Editor’s Note: Sometimes, you may find yourself scrolling through whatever streaming service you subscribe to, and you come across a comedy special from an artist you may or may not be familiar with. Inevitably, the first question you ask yourself as you contemplate your next move will most likely be ‘Is this something worth an hour that I can’t get back?’ — and we are here to help you shuffle through the latest and greatest comedy releases to make sure that hour and change is well spent. Welcome to The ReVue Stage. Here in the latest little corner carved out in Vanyaland’s comedy coverage, not only will you find reviews and recaps of what we feel are the best stand-up specials to recently hit the scene, but also thoughts on any brand spankin’ new comedy albums, and hell, when we feel like leaving the house for a minute, we’ll even do the damn thing at live stand-up shows around the area. It’s all killer no filler around these parts, comrade. So kick back and let us help you figure out your next chuckle.
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The Bruins may be soaking in the sun on a well-deserved all-star break, but on a disrespectfully frigid weekend night back in Boston, Bert Kreischer kept the barn warm while the Black and Gold were away, and made sure that TD Garden was in no short supply of killer Bs.
Bringing the party to a sold-out crowd on Saturday (February 4) as part of his highly-anticipated Tops Off World Tour, it was obvious well before the show even started that Kreischer had curated an experience with so many layers (or in the case of him and droves of shirtless fanatics in the crowd, a few less layers) that it would almost impossible to not have a good time, regardless of how many overpriced Bud Light’s one may have chugged to get in the zone.
The tone was set by some good vibes and sick beats laid down by DJ Carter Cruise, the laid back stoner comedy stylings of a bundled up Mark Smalls, and the cripplingly confident and up-front approach of Chris Porter, who took to the mic like a southern preacher of a megachurch to deliver his good word. And for an arena full of devout Berty Boy disciples, it was just what they needed before “Fortunate Son,” which would become an increasingly more fitting anthem as the night went on, blared over the PA as their Kool-Aid swillin’ savior took the stage.
Sporting a Larry Bird jersey and his first onstage beer of the night, Kreischer took the stage to a raucous applause that not only spoke to the dense and growing following the party-loving comedian has garnered over the last few years, but was fully indicative of the kind of night it was going to be. With a smile from ear to ear and an unrelenting new hour of material at the ready, The Machine wasted no time getting down to the foundation of an all-out killer set. While we won’t burn any specific material here, we can assure you that what ensued over the course of an hour and change was far more than creative force. With every punchline Kreischer delivered, it felt as if the set was barreling towards an untamable climax, and in many ways, it did. But with every little bit of momentum ol’ Berty Boy picked up, whether it was through his richly descriptive stories about his wife and kids, his smatterings of crowd work, or his handful of Bud Lights he demolished at different points in the show, that genuine streak of humility meshed with hilarity that we’ve come to know and love Kreischer for never left or felt cheap.
And while those stories about his wife and daughters, and so many other topics, pulled absolutely zero punches, the glowing love the man has for his family was a constant theme all the way through, as he balanced each jab with a heartfelt praise. Within those moments, you could almost catch glimpses of Kreischer digging his heel into the fact that he had the crowd wrapped around his finger with every request to chug a beer or applause break, and took that level of adoration into the damn stratosphere.
His comedic chops are nothing to mess with, of course, but if there’s one thing that Kreischer has proven over and over again through the years is that he is a consummate entertainer who will go to hell and back to see a bit through and not only make his fans happy, but build the live experience up to a towering crescendo. And even though that doesn’t come with the context of him risking his life anymore like he did when he worked for The Travel Channel, his dedication to the craft is just as intense and focused as ever, which is even more impressive when you consider just how refreshingly juvenile and outrageous many of his stories are, matched only by the gratitude he expressed to the Boston crowd.
From crushing beers and a “greatest hits”-type portion of the show after he finished his set that included his world-famous story of becoming “The Machine,” to the impromptu renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner and the National Anthem that left him teary-eyed before really letting the tears flow through a showering of “Thank you”, a lengthy standing ovation, and the overall emotion of the moment after his final punchline, it became increasingly clear that this show in Boston was something special. A celebration of something beyond comedy. Something separate from the rest. Along a long, bumpy road that has included shows in spaces spanning from The Wilbur to The Wang, and now TD Garden, Bert and Boston are further synonymous, and we really are here for all of it.
Kreischer is just here for a good time, and he’s made it his life’s mission to bring us all along for the ride — and that’s something we can all take our shirts off in salute to.
Party on and tops off to you, Bert. That was titanic. See you next year.