These standup comedy shows are coming to Columbia in September

With school back in session and the year's second half barreling on, sometimes you need to sit back, take a deep breath and then laugh till you can barely breathe.

Thankfully, The Blue Note has several promising standup shows planned for September. Here's a look at who's coming to the stage.

Sept. 6: Zoltan Kaszas at The Blue Note

Kaszas' distinct cadence and deceptively manic energy bring a hilarious, subversive vibe to routines about why cats are better than dogs, the distinctions between politeness and anxiety, and living near the end of the world. Kaszas has honed his voice on stage alongside the likes of Taylor Tomlinson and Bert Kreischer. Steven Rogers shares the bill. Tickets are $25-$35.

More: Patton Oswalt, Tig Notaro among 150 comics coming to St. Louis comedy fest

Sept. 22: Brad Upton at The Blue Note

The Seattle-based Upton bears at least a passing resemblance to vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, both in visage and biography; Upton left public education nearly 40 years ago to chase a life in comedy. Upton clearly. made the right call — his specials have been viewed millions of times on YouTube, and he's opened for music A-listers in country and R&B. Tickets are $25-$30.

Sept. 26: Todd Barry at The Blue Note

A true comic's comic who transcends that label with wider appeal, Barry owns decades of experience slipping punchlines and non-sequiturs around our preconceived notions. Barry's resume — stacked with specials, late-night TV appearances and on-screen pop-ups — suggests someone who's been all things to all people, but Barry's only ever been himself before us. And that's why we love him. Miss Meike shares the bill. Tickets are $25-$35.

For information on any of these shows, visit https://thebluenote.com/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at [email protected] or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia standup comedy shows in September worth seeing