Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabe Bravo.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
After lengthy series of artistic failures in music and life in general, I started failing at comedy when a bad friend insisted that I read my Twitter feed to the brave souls that attend comedy open mics. I had been writing jokes for my internet friends for years as a way to satiate my intense cravings for attention and validation from everyone possible. My comedy open mic debut was at the Fairview (RIP) like, 6 years ago. My then terrible act was soon just barely not terrible enough to get me booked on local showcases, where I was able to start regularly being bad at comedy on a slightly bigger platform instead of getting a real job. I dropped out of community college, and was eventually booked to open for some bigger comics. I started getting accepted into comedy festivals all around the country, failing to make a livable wage in all kinds of new and exciting places. Recently, I’ve continued to disappoint my parents by touring as direct support for comedians Todd Barry, Joe DeRosa, and Billy Wayne Davis. I was also on Sklars and Stripes, an audio book by the Sklar Brothers. I have yet to tell my dad that Sklars and Stripes exists only in audio book form, and not in print, as I hope to try to remain in his will. I’ve also been on some cool podcasts like Doug Loves Movies, Sklarbro Country, and the Todd Barry Podcast. My parents don’t know what podcasts are.
Please tell us about your art.
I make music, guitar pedals, and silly jokes at anyone who will listen. Mostly, I do these things for myself. It feels nice that other people sometimes enjoy my work. Currently, my favorite pastime is to make a crowd of people laugh. A vast majority of my comedy is not motivated by any kind of discernible message, besides maybe that life is often dark and terrible, and there’s usually absolutely nothing that can be done about it. While many other comedians use their platform to shed light on issues that matter to them, most of the time, I aim to be a distraction from all of that, while acknowledging that there’s a lot of dark stuff out there. I also play multiple musical instruments. I am a drummer for hire (if you know anyone looking), and I teach private music lessons as an attempt to pay rent on time.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Realistically, all you need to do to become a successful artist is to successfully make art and be content with what you’re doing. I don’t know that I’m necessarily “successful” as an artist, and I have no idea what my parameters of “success” would even exactly be, but I’m mostly happy with my career momentum, and I’ve had a fun, challenging time so far. I guess I’d consider myself truly successful when I no longer constantly, frantically google how to become a dog walker.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I currently travel a lot to do comedy, so various other cities in the continental US. When I’m in town, I host a weekly show at Avant Garden called GODDAMMIT! every Thursday at 9. I play drums for a band called Londale, and I go grocery shopping for my mother every Sunday at the Kroger on Wirt and Westview, which I believe is among the worst Krogers in town (they’re always out of everything I need somehow), so I can’t stress this enough: go to a different location. That specific location is absolute GARBAGE, and nobody calls them out about their bullshit. I feel like it’s time to take a stand.
Contact Info:
- Website: thegabebravo.com
- Email: gabebravobooking@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thegabebravo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegabebravo/
- Twitter: @thegabebravo
Image Credit:
The photo of me in the red shirt was taken by Jackson Gorman.
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