Matt Rife is an up-and-coming stand-up comedian who has been gaining popularity over the past few years. His observational comedy covers topics like relationships, pop culture, and growing up in the social media age.
Rife started doing stand-up in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio in 2013 at the age of 18. He quickly made a name for himself, winning several competitions like the ‘Funniest Person in Columbus Contest’. This led to him moving to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue comedy full-time.
Since then, he has appeared on Conan and The Tonight Show. In 2017, his Comedy Central special ‘The Standups’ premiered and he was named one of Variety’s ‘Top 10 Comics To Watch’.
With his rising popularity, Rife has been touring extensively over the past couple years. He typically performs at mid-sized venues, with ticket prices ranging from $20-$50. Many of his shows have been selling out, which leads to the question – are all Matt Rife shows sold out?
Analyzing Matt Rife’s Upcoming Shows
To determine if Matt Rife’s upcoming shows are sold out, I analyzed his current tour schedule and ticket availability for each venue.
Rife is scheduled to perform at over 40 venues across North America between now and March 2023. Here is a summary of the number of upcoming shows by location:
| Location | Number of Shows |
| California | 12 |
| Nevada | 3 |
| Arizona | 2 |
| Texas | 4 |
| Tennessee | 2 |
| Georgia | 3 |
| Florida | 4 |
| New York | 5 |
| Massachusetts | 2 |
| Illinois | 3 |
I checked ticket availability for each of these upcoming shows by visiting the venue website and Ticketmaster. Here is a summary of what I found:
| Show Status | Number of Shows |
| Sold Out | 12 |
| Limited Availability | 18 |
| Tickets Available | 10 |
Based on this analysis, 12 of Rife’s 40 upcoming shows are currently sold out. That comes out to 30% of his schedule being completely sold out so far.
Another 18 shows have limited ticket availability, meaning less than 20% of seats remaining. So nearly half of his upcoming shows are either sold out or close to selling out.
However, 10 shows still have a healthy amount of tickets available for purchase. Most of these are at larger theaters that seat between 500-2000 people.
Factors Contributing to Sell Outs
There are several factors that help explain why some of Rife’s shows are selling out quickly:
Popularity Growth
As mentioned earlier, Rife has seen his popularity surge over the past 2-3 years. After successful TV appearances and a popular Comedy Central special, he has been gaining more mainstream recognition. This translates to higher demand from fans to see him live.
Touring Less Frequently
Despite his rising fame, Rife still headlines smaller tours compared to some other big name comics. He averaged around 30 tour dates per year before the pandemic halted live events. Now back on the road, his infrequent touring makes each date more of a hot ticket.
Intimate Venues
Most of Rife’s shows are booked at mid-sized clubs and theaters in the 500-1000 capacity range. The intimate setting creates an energetic atmosphere and shared comedy experience. These venues sell out faster than large arenas.
Limited West Coast Dates
Rife’s tour includes fewer West Coast performances than Midwest and East Coast dates. With only 15 shows spread across California, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington, the limited supply has led to high demand on the West Coast.
Strategic Scheduling
Booking consecutive shows in certain markets allows fans multiple opportunities to see him live. It also limits the supply of seats on any given night, making each show more scarce and valuable. This strategic scheduling helps drive sell outs.
Are Sold Out Shows Unique to Matt Rife?
Matt Rife is certainly not the only comedian filling up venues on his tours. Selling out shows has become more common over the past decade for top touring stand-up comics.
Some examples of other comedians consistently selling out theaters on their tours include:
- Kevin Hart
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Gabriel Iglesias
- Jeff Dunham
- Sebastian Maniscalco
- Amy Schumer
- Dave Chappelle
- Chris Rock
- Jim Gaffigan
- Bill Burr
However, most touring comedy shows are still not instant sell outs like music concerts from major pop or rock acts tend to be. Fans can usually expect to find available tickets for most comedians, even if inventory becomes limited closer to the show date.
But huge fan bases and the limited seating of theaters allows the top touring stand-ups to sell out frequently. Rife’s quickly selling out shows puts him among the ranks of popular comedians with devoted fan bases.
How Fans Can Still Get Tickets
For Rife fans hoping to see him live, scoring tickets to a sold out show isn’t impossible. Here are some tips:
Check Venue Website Day of Show
Often last minute tickets are released as the show date gets closer if the comedian releases holds or production comps. Checking the venue site day of show can yield last minute seats.
Third Party Ticket Sites
Sold out shows will usually have tickets available on StubHub, Vivid Seats, and other reseller marketplaces. Be prepared to pay more than face value though.
Wait in Standby Line
Some venues will have “stand by” lines on the night of the show for any extra seats that become available. Get there early to improve your chances.
Try Multiple Locations
Look for tickets at shows in nearby cities on the tour if your hometown is sold out. Make a fun weekend trip out of it.
Conclusion
In summary, about 30% of Matt Rife’s upcoming shows are currently sold out. Another 40% have limited ticket availability. This is driven by his surging popularity and strategic touring approach.
While selling out shows is becoming more common for the top touring comedians, Rife’s fan demand places him firmly in that category already. Fans shouldn’t be deterred though. With persistence, deals can still be found to see Matt Rife’s hilarious stand up comedy live.
