FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE+LEISURE
I first walked into THE SECRET GROUP in April of last year to catch a
TJ Miller set during Houston Whatever Fest. The headlining Miller
was set to perform on an outdoor stage behind the recently opened
venue, but the plan was scrapped due to bad weather. Instead, fes-
tivalgoers were treated to a more intimate performance in the main
stage-room of what was then an obscure new club. Since that day
I have been returning to The Secret Group for the occasional open
mic or local talent showcase. In the year and a half since its open-
ing, the unassuming Eado bar on the corner of St. Emanuel and Polk
streets has established itself as the unofficial new home of Houston
standup. Along the way, a handful of new artists have emerged as
potential breakouts, reviving both the city’s passion for live comedy
and reputation as a tough but intelligent crowd.
“At one point, Houston was a place that people moved to, to do
comedy.” - Andrew Youngblood
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L O C A L | 5 . 2018
ANDREW YOUNGBLOOD and STEPHEN BRANDAU , co-owners of The Secret
Group, sat down with me to talk Houston standup, their personal
history and the return of this city’s reputation as a comedy proving
ground. Andrew and Stephen are veterans of the city’s comedy
scene. From performing to booking, hosting podcasts and starting
an open mic at Warehouse Live, the two have been vital aspects
of the Houston comedy revival. As Stephen explains, Secret Group
aims to take what was previously a scattered, perhaps “alt” comedy
scene that was happening in random bars and obscure venues
around town and give it a permanent home. Stephen and Andrew
hope to give young and inexperienced comics a chance to perfect
their craft in front of Houston’s notoriously demanding crowds, a role
that was once played by a now-shuttered, iconic comedy venue: The
Laff Stop operated from 1977–2009 and was a launching pad for
legends like Bill Hicks, Ralphie May and Sam Kinison, but its decline
after the 1990s saw Houston’s reputation as a comedy town fade.
“We’re a city now that people respect and want to come to for com-
edy,” says Dusti Rhoades, a promising comic who calls The Secret
Group her home. Dusti credits the support and encouragement of
Andrew Youngblood for her prominence in the local comedy scene.
She believes that what the owners of The Secret Group are doing
for local comics, by both scouting talent and providing opportunities
for growth, has revived the city’s reputation