Comedian Bill Burr Takes on Dallas and Offers Up Laughs in the Arts District

It was a chilly 45-degree night at Strauss Square, an outdoor venue in the Dallas Arts District, but comedian Bill Burr made it work. The often-controversial stand-up comic provided plenty of laughs despite being in direct proximity to the busy (and loud) Woodall Rodgers Freeway. The audience, including myself, were bundled up in blankets on their appropriately short chairs (none could exceed four inches) on the intimate lawn.

Burr offered his takes on Dallas, from the mediocrity of our skyscrapers to gun-loving Texans. He joked about how we (the audience) resembled the wreckage from a plane crash all spaced out in our designated squares painted on the grass. In classic Bill Burr-style, he held nothing back, closing his set by sharing his stance on abortion.

The comedian embraced the makeshift nature of a 2020 live stage setup. His hour-long act, filled with tangents and impromptu conversations with his lawn-bound audience, never felt too formal. At one point, he even mentioned forgoing the rest of his planned act altogether — he was having more fun improvising it.

Having not seen a live comedy show in almost a year, it was nice to get excited about going to a show again. Especially when the headliner is someone you’re a real fan of. Although my toes were freezing by 10 pm, it was worth it to experience a (somewhat) sense of normalcy again, although nothing will ever be the same as sitting in a packed comedy club or iconic theatre watching a comedian do what they’re best at.

Take a break from the anxieties of the moment and go see Bill Burr before he leaves town. You can still find tickets for tonight and Thursday on re-sale sites like StubHub.