Review: Greg Phillips
Melbourne Recital Centre. Thursday November 13, 2025
Reggie Watts is an American comedian, musician, beatboxer, and actor, best known for his appearances on Comedy Bang Bang and The Late Show with James Cordon. He is the king of improvisation, who barely knows what he’s going to do in the moments before he hits the stage.
Strolling onto the stage adorned with a cloak and flashlight, breaking into a faux Australian accent (mashing into British, New Zealand and South African dialects) and rattling out mythical names, Reggie Watts proceeds to speak stream of consciousness nonsense for the next ninety minutes and the audience laps it up. One ridiculous story leads to the next. We learn of Melbourne winters, where black ice forms on the tram tracks and that there are only 3 trams in total in Melbourne and we should write to our local leaders to complain. Reggie suggests that the purchase of the locally made Banjo Valley cloaks would aid research to reintroduce the pterodactyl and when we’re out yard-pissing and hear the giant wingspan of the flying dinosaurs, we should feel good that we’d contributed.
He spends at least ten minutes explaining the sound system and tells us that those in the first few rows wouldn’t receive as good a sound as those past the first 5 rows but it didn’t justify anyone asking for their money back. He goes into a deep rave about the velcro on the table holding his effects pedals. We learn about the rubber stops on the underside of his looper and then thirty minutes in, he declares that the show would now begin as he heads to his keyboard station.
Building on a single loop, Watts creates a symphony of sounds. Underneath the mirth, Reggie possesses a soulful voice, impressive keyboard chops and an incredible control of his looping gear. Add to the equation his fascinating, wandering mind and you never know what will transpire from one moment to the next. The only guarantee is that it will be entertaining.
He tells us that America is doing so well at the moment and that we should all listen to billionaires because clearly they know what’s best for us, then goes on a long rant about the allure of the township of Bundaberg and the intrigue of sugar cane. Reggie suggests that Bundaberg hides their children at census time so that only 3 are recognised and once the census is done, the children are allowed to return. I’ve never known an artist to hold an audience’s attention so completely by talking such utter shit.
A Reggie Watts concert is not your average comedy experience and won’t appeal to everyone but if you’re into clever, improvisational musical comedy pieces, featuring ingeniously disguised political and cultural references, then you’re sure to leave a Reggie show with a smile on your face. Reggie promises to return to Melbourne in early 2026 to spend a month or so recording and playing some more shows.
Check out our pre-tour interview with Reggie Watts Here