I’m wedged in the photography pit at the ICC Theatre in Sydney, the crowd behind me a throbbing, electrified mass. On stage, Tenacious D command the spotlight. Jack Black and Kyle Gass—impossible to pin down, part rock gods, part comedic geniuses—are delivering a performance that defies categorisation. What’s not to love about watching two unassuming guys with beer bellies, who look nothing like your typical rockstars, absolutely dominate the stage with their hard-hitting rock and side-splitting antics? It’s heavy, it’s hilarious, and it’s an experience none of us would trade for the world tonight.
Black and Gass formed Tenacious D as a joke before they were well-known (think pre-School of Rock and pre-High Fidelity), and have taken that joke from underground obscurity to global fame and adulation. The weird thing about this show, which is part parody, is that beneath the jokes and the absurdity, Black and Gass’s songs and rock god antics reveal a deep, almost reverent understanding of the dark art of rock and roll and they have the musicianship to pull it off. Black’s voice is impeccable; he nails every note with a wild precision. It’s like a crazed blend of Freddie Mercury’s operatic flair, Ozzy Osbourne’s raw power, and a dash of John Belushi’s manic energy for good measure. Tenacious D’s rise feels like a victory for every misfit who ever dreamed of rocking out on the big stage.
Tenacious D continue their tour of Australia and New Zealand through July – head HERE for details.
