Entertaining city bumpkins and country slickers since 2007
About the Show
The Steam Powered Hour is a monthly stage show in New York City featuring comedy, art and bluegrass-ish music hosted by The New Yorker cartoonist Matthew Diffee. Past performers include Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Demetri Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Chris Thile, Tony Trischka, Steve Martin, Roz Chast, The Two Man Gentlemen Band, Roger Hailes, Michael Daves, Patrick Borelli, Noam Pikelny, Brian Kiley, The Steep Canyon Rangers, Pete Holmes, Adam Wade, Stuckey & Murray, Barry Mitterhoff, DJ Hazard and many many more.
The germ of the idea for the show started around Gillian Welch and David Rawling's kitchen table in Nashville on the morning of January 1st 2007. We talked about the old Johnny Cash Show and the Smother's Brothers Comedy Hour and how there didn't seem to be a place that had both the type of music and the type of comedy we liked. When they were next in New York, we decided to go ahead and try it. Demetri Martin jumped in and we had ourselves a show. What we didn't have at that point was a name. We called the first two shows "The Unnamed Music and Comedy Show". We're clever that way. The name "Steam Powered Hour" was decided by the third show. It's a nod to the late great John Hartford whose musical and comedic taste continues to inspires us.
We're Looking for Talent
We're always looking for talented folks to perform on our show. Are you a musician, comedian, artist, acrobat, sword-swallower, goat breeder, clogger, moonshiner, pit master, quiltist, or train conductor? Contact us with some information about yourself and how you'd be a good fit for the show.
Become a Patron
The Steam Powered Hour is looking for sponsors and patrons. If you'd like to offer New York's hippest hottenanny some financial aid, please contact us at info@steampoweredhour.com
About The Nyorican Cafe
Founded circa 1973, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe began as a living room salon in the East Village apartment of writer and poet, Miguel Algarin. Algarin, a college professor at the center of this blossoming arts community, was dedicated to bringing new work into the public eye. By 1975 it became clear that there were many poets and too much energy for Algarin's living room. William Morrow Inc. had just published an anthology titled “Nuyorican Poetry”. Miguel Piñero's “Short Eyes” had just won two awards as best play of the 1974 season. Poetry, the vital sign of a new culture, needed to be heard live. So Algarin rented an Irish bar, the Sunshine Cafe on East 6th Street, which was christened The Nuyorican Poets Cafe. By 1980, the overflow of audiences led the Cafe to purchase an “in rem” building at 236 East 3rd Street to expand its activities and programs.