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comedy · Wednesday 23 September 2026 · 8:00pm 
Russell Howard: Don't Tell the Algorithm at Waterfront Hall
At Waterfront Hall · 2 Lanyon Place, Belfast, BT1 3WH
At Waterfront Hall · 2 Lanyon Place, Belfast, BT1 3WH
Russell Howard returns to Belfast in September 2026 with his brand-new stand-up tour, “Don’t Tell the Algorithm” - two nights at Waterfront Hall on 23 and 24 September. If you have been meaning to get out for a proper live comedy night, this is a solid reason to do it. Howard is one of the most recognisable names on the British and Irish comedy circuit, known for energetic, warm material that manages to be sharp without being mean-spirited. He has sold over two million tickets globally and sold out the Royal Albert Hall in London. He does not often have a new touring show, so two nights at a major Belfast venue is a genuine opportunity to catch him at his best.
The show’s central idea is a deliberate pushback against the way most of us consume entertainment. Howard is “inviting audiences back into the room” - his words - with no phones, no distractions, just humans and jokes. Whether or not that sounds like a philosophical manifesto, in practice it means a full, uninterrupted live comedy set in a room of over 2,000 people who are actually present. Howard’s comedy typically covers politics, daily life and the general absurdity of the modern world, delivered with his trademark high-energy style. He has a knack for finding optimism in bleak situations, which tends to make audiences leave in better form than when they arrived. Note that children under 3 will not be admitted.
Waterfront Hall is right on the Lagan riverfront in Belfast city centre, at Lanyon Place, a short walk from Belfast Central railway station. If you are coming from Dublin, Enterprise trains run to Belfast Central in around two hours and the venue is a ten-minute walk from there. From within Northern Ireland, Translink operates trains and buses to Belfast city centre. The Europa Bus Centre is also close by. Several car parks sit within five to ten minutes’ walk of the venue. The hall operates a fully cashless bar system, so plan accordingly.
Belfast city centre has changed enormously in the last couple of decades and September is a good time to visit - the summer crowds have thinned out but the weather can still be reasonable. The Titanic Quarter and Cathedral Quarter are both an easy walk or short taxi ride from Lanyon Place. There is more to see in Belfast and across Co. Antrim.
Heading to Waterfront Hall in Belfast? Antrim has plenty more to see. Read the Belfast area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.