[Editor's note: at this time, the Open Mike Night at Hero's is discontinued/mutated to another venue. Contact Isaac Ames for more information and how you can get in on his new improvisational venture at the Guru - T.B.]

Open mike nights come in all shapes and sizes.  They occur at wildly diverse venues, including: dedicated comedy clubs, bowling alleys, laundromats, cafes, restaurants and bars.  Sometimes you get a stage and a sound system, and hey, sometimes you don't. 

With that in mind, the patrons of Hero's Lounge & Pizza Company have got it pretty plush: a roomy, raised stage, a dedicated sound system (often piloted by a skilled DJ), a full service bar and a big open room.  This could be open mike heaven.

But it's all for nothing without the right captain and crew to steer the ship.  Hero's is doubly fortunate when you consider that they've got Isaac Ames at the rudder.  Based in Modesto, California, Isaac Ames is a rising talent in the Modesto area and in the San Joaquin Valley region.  Active in local comedic circles, you can't swing a microphone in the area without hitting a comic who knows or has worked with Isaac.

Hero's is not Isaac's first effort; he had briefly pursued a similar endeavor at The Fat Cat last year.  After it didn't pan out, and Isaac set his sights on Hero's.  Neither is Isaac the first comic in recent memory to run Hero's.  After a 'parting of the ways' between the venue and another local promoter, Isaac negotiated with Hero's and began a new chapter in local comedy at the location. 

And what a location it is!  Beyond the bounty of features noted above, Hero's offers a distinct attraction in that it is open to all ages.  It is in fact a restaurant establishment, so patrons can hoist a beer, cocktail or glass of wine and rub elbows with the younger generations.  It almost defies explanation that young and old can mingle comfortably with an uncensored entertainment environment, but it works nonetheless.