Illustration: Ryan Inzana
It’s been two years since comic Kyle Gordon went viral for the techno parody track “Planet of the Bass,” and, since then, he’s constructed a profession out of satirizing via track. Earlier this yr, he launched the millennial stomp-and-holler track “We Will By no means Die,” which spurred a rash of Gen Z–led memes about what have now been deemed “millennial burger joints” — i.e., chalkboard menu, craft beers, overpriced. Now, Gordon, a proud millennial, has launched his sophomore comedy-music album, Kyle Gordon Is Great. He spent the final week planning for his upcoming tour, celebrating a barely unconventional Passover, and taking nice pains to protect his singing voice. “It typically looks like I’m in a death-metal band,” he says, “as a result of I’m screaming a lot.”
Wednesday, April 9
I get up and drink three cups of espresso whereas I scroll. I devour numerous caffeine very first thing within the morning after which not a lot for the remainder of the day. I take advantage of a Keurig or, if I neglect to purchase the pods, cease by a spot close to my house referred to as Candy Bee. Both means, it’s received numerous milk and sugar.
I ended consuming breakfast just a few years in the past. I used to have three bowls of cereal each morning, however over time, I noticed that when I eat my first meal, my mind simply slows down. I attempt to get my hardest work achieved within the morning — writing, artistic stuff, something that requires brainpower. I postpone consuming to maintain my focus.
When lunch lastly rolls round, I head to a Dominican spot I like referred to as El Gran Castillo de Jagua. I order a Cubano. It’s very low-cost, and for some purpose, they by no means flip the lights on, so it’s all the time weirdly darkish in there. My fiancé, Canning, isn’t the most important fan of this restaurant, however at present she’s the one to suggest we go there, which I learn as an indication from Hashem that this weekend goes to go very well.
After that, I attempt to get some work achieved. I’m a member at a flowery health club, Chelsea Piers, and so they have a very nice co-working area. I settle in there and knock out the laborious stuff — reserving accommodations, emailing venues, sorting tech stuff for the tour. Final yr’s tour was solely 10, perhaps 12 cities, and I had a supervisor. He was nice, however managers are costly. This time round, I’m doing all of it myself. I often journey with a band referred to as Mojohand. They open for me and again me up throughout my set. And so they’re highway canines. They’re tremendous scrappy and used to doing all the pieces themselves; I’m actually fortunate to have them selecting up the slack. All of us pitch in: driving the van, organising merch, working sound verify, managing meet and greets. It’s very DIY, and it really works.
After I end my pc work for the day, I meet up with my buddy Michael — we’re pitching a function collectively. Michael and I began engaged on the pitch earlier than he left for L.A., and since then, we’ve principally been engaged on it over Zoom. That is the primary time I’ve seen him in particular person shortly.
I additionally get to see his fiancée and my buddy, Maggie. They’re house-sitting for somebody in Boerum Hill, so I drop by. We half work, half catch up, and order meals from Xochitl Taqueria. I go for a rooster quesadilla.
After dinner, I’m going dwelling. I’m not ingesting proper now — principally for my voice — and I’m making an attempt to be actually good about it, so the night time ends somewhat sooner than it could in any other case.
Thursday, April 10
The band picks me up round 10:30, and we drive straight to Boston. Sound verify’s at 4 p.m. They scoop me up within the van — a Ford E-350. Image probably the most cliché, shitty band van you possibly can muster, full with Grateful Useless stickers.
On the way in which as much as Boston, we cease for meals. I verify the map for no matter’s the least out of the way in which, which seems to be Wendy’s. I attempt to get one thing that’s not going to weigh me down an excessive amount of or be too tacky — however, I imply, I’m at Wendy’s. I find yourself with a basic rooster sandwich.
We’re enjoying the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, proper on Davis Sq.. The venue provides us a hospitality buyout — principally simply money to purchase meals — so I ship my band out whereas I’m doing a podcast with David Benites from the Excessive Vocal Institute. We speak about screaming, principally. Particularly now that I’m in my 30s, I can’t fuck round with my voice. That’s why I’m not ingesting. I totally dork it up: I’ve received a steamer, lozenges, tea all day, reducing down on dairy, no alcohol, plenty of water. I do warm-ups earlier than and cooldowns after each present. It’s all essential.
I often don’t prefer to eat proper earlier than a present, so I save my rooster membership from Boston Burger Firm for later.
This model of the present has been a piece in progress for, like, ten years. I used to think about it as a comedy present with music. Now, it’s actually a humorous live performance. From a comedy perspective, it completely messes with my mind. Comedy depends on shock; folks count on one thing new. However at a live performance, it’s “play the hits.” Folks need to hear what they already know. Determining that steadiness has been probably the most fascinating half.
The present finally ends up being top-of-the-line I’ve ever achieved. Genuinely. It’s fully bananas. The viewers sings alongside. Standing-room solely, full band, folks leaping and moshing throughout the heavy songs, swaying throughout the mellow ones. Folks know all of the phrases, even to my brand-new metallic track. I’ve been teasing it, however nonetheless, it’s wild to listen to folks already singing alongside.
