Editor’s Note: Sometimes, you just need a good facelift to freshen things up, so that’s what we’ve done here. It’s the same old ReVue Stage, with a little bit of a twist where we put together a short list of the best comedy releases from the past month, and deliver them all in a tight, one-stop package. So come on over and check out some of the best specials and albums that comedy had to offer this past month, and maybe you’ll find your new favorite thing to vibe out to along the way.
While this time of year is generally looked at as an early glimpse of spring, the rain that comes along to wash away the lingering snow and ice can, and has kept things in an overall dreary state this year – but luckily for us, there was quite a few pots o’ gold at the end of the comedy rainbow in the month of March to keep our spirits up as we reached the finish line of the colder months, and look forward to greener days.
Nick Thune, Born Young
Boxing Thune into being merely a “musical comedian” would be irresponsible, whereas his impeccable talents on the guitar are more of a soundtrack to his dangerously sharp wit and well-crafted delivery that blends the whimsical musical poetry of a folk legend with a confident comedic mind that seeks to destroy every time he hits the stage. At this point in his career, the comedy vet doesn’t have to prove anything about what he’s doing. What he does works, and if you haven’t discovered it yet, well then let us be the ones to introduce you to one of the hardest grinding comics in the game with one of the smartest and well-tuned specials to come into existence in recent memory.
Ali Siddiq, My Two Sons & Rugged
The creative scope of Ali Siddiq knows no bounds, especially considering just how much recorded material he has released in the last 16 months alone. His latest batch of stories, making up two separate full-length specials, continues a tear of storytelling dominance that delve deeper into the psyche and turbulent past of one of comedy’s most intriguing and genuine talents, and the ride Siddiq takes his audience on is one of the most raw, upfront and well-constructed collections of reflections you’ll see all year.
***
Iliza Shlesinger, A Different Animal
It really isn’t fair, in the grand scheme of things, just how powerful of a performer Iliza Shlesinger continues to be. With another high-velocity special to add to her credit, the critically-acclaimed comedian holds no punches as she slashes through masterfully crafted tirades and a slew of stories that go through the roller coaster ride of motherhood, married life, and maintaining some semblance of vibrancy as she and her fellow millennials hold on tight to the hourglass.
Bill Burr, Drop Dead Years
The fire that once burned in Bill Burr’s chest, in a way that nearly reached critical concern for his well being, continues to burn — but in a much different way these days. While it may be a stretch to consider a sunny disposition has entered the chat of Burr’s comedic arsenal, the amount of self-reflection and fresh insight taking the place of untethered Bostonian rage is a good sign of what’s to come in the next chapter of Burr’s career. Now, instead of eviscerating more mundane happenings like traffic and the oddities of any given demographic, Burr digs his heels in on what it means to be a man to him now after a full perspective shifts over the past few years, and pointing the bullshit happening on a grander scale, from Wall Street to the White House, without any fucks to give and a whole lot of poetically profane diatribes at the ready. To think about what’s next gets us a bit too excited.
Bert Kreischer, Lucky
With a multi-faceted media empire on the rise in addition to his storied stand-up career, Kreischer’s latest special not only celebrates the growth he’s experienced as an internationally grinding comic, but also the characters in his life that have helped him get there. The general makeup of the special isn’t anything too different from what we’ve seen from The Machine in the past, but with a whole new slate of tales from behind the scenes of one of the most excessive and exciting arena-filling artists today, it really does come with a feeling of knowing the man more than we already thought we did. But be forewarned, his closing story will have you either holding back tears or emptying the Kleenex box, whether you have a dog or not.