Comedian Brian Regan to join Stadium of Fire lineup
Comedian Brian Regan will perform at the Stadium of Fire 2017 show.
{image}{photoCredit}File photo courtesy of Brian Friedman{/photoCredit}
{caption}Brian Regan, added Monday to this year’s Stadium of Fire lineup, is by far and away Utah’s favorite live comedian. “It was kind of a surprise for me years ago when I realized I had a following in the state,” he said. “I like when people laugh anywhere, but certainly there’s a pronounced excitement for my comedy in Utah, and that means a lot to me.”{/caption}
{standaloneHead}Brian Regan to perform two shows at Vivint Arena{/standaloneHead}
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Brian Regan will join Little Big Town and Hunter Hayes as featured entertainment at Stadium of Fire.
This year’s Stadium of Fire lineup just got a whole lot funnier.
Continuing his quest for comedic domination while playing before ever-bigger crowds in the state of Utah, Brian Regan will add an expected crowd of around 40,000 at LaVell Edwards Stadium to his resume on July 1 when he joins musical acts Little Big Town and Hunter Hayes as the featured entertainment at Stadium of Fire. Regan’s addition to the lineup was announced by Stadium of Fire officials Monday afternoon.
“This year’s Stadium of Fire is unlike any we’ve had in the past,” festival Executive Director Paul Warner said in a press release. “If you’re a fan of great comedy, a fan of great music, a fan of great thrill acts and fireworks, a fan of our military and our country, this show is for you. It’s truly for everyone. It will be the largest, loudest, most spectacular Stadium of Fire ever.”
Regan, one of America’s most popular and critically acclaimed comedians, recently signed a two-special deal with Netflix, joining Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Louis CK in multi-special deals with the leader in worldwide streaming.
Beyond Regan’s prominence on the national comedy circuit, however, is his off-the-charts success in Utah itself. Since 2008 when he sold out three shows at Thanksgiving Point he has returned to the Wasatch Front every two years to bigger and bigger venues and audiences. He sold out a record 10 shows at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City in 2012, before conquering Vivint Arena for two sellouts each in 2014 and 2016. Next up: The house that LaVell built.
“I certainly like performing in Utah,” Regan told the Daily Herald in a 2016 interview. “It was kind of a surprise for me years ago when I realized I had a following in the state. I like when people laugh anywhere but certainly there’s a pronounced excitement for my comedy in Utah, and that means a lot to me.”
During that interview, Regan discussed his craft and how he approaches honing his act to crowds of disparate sizes.
“You know it all comes down to the comedy,” he said. “When all is said and done, I’m on stage and it doesn’t matter how many people are out there, I’m still trying to make whatever that group of people is one thing, and I’m trying to make that thing laugh, you know? But I don’t lose sight of the fact that, ‘Wow, this is a pretty big place!’ So it’s a very nice feeling.”
He also talked about the differences between performing his act indoors, as usual, versus the occasional outdoor environment, like he will face at Stadium of Fire.
“A lot of comedians don’t like performing outdoors, you know, you want the laughs to bounce off the ceiling and stay in the room,” Regan said. “And when there is no ceiling you want to make sure you’re getting the job done so you can hear the laughs. And also there are many distractions. It’s a beautiful environment, and in a way, in my mind, I could think that works for me — ‘OK, if they don’t like the jokes then there’s always some beautiful nature they could look out at.’ “
Regan should have nothing to worry about at Stadium of Fire, where the only potential distractions in addition to the headline entertainment will be a special military flyover, skydivers, the largest military color guard presentation in the history of the event and — for the first time — a laser show complementing the fantastic fireworks finale.
Stadium of Fire, now in its 37th year, also will be televised to over 1 million military men and women in more than 100 countries via the American Forces Network.
Tickets to Stadium of Fire are currently on sale at stadiumoffire.com and at the BYU Marriott Center ticket office.