive over from Missoula and Billings just to do the open mics,” he said. “Having a consistent, dedicated comedy space has really created the opportunity for a lot of people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to develop their comedic skills.”

Lieb said the open mic nights are a great place for comedians to practice jokes they have been workshopping for their sets. 

“There are times when I'll have a bit that I've written over the week that I'm really excited to deliver, and sometimes it doesn't,” he said. “Which is like gambling, you know? If [a joke] doesn't hit, that makes it better when it actually does.”

Comedian Thomas Blake has been performing in Bozeman since 2013. He said that his favorite part of comedy is connecting with people.

“People need to get away from a lot of the stress of their lives,” Blake said. “When they go through the trouble of hiring a babysitter and maybe dressing up a little, buying tickets for something, you have the opportunity to make their day.”

While Blake loves doing open mics, he said he feels that the creation of Last Best may have stifled the individuality that defined the Bozeman comedy scene before the venue opened. 

“People don’t have so much impetus to make weird, funky, local shows at independent venues like the Labor Temple,” he said. 

According to Blake, Last Best is typically an inclusive community, but it can feel cliquey at times. 

“There's a little cattiness, but generally people are welcome — especially folks who’ve been marginalized,” he said. 

Esther Freiburg is a new comedian who has performed at two open mics, though they have been consistently attending as an audience member since November 2025. They said that the feeling of being on stage and making people laugh drives them to keep performing.

Freiburg said participating in open mics has changed how they write jokes.

“I was running material that was low-risk, but trying to see how much of myself I can get [people] to relate to,” they said. “I think [seeing the audience reaction] is affecting how I write my experiences into jokes while trying to appeal to an audience that might not have the direct experience I have.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Chris Davenport was getting ready for his first-ever open mic. He said that he had been working on his set for a week and was equal parts nervous and excited. Even with his high anxiety levels, Davenport said he was confident in his ability to do well.

“I came and saw an open mic. I liked the room, I liked the vibes. I thought I'd feel comfortable enough to try for my first time,” he said. “I haven’t been here too long, but from what I’ve seen already, everybody’s been really nice and supportive.”

Audience member and improviser Nicholas McTaggart was sitting at a table with a beer, waiting for the open mic to begin. He said that stand-up and improv have a rivalry, but he came to the show to support his stand-up friends.  

“I don't know how to do stand-up comedy,” McTaggart said when asked if he would be performing that Tuesday. “I just make sh-t up on the spot, I don’t know how to write jokes.”

He said that he enjoys coming to the open mics because it is good to get a laugh in on a weeknight. “I like the energy, I like what's happening. It's fun to just come out and laugh and enjoy myself,” McTaggart said.

Another regular Tuesday night performer, Alex Speed, started doing comedy a couple of months after Last Best opened. He said the club is essential for Bozeman’s comedy scene.

“To have as robust of a community of really talented stand-ups in a town like Bozeman really defies all logic,” Speed said. “To have a dedicated space where folks can come in — it’s free, it’s a great environment — and you know you’ll get to hear some really talented comics every Tuesday.

“I think it does a really good job of just bolstering a community that otherwise would have a difficult time, you know, being sustainable.”

He said anyone with even an inkling of interest should come check out Last Best Comedy and the Bone Dry Comedy open mic.

“I would just say that if you're like a weird little freak like me — and like most comics — and you're looking for a community of people, this is where all the weird little freaks spend their Tuesday nights,” Speed said. “And that's kind of fun.”

The 18+ event is free and starts at 8 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.lastbestcomedy.com/events/bone-dry-comedy-23.