Set against the shellacked wood of the Hard Rock Cafe, Seattle’s Drew Barth continued his winning streak Sunday in the 31st Seattle International Comedy Competition, taking first place in the semifinals despite a hard-fought challenge by “thinking man’s hillbilly” Billy Wayne Davis, a Nashville-born Seattle transplant.

Coincidentally, Drew told us recently that one of his favorite jokes has a little something to do with a Hard Rock. It goes like this:

“I had a garage sale recently, because things are going well. And while I was kind of prepared for the haggling that people were going to do, I was blown away by their bizarre questions. I had a guy ask, “Hey, do you have any antique guitars or musical instruments?” “Uh, yeah, this place actually used to be an old Hard Rock Cafe. Let me just dig around in the back here… Now, do you want all of Eric Clapton’s guitars or just the ones he used when he was in Cream? Tell you what, while I look for Elton John’s gold piano, why don’t you give that bread maker another look.”

Barth and Davis will compete against Dax Jordan of Portland, Eddie Pence of Los Angeles, and Auggie Smith, also of Portland, in the finals, which are set to begin tonight with a private comedy show at the Washington Athletic Club (weather permitting. Where are those snow plows?!). Each comic has 15–20 minutes to wow the judges, and hope to be the last comic standing at the Moore Theatre on November 28. Keep an eye on Culture Fiend for the competition’s final results.

The winner of the 31st Seattle International Comedy Competition, chosen at the Moore on Nov 28, takes home $5,000 cash and a one-year contract with comedy label Uproar Records. For ticket info, click here.