By: Grant Vance ~Staff Writer~

Go Bananas Comedy Club welcomed back Cincinnati native Alex Stone this past weekend, Jan. 29-31, in honor of his debut album to be released later this year.

Making the trip back home from his current residency in Chicago, Stone was welcomed with open arms and plenty of laughs for his hour long standup set, accompanied by feature act Laura Sanders and host Josh O’Neill, a Xavier junior. Stone’s comedy succeeds in blending relatable, observational storytelling with sporadic, audience- acknowledging improvisation, creating a comfortable comedic atmosphere within the confines of his album recording self-awareness.

Stone may have the appearance of a young comic with his thick rimmed glasses and thin goatee, but his confidence and stage presence produce a seasoned character, even unflinching to an off-beat, improvised opener describing the misfortune of an absent ketchup stain that didn’t quite land.

After charismatically segueing away from the ketchup stain, Stone went on to succeed in a number of great jokes, ranging from the self-deprecating analogy of being left out of a threesome with your girlfriend to the uncomfortable nature of visiting wild wolves in an isolated backyard in Indiana.

Though this is Stone’s first album, he has been practicing stand-up since 2005.

He’s come a long way since competing in Go Banana’s annual “Funniest Person in Cincinnati” event, making appearances at several well-regarded comedy festivals, as well as being selected as one of 100 comics to appear on NBC’s “ Last Comic Standing. ” Stone’s charm and personal anecdotes are not only a joy to be a part of, but also an exciting glimpse into what the strong upand-comer has in store for his career.

Expect his new comedy album, still untitled (though a couple of potential titles were thrown around during the show), sometime in 2015. For Stone’s touring schedule, visit his website at alexstonecomedy.com.