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Tenacious D: Concert and Movie Review


The Concert:

Part I The Opener

On the evening of November 29th, 2006 the band known as Tenacious D performed at the Tweeter Center in Camden, New Jersey. Filling a full two thirds of the venue, the band set out to cement their status as the greatest band of all time. However, before moving on to the meat of the show, we have to start with the potatoes. Comedian Neil Hamburger opened for The D and as soon as he came on stage the yelling started…from the audience. Hamburger responded with a fierce invective aimed at a few audience members in the front rows. The give and take flew freely along with rather profane language going both ways. While his Tony Clifton-esque act went over exactly the way it was supposed to, his jokes missed more often than they hit. However, he did connect squarely on the chin with the audience on one occasion, managing to shut them up when he delivered the punch line to this joke:

Why did God send Terri Schiavo to Hell? (answer at end of the column)

Overall, Hamburger was a great opener in that he provided a punching bag for the crowd and wound them up to ready themselves for The D.

Part II: The First Act

Everyone knows The D rock hard as an acoustic band. Opening the show the way their debut album opened, Kielbasa got the crowd pumped to hear more hard rocking and tasty lyrics. The theatrics on display, combined with the music of course, provided for a great show. Early on, the sounds of the Flash Gordon theme song, (a Queen original and theme of the great 1980 movie) graced the ears of the audience. What a special show this was to be. The stage was a replica of KG’s living room and a few songs into the set in walks number 1 D fan, Lee. He made himself at home and delivered what appeared to be a smoking apparatus to KG. Lee also brought out a Saxaboom, which JB played perfectly. After a puff, or two, the show resumed and Lee exited the premises. Not long afterwards JB tried to get KG to go “electric” and he brought an electric guitar on stage. Upon plugging it in, they were electrocuted and wound up, via video segment, in a fiery, smelly, red place. You don’t know it is hell for sure Jables proclaimed, because "who has gone there and come back and really knows what it’s like”?

Part III: The Second Act

Wondering around their new home, The D spied a fellow who looked an awful lot like Jesus. After they questioned him about his looks, he revealed he was in fact the anti-Christ. Yes, they were in hell, but that is no reason for The D to stop rocking. In fact, they added an electric guitar, bass, and drums, enhancing the already formidable rock power of two acoustic guitars. Backed by a trio of Hell’s inhabitants (the anti-Christ, Colonel Sanders, and Charlie Chaplin (turns out he’s gay)) the full band wowed the crowd with various tunes too powerful to write about. All I can manage to spurt out is a mention of the highlight of second half of the concert, a cover of Pinball Wizard by The Who.

Part IV: The Encore

Returning to the stage, our heroes played Fuck Her Gently and then perhaps their most famous song, Tribute. Rocking hard for the entire concert, KG and JB delivered a monster performance with high energy and the charm we have come to know and love from Tenacious D. Overall, it would not be a stretch to say The D definitely rocked.


Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

Yes, this movie has a plot. Yes, this movie has great cameos from Amy Poehler and Tim Robbins. Yes, this movie has new songs of hard rocking from Tenacious D. Lastly...this movie has lots of jokes D fans will enjoy. While it is clearly not an epic, big budget affair, it should provide plenty of enjoyment for fans of the band. I direct all of you non-fans to the HBO episodes so that you can get fully endoctrinated into the world of The D before exposing yourself to the magnitude of the movie. You'll thank me later.


Answer: For the sin of sloth.