Jason Byrne is no stranger to festival stand-up, or festival audiences, and he has returned once again to Scotland’s capital with his new tour,
He’s not a sell-out stand-up for nothing
Byrne begins by launching into a tirade of chatter about balls, farts and being yelled at by his wife for everything – something that, if you’re a fan of Byrne, you’ll know is not unusual! Constantly side-tracked by the audience (but in a good way) he talks us through his recent experience under the knife, exposing his vulnerabilities and stereotypical Irish good manners. There are a few other pre-prepared gags and jokes throughout the show that sometimes feel pushed on the audience but are nonetheless hilarious; there is a trick to knowing when your audience volunteers are not going to be the best choice for prepared parts.
Jason Byrne is the sort of classic stand-up act that will always guarantee laugh out loud, wiping-away-tears laughs, it’s a skill that he has perfected over many years in the business. However, despite a long career, his time as one of the UK’s beloved stand-ups is far from over and this is further proved by the amount of noise the crowd made throughout the evening. Some of Byrne’s best stuff comes from his improv and craic with the audience; with stereotypical charm he rips several audience members to shreds, yet no one can find anything too offensive or rude because he often breaks down into fits of uncontrollable laughter himself.
The boyish, cheeky lad keeps his audience bubbling and squealing away with laughter until the very end, but don’t worry, if all else fails he always has his magic, on-stage button that can be pressed for added amusement. He’s not a sell-out stand-up for nothing, so don’t miss out this year – and just be wary, you might need some strong forearms if you plan on sitting front-row…
