Reviews

I think I should be able to review places I’ve played in the same way I get reviewed. Don’t take it personally.

Let’s get the bad out of the way first; everyone’s had a bad day at work.
Univ. of Maine (just the sound makes me vomit a little in the back of my throat) If you google me you’ll come upon the worst review ever. I admittedly had my worst show of all time in Orono. No excuses, I sucked. It wasn’t the audiences fault, I was not good. That said, the girl that wrote the review was even harsher than I was to myself and that’s difficult to do. She didn’t only kick me while I was down she spit on me and took my watch. Diana McElwain tried to quote a couple of jokes and caption a picture but got everything wrong. Diana McElwain didn’t get the jokes. Which is understandable because she’s young, she hasn’t had a lot of life experiences and was probably touched in her no-no places after the prom with promises of love, all of which could lead to her lack of humor or naiveté of someone having an off night. I can only hope that Diana McElwain has to experience having a bad day at the office, knowing it, hating it, and then having someone that doesn’t know her at all write in the morning paper that she sucks at her job. (I also wish her a crippling case of toe fungus.)

Rutgers Univ./West Point/Seton Hall 200 people drinking, playing pool, darts, watching OC, studying, talking, dancing, screaming, playing music. Doing everything but listening to the comic makes for a bad night. These 3 schools had most or all of the above going on while I tried to do my job. Sucked! Although my favorite response was at West Point when the only table(7 guys) that listened said, “You were better than the last guy.” Sweet.

Now the good stuff.

Mike Burton Comedy Tour Visits ESU
"The consensus among the audience was that Burton's performance was quite refreshing with original material that really hit home enabling you to laugh along with Burton instead of just as an observer of a comedy routine." - Kim Handzo, Stroud Courier

Kansas State ROCKS!! I performed during Greek Week for 2000 frat and sorority brothers and sisters and received one of the nicest standing ovations I’ve had the pleasure of receiving.

Comedy Cabana in Myrtle Beach, SC is one of the best clubs around. They treat you very well and the audiences couldn’t be better. Plus you’re close to the beach and there’s golf everywhere. The best place for a working vacation!

Gallipzin, PA Nicest people I’ve ever performed for in the middle of nowhere! There have been some small towns but Gallipzin has been the smallest, yet they drew a lot of people who really enjoyed the show. Second largest standing O but maybe more satisfying.

I loved performing at Lycoming College, College of Mines, Hamilton College, SUNY-Med, Eastern New Mexico Univ., Univ. of New England, Univ. of Wyoming, Univ. of Maine at Fort Kent, and William & Mary. They all treated me well with a nice meal, great hotel or accommodations and the audiences were to die for. If I didn’t mention your school it doesn’t mean I didn’t like it I just remembered these off the top of my head as being fantastic and very rewarding shows.

There are also clubs I love going to once or twice a year. City Steam in Hartford, CT is great. The Comedy Zone in Harrisburg, PA, Stardome in Birmingham, AL, The Stress Factory in New Brunswick, NJ, any of the Comedy Blast gigs and Wise Crackers chain are all very fun rooms to play.

Vannelli’s in Tupelo is one of a kind. The owner tells you as soon as you arrive that you’re like family for the weekend, then treats you better than possibly expected until you leave.

 
First, there is another comic named Mike Burton that has been in the biz longer than me and hates that we get mixed up, eventhough his real name is Mike Schwartz.  Second, I moved to Delaware before 8th grade and it was tough.  The first person to be my friend used a lowercase 'b' so I started doing it and have since then, 1982.  Last, it's a great ice breaker in auditions when they look over my resume.