Dave Chappelle announces two London gigs

As his documentary closes Tribeca film festival

Dave Chappelle has announced two London gigs.

The acclaimed stand-up will be coming to the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, on August 11 and 12.

During lockdown, Chappelle has been performing socially distanced gigs in his Ohio hometown and at a pop-up outdoor venue in Florida, which has just closed down.

He also made a documentary about the early days of the pandemic in the village where he lives, and how he set up his shows in a cornfield. The as-yet untitled movie will have its premiere on the last day of the Tribeca Film festival in New York tomorrow.

The blurb for the film, directed by Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert and made by Chappelle’s own company Pilot Boy Production, says, rather immodestly: ‘Ultimately, Chappelle’s cornfield concerts would serve as a model of courage not just for his community, but for the entire live entertainment industry.’

Tribeca’s co-founder Jane Rosenthal added: ‘We’re huge fans of Dave’s ability to make us laugh and this poignant story provides us with another look at his unique talent to bring people together.’

Chappelle is also releasing his special 8:46 on vinyl. Recorded in Ohio last summer, the monologue discusses the murder of George Floyd and its wider implications.

It was originally released by Netflix for free via YouTube, and was one of the most-watched videos on the platform last year.

There will be 846 copies of a limited red-black-green vinyl run. The number, like the title, refers to the eight minutes and 46 seconds that police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis.

A standard black vinyl pressing will also be released on October 29 by Third Man, and available on import here.

Proceeds from vinyl sales will be donated to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, where Chappelle studied.