For our last night covering the best Comedy Festival around, we picked what would turn out to arguably be the best collection of comedy shows within the festival at Stage 773. On the bill for us were Dancing Around the Shit Fire with Kyle Kinane, Double Threat: Kumail Nanjiani & Friend, and The Super Serious Show and all comedians that night sure made good on what had them draw such crowds to begin with.
Dancing Around the Shit Fire with Kyle Kinane
Former Chicagoan Kyle Kinane’s show boasted an awesome guest list that included Adam Burke and Cameron Esposito plus music from Little David Merriman. The best thing about this show was that it introduced me to the stand-up of Burke and Esposito, who were nothing but awesome. Kinane’s set was great and touched on the signs of life that show you’re growing up (buying a new couch ≠ finding one) and “that time (he) partied with a dead guy.” Adam Burke, a Chicagoan by way of Ireland and Australia, was also amazing; closing with the awesome story behind the first concert he ever saw. See a set from Burke (not the one we saw but still good) below. Another comedian I had heard so much about but never actual saw/heard material before was Cameron Esposito, who killed it during her Dancing Around the Shit Fire… set. Esposito joked about the feeling we all had when we tried acting a little more grown up than we actually were and brought out some excellent points for gay marriage and her porn preference. Note: you can tell the legitimacy of lesbian porn based on the girl’s nails.
Adam Burke
Cameron Esposito
Double Threat: Kumail Nanjiani & Friend
The second show we caught was that of another former Chicagoan, Kumail Nanjiani. Although we had to see the show standing on by the wall at the entrance, we were still witnesses to some great performances. Sam Simmons brought his bizarre, “mainstream Australian” show that included several drawings and bread shoes plus a hilarious mash-up for the finale. Kumail did his self-described terrible crowd work along with telling jokes about his hometown, the “ghost” he encountered when he used to live in Chicago and the craziest encounter with a celebrity he’s ever had.
Sam Simmons
The Super Serious Show
Finally, we checked out The Super Serious Show with sets from comedians Drew Frees, Julian McCullough, Michelle Buteau, Sam Simmons, Andy Peters and Baron Vaughn. While it did not gather a huge crowd, the comedians still put on a great show. See some sets, not necessarily the ones we saw, from the comedians that were part of this show.
Baron Vaughn
Drew Frees
Mike Stanley
Julian McCullough
