I am not sure I would have chosen to go to Martin, Peyroux or Preservation Hall Jazz Band anywhere else but Hollywood Bowl. But what a show it was. Of course the venue is a must see in LA. And Steve Martin is always superb. But add his band and the two other acts and you you have a spectacular evening's entertainment.
As part of the University at Buffalo's Distinguished Speaker Series, Martin delivered a one hour personal history - from working at Disney World in the '50s to walking away from standup comedy in the '80s. While entertaining, this was definitely not a return to his stand-up routine. Also, there was no banjo. Martin showed photos of key stages of his career, working at Disney World, his magic act as a teen, and in a comedy troupe at university. He took us through working at The Smothers Brothers, and clips from The Tonight Show. He finally ended with the story of his last gig in Atlanta, when crew mistakes and extreme overwork caused him to lose it. The stories were personal and telling. It's too bad he didn't continue to describe his movie, painting, and music career.
