Kris Shaw's Spider Sense

It's hard to believe, I know, but there's an ugly side to being a traveling comedian, long drives alone, shady bookers, and jaded audiences who view you as a dancing monkey there to please their every drunken whim among them. Scenes of such horror include run-down Ramada Inns, former karaoke bars with names like Chucklehuts, Jokerz, and — my personal favorite — Dr. Grins. Many a comedian has lost the will to perform on these stages. While Kris Shaw is a veteran of these hard runs, somehow it doesn't show. With massive dreads and Brian Jonestown Massacre sunglasses, Shaw comes off like a Rastafarian Spider-Man burning through topics ranging from smoking to race. He mixes familiar topics with a comfortable, cool, alien stage presence built on long pauses and awkward glances. Off stage he's just as engaging, often mixing it up with a crowd taking shots or slipping outside the club for other "inspiratio." Perhaps he draws power from those solo road trips and uninviting Midwest stages, because he hits the stage with remarkable energy every time. $15; 8pm Weds-Sun; second showing at 10:15pm Fri & Sat: Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club; 618 NW Loop 410; (210) 541-8805; lolsanantonio.com.