It is always a good time when Hamilton funnyman B.A. Johnston visits the Owl Acoustic Lounge.

 And while he could use a few new jokes, he promised he would have them “in six to eight months, when I come back here.”
 His performances are always a celebration of the strange as it was, Sept. 19 at the Owl Acoustic lounge.

 As usual, he started his show by wandering through the audience, grinning like a mischievous leprechaun and waving a sparkler in each hand, wearing several layers of identical “what are you looking at dickhead” sweatshirts, which he removed one at a time.

 He cracked a cornucopia of jokes about Medicine Hat and chicken fingers, rolled around on the floor, fed people their own beers, and with an elven grin, rubbed a pregnant fan’s stomach.

Later on he wandered behind the bar and fed bartender Braeden a bottle of something and basically had a good sized Tuesday night audience howling for a solid 45 minute set with his jokes, self-deprecating humour and quirky original music which included crowd favourites like “Deep Fryer in My Bedroom,” “Jesus Lives in Hamilton, ” “GST Cheques,” “McDonald’s Coupon Day,” and newer songs from his new CD “Gremlins 3” including “A Dayoff is a Dayoff,” “Drive Through Beef” plus others about Tim Hortons, No Frills and annoying room mates.

Local band J Blissette opened up the show with a solid set highlighting Jackson Tiefenbach’s 12 string guitar, an addictive groove with elements of indie rock and a touch of punk to end their set.

Local musician Steve Martin opened the show with  a new group called Saylor, featuring Martin, Junkman Quire‘s George Fowler and several other friends singing a cappella versions of an assortment of sea shanties, Celtic music and a couple excellent Stan Rogers songs including “Barrett’s Privateers” and “Northwest Passage.“