Stand-up comic and actor Jim Gaffigan may have just broken the record for the most shows in a single run at the historic Paramount Theatre.
The affably grumpy Gaffigan, 57, is a Denver favorite who typically sells out a show of any size in the metro area, from arenas to the relatively intimate 1,865-seat Paramount. And on Wednesday, promoter AEG Presents Rocky Mountains said Gaffigan is meeting demand by adding a whopping seventh show to his Jan. 10-14, 2024, run there.
It’s very likely the longest run, and largest number of shows, for a touring artist’s visit to the downtown venue, according to industry sources, as well as a Denver Post review of various historical calendars for the venue. At the very least, it would appear to be a 21st century record.
It’s no small achievement. The Denver icon, built as a Publix (no, really) movie house in 1930 and designed by local architect Temple Buell — he of the nearby Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre — is internationally beloved among mid-tier and larger comedians, as well as those taping albums and video specials, such as Amy Schumer and Kathleen Madigan. Cerebral comic Demetri Martin this week announced an April 3, 2024, taping at the historic venue, and more are likely in the coming months.
Schumer, in fact, had an impressive run at the Paramount Aug. 27-28 last year, with a total of four shows over two nights. Anthony Jeselnik played the same number there last month. Gaffigan has nearly double that amount.
Adding a concert or two to an existing run of dates is common. Comics do it all the time, and in-demand artists often leave a day or two open in their strongest markets to add more shows, which can then be trumpeted alongside the sold-out date(s). Comics are also known for performing at least a couple sets per night at most venues, if sales warrant, and making the most of their visits.
Denver, with its geographic isolation and central role in Western tour routing, is a great place to add these marathon and revenue-generating sets. But more importantly, we’re a nationally renowned comedy town, with smart and laugh-ready audiences, the High Plains Comedy Festival, national names such as Josh Blue and Adam Cayton-Holland, and the towering Comedy Works club — easily one of the country’s top stand-up spots (or A rooms, as insiders call them).
That’s why ’90s sketch super-group The State plotted its first reunion tour date in Denver, and why it’s a good middle ground for performers too big for clubs and too small for arenas.
The Paramount, which sits on the National Register of Historic Places, is another notch on many touring belts, whether for musicians, stand-ups, chefs, drag queens, filmmakers or political rallies. As one of the city’s most recognizable facades, The Denver Post last year called it “as cozy as it is immaculately preserved” among the city’s 10 Best Venues.
And yes, it’s entirely possible Gaffigan will announce an eighth show at the venue, which since 2002 has been owned and maintained by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment.
Tickets for the new, 5 p.m. Jan. 14 Gaffigan show, are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10 for $50-$90, plus service charges, via ticketmaster.com. It’s all ages.