I scarf down the rooster membership afterward. It’s chilly at this level, nevertheless it’s simply gasoline.
Friday, April 11
I get again to New York round 3 a.m., and I get to sleep in. The one factor on my to-do listing is selecting up pickles for my dad — he’s actually into the Pickle Guys on the Decrease East Facet and desires me to seize some for Passover. So I flip it right into a lunch outing with Canning.
We go to Dim Sum Palace in Chinatown. I like something gooey or sticky-textured, so I order the shrimp noodle roll — that skinny, sticky rice-noodle sheet wrapped round shrimp.
After lunch, we stroll over to the Pickle Guys. My dad and I like them tremendous, tremendous bitter. However additionally they need to be kosher for Passover. I don’t completely perceive how pickles wouldn’t be, however my dad’s very spiritual, so I’ve to make sure. Once I get there, they’ve received a complete listing taped up outdoors with all of the kosher-for-Passover choices. Very legit.
We go dwelling after that and simply veg out. I eat leftovers from lunch for dinner, and afterward, we head to my buddy Maya’s birthday at Casanara. One other buddy, Justin, introduced a raspberry babka from Zabar’s, which he’s apparently obsessive about. He’s like, “Zabar’s simply dropped babka — needed to get it.” It’s wonderful, however I nonetheless want chocolate.
Saturday, April 12
We sleep in, and Canning makes eggs and bacon earlier than we head over to Westchester for Passover. Not ideally suited to eat bacon on Passover, I do know. I hope my dad doesn’t learn this.
Loving bacon is one other meme about millennials sparked by “We Will By no means Die.” For the document: I like fancy, silly millennial burgers. The track was made out of affection. Certainly one of my oldest associates owns a legitimately implausible smashburger spot in Manhattan referred to as Cubby’s. We made a video collectively not too long ago the place I supply an official apology to all millennial burger eating places. (On behalf of all of them, he doesn’t settle for.)
We depart for Passover round 3:30. As soon as we get to Westchester, we head straight to my Aunt Carol’s home for the primary night time of Seder. Commonplace fare, however nonetheless nice. There’s candy potato, matzo-ball soup, and roasted rooster with saffron. My cousin Max makes roasted lamb, which has some type of biblical significance that he explains throughout dinner, and I instantly neglect. It tastes wonderful, although.
There are folks there I haven’t seen shortly. I’ve an enormous household, and everybody’s invited. I get numerous, “Oh, you’re nonetheless doing the comedy? That’s implausible.” After which, “I’ll need to Google you.”
That is additionally the primary massive household occasion since getting engaged. I proposed a few month in the past, proper earlier than happening tour. That timing labored out nicely — we’d already began planning the marriage, so the engagement was type of the final step. Canning inherited her grandmother’s (very massive) diamond. When my very own grandmother sees it, she says, “You deserve it. You deserve a rock this massive.”
Sunday, April 13
We keep over in Westchester since my mother and father are internet hosting the second night time of Seder. My mother is cooking for 40 folks, and she or he’s very sort A, but in addition type of ADD. She’s working across the kitchen prepping all the pieces, completely within the weeds.
In the meantime, I’m an fool — I misplaced my passport. I must get it expedited as a result of I’m going to Canada on tour. So, this morning, I’ve to drive again into town. Whereas I’m there, I cease at Zucker’s and get a bagel … I actually hope my dad doesn’t learn this.
Again in Westchester, I get to work on a music video I’m making with a comedy band referred to as OCT that occurs to be from my hometown. We have to end filming a scene through which I signal divorce papers, and we needed to do it in a suburban setting, so all of it labored out. My mother, Canning, my sister, and my brother are all again on the home getting ready for the Seder. I don’t assist in any respect, and by the point I get dwelling, company are already beginning to arrive. Dangerous son.
Passover is my dad’s Tremendous Bowl; he’s very spiritual and has a scholarly, tutorial vibe. He opens with dialogue questions in regards to the story of Passover. He breaks everybody off into teams and offers everybody a unique subject, then makes us current to the entire room. There’s all the time one which’s dumb and enjoyable. This yr, it’s designing a diorama out of Passover meals. Canning, my sister, and my sister-in-law re-create child Moses in a basket floating down the Nile with matzo and jelly rolls. They do an excellent job.
The Seder itself is lengthy. Like, actually lengthy. Folks present up round 5, and we don’t eat till after eight. Fortunately, there are snacks out: kosher-for-Passover Doritos and my mother’s selfmade chopped liver, which I like unabashedly.
We even have matzo-ball soup, brisket, smoked Moroccan rooster, apple raisin kugel — only a fully over-the-top Passover unfold. Most significantly, this yr, my mother manages to make my grandma’s well-known rooster fricassee meatballs. Grandma’s slowing down a bit and doesn’t keep in mind a lot, however these meatballs have been legendary rising up. That was the Seder dish. My mother did a bunch of analysis and discovered methods to re-create them. And so they’re wonderful.
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