Dave Chappelle Is Bringing His Summer Arena Tour to San Diego

Dave Chappelle just dropped a short and sweet summer arena tour, and if you're in San Diego, you might want to clear your calendar for June 21st. That's when the legendary comic wraps up his five-date run at Viejas Arena, and honestly, a Chappelle arena set in San Diego sounds like one of the best ways to kick off summer.

The tour is only five dates. That's it. No massive 40-city routing, no fall leg, just a quick burst of arena shows across the country. It kicks off June 12th in Baltimore at CFG Bank Arena, then rolls through Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago before landing in San Diego for the finale.

All Tour Dates

June 12 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena

June 15 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena

June 16 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena

June 19 – Chicago, IL @ United Center

June 21 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena

Tickets and the Phone-Free Policy

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 5th at 12:00 p.m. local time through Ticketmaster. That's tomorrow, so set your alarms now. No confirmed presale codes have surfaced for this run, so the general on-sale might be your best shot. Keep an eye on the venue newsletters too, just in case something pops up last minute.

One thing to know going in: every show on this tour is phone-free. Your phone, smartwatch, and any accessories get locked in a Yondr pouch when you walk in, and you can only access them in designated areas. If you've been to a Chappelle show before, you already know the drill. If you haven't, just be prepared. It's honestly a better experience. You're fully locked in, no screens in your face, just pure standup.

What Chappelle's Been Up To

Chappelle has been staying busy. He just wrapped a three-show run at the Hollywood Palladium during Netflix Is a Joke Fest back in May, which ran from May 4th through the 10th across Los Angeles. The wider festival featured headliners like Jon Stewart, Nate Bargatze, and John Mulaney, but Chappelle held it down at the Palladium from May 7th through the 9th.

Earlier this year he's also been performing smaller, more eclectic shows. Concert Archives has him doing a set alongside Christopher Cross in Yellow Springs, Ohio back in March, which is the kind of random, beautiful lineup that only happens when Chappelle is involved.

And then there's the Chappelle's Show revival talk. Chappelle hinted earlier this year that he's been thinking about bringing it back in some form. He explained that the hardest part would be doing it without Charlie Murphy, who passed away in 2017. But at the AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Eddie Murphy back in April, Chappelle made a direct pitch on stage, asking Eddie to step in and do Charlie's parts. Murphy didn't formally agree, but he stood up and applauded right after the plea. So the door is very much open.

Why This Tour Matters

I'll be real, five dates is not a lot. Chappelle isn't doing a massive nationwide routing here. He's picking his spots, and if your city is on the list, that means something. San Diego closing out the tour feels significant. The energy at a final show is always different, and Chappelle has a history of going longer and looser when he knows it's the last night.

No openers have been officially announced for this run, but if past tours are any indication, expect a solid lineup of support. Chappelle's shows often feature a mix of standup comics and his longtime tour DJ, DJ Trauma, setting the vibe before he takes the stage. Donnell Rawlings has handled emcee duties on previous runs, and comics like Mo Amer and Earthquake have opened in the past. We'll update if anything gets confirmed.

Don't Sleep on This

With only five shows, these are going to move fast. If you're anywhere near San Diego, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, or Chicago, get on Ticketmaster tomorrow at noon and grab your seats. You can also check davechappelle.com for any additional details as the dates get closer. This is one of the greatest to ever do it, performing in arenas, phone-free. Just you and the comedy. Don't miss it.

Cover photo courtesy of Ticketmaster