Russell Brand: Messiah Complex @ Liverpool Echo Arena, 15 Feb

There aren’t many comics that can get away with calling Mahatma Gandhi a “f*ckin’ snide”, but Russell Brand sets up his premise with aplomb, so much so he can escape with being derogatory about the master of nonviolent resistance. Brand’s Messiah Complex, in which he explores the virtues and vices of his heroes, and even likens himself to them, is surprisingly his least self-indulgent yet. In having a clear theme to explore he takes the emphasis away from his own personality, proving his chops at not simply regaling the audience with the ridiculous things he’s done while sexing or drugged up.

There are of course references to such things: Brand knows his audience and often plays them for cheap laughs, which he is better than, but accepting of their necessity when you have near universal acclaim. He is also a fascinating and overpowering performer who demands attention whenever and wherever he can, as seen when posing with Olympians (shirtless) or at a protest (shirtless and pantless), but a self awareness has rendered this otherwise unhealthy and odious character trait a boon for a man who is on his way to being Britain’s best stand-up.

There are still gripes: his jokes are sometimes a little easy but he is at least discussing topics that are interesting. Brand often comes under fire for extolling his views on the way the world is broken without proffering any solutions. But of course this is not his job. He is a comedian, a social commentator who is there to hold a mirror up to society. Thankfully he’s stopped looking at his own reflection quite so much.