Louis CK “Live at Madison Square Garden” picture disc.Â
We might all owe a debt of gratitude to Louis CK. Not just for his numerous comedy specials or his great TV show, but for bringing “alternative” comedy to the masses and for making comedy “cool” again. It would be completely ridiculous to say he reinvented standup, but what he most certainly did was present this idea to the mainstream that standup can be smart, challenging, and angry. And while comedians are a dime a dozen these days (thanks, Louis!), Louis CK is probably the edgiest comedy the layman is familiar with.
Also impressive is how prolific this man is which is understandable for someone so heavily influenced by George Carlin. While most comics will dwell on their material for years and years (like Jerry Seinfeld), Louis CK is constantly putting out content, disposing of that material and coming back with new stuff. After all, who wants to hear a joke you know the punch line to over and over again? So much so that for a while (before his show came along at least), it seemed like we would get a new special from him every year.
So here we are with a brand new special (new on vinyl at least), filmed at Madison Square Garden to a gigantic audience, and as always Louis CK delivers on all accounts. Although there are some strange beats to his hour this time (like an overuse of his vocal fried valley girl), a large amount of visual gags which get lost in an audio recording (the fucking punch line to the whole set is visual!) and the material seems a bit repressed (possibly to appeal to the large crowd a little) there are instant classics here like rat sex observations, crying kids on a plane, and our tendency to overcongratulate each otherand to think we’re amazing for no reason. It wouldn’t surprise me if this special is defined by that bit actually, much like Carlin’s Class Clown is known for its Seven Word You Can Never Say on Television.
And this here vinyl release we’re highlighting is actually special as it’s the second vinyl release any Louis CK release has ever had and the first on picture disc complete with download coupon, thanks to the great folks at Comedy Dynamics. A wonderful touch that one can’t help notice is a slight nod the comedians of past decades. The argument that Louis CK is a comedians comedian is bunk. This stuff is for everyone.
Get Louis CK’s Live at Madison Square Garden LP here!
