In the US, stand-up comedy shines during a tough time for music touring

Compared to musical acts, comedians typically travel light. At a moment’s notice, they can hop on a plane and do a show with little tactical support and minimal, if any, rehearsal time. Photo: Handout

Over the past two years, Covid-19 battered the live entertainment industry with illness, lockdowns, closures, postponements and capacity restrictions. But in the same time period, talent agents have seen a revival in stand-up comedy, driven partly by surprisingly strong demand for live shows.

"We’ve got more acts touring in a bigger way, really than ever before,” said Matt Blake, the head of the comedy touring department for Creative Artists Agency in the United States.