Live Shots: Lewis Black brought spunk—and plenty of F bombs—to Regency Ballroom

Opening comic Jeff Stilson of Spokane set a wry stage at the Regency Ballroom, October 8, for Lewis Black, the veteran rant ‘n roller who was in town for his “Off the Rails” tour.

A mysterious last-minute venue change from The Warfield prompted Lewis to joke that the original decision to book the show in the Tenderloin during Fleet Week was just a bad idea. He also touched on topics ranging from his hatred of loneliness during COVID to how he’s so good at procrastinating, the debacle of the California high speed rail to the ridiculousness of Herschel Walker’s candidacy. In the beginning of the show, he carefully explained that what the show contained was *jokes.* “If you don’t like them, just don’t laugh. The jokes won’t hurt you.”

Even hecklers withered before Black’s laser-like timing. A drunk guy began yelling at the beginning of the show, and Lewis shut him down so expertly—”Don’t talk—I just don’t have time for this”—that he gave up and just left the show. Near the end, Black went off the stage for a few moments and came back out with an iPad to record for his “Rantcast,” where he reads rant written and submitted by audience members. He definitely gave San Francisco the attention it deserved, along with plenty of the F bombs he’s infamous for.