The Neon Room Is the New Comedy Venue in Town

Helium just soft-launched the space, which has a room capacity of 98 people.

Helium Comedy Club's new venue, the Neon Room (Helium Comedy Club)
By Rachel Saslow

Just like the Crystal Ballroom has a smaller downstairs venue, Lola’s Room, Helium Comedy Club has launched a new performance space: The Neon Room.

With a capacity of 98, the new showroom will be on the first floor of the venue, at 1516 SE 9th Ave. Club owners say they plan to feature a mix of local and national comics in the more intimate setting. The Neon Room soft-launched March 13 with actor and standup comedian Matthew Broussard as the headliner. Other comedians slated for The Neon Room this spring include Caitlin Peluffo, Dylan Carlino and, this weekend, Liam Cullagh.

“The addition of The Neon Room has been in the works for the last five years,” said Brad Grossman, partner at Helium Comedy, in a statement. “We are incredibly excited to provide a platform for local and national talent to flourish while ensuring that Helium Comedy Club remains a premier destination for world-class comedy in Portland and beyond.”

Helium is one in a national chain of nine comedy clubs (six of which are also called Helium), and a few of them also have similar secondary showrooms. Atlanta’s got The Other Room, Indianapolis has Upstairs at Helium, and the Austin, Texas, club has The Red Room, for example. Portland’s Helium Comedy Club opened in 2010.

The same food and drinks menu will be available in The Neon Room as the upstairs space, and yes, the two-item minimum requirement is still in effect, as is customary at most comedy clubs nationwide, Grossman says.

GO: The Neon Room at Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave. 503-583-8464, portland.heliumcomedy.com. 21+.

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