Winter's edge is biting hard over at ICC Sydney Theatre (13 July), while inside the crowd waits to bite their teeth right into Tenacious D's Spicy Meatball tour.
Crusade open the evening with splendid rock simplicity – one guitar and one drummer. Drummer Mike Bray sings from his soul as his kick thuds into your chest.The orange and red lights beam down as guitarist John Konesky shreds fat rock riff after riff. The already packed crowd shake along energetically. This is some of the smoothest heavy rock you've ever heard.
Crusade - image © Hayden Nixon
Anticipation builds as smoke fills the air. Finally the lights drop as a Star Wars-esque introduction plays, transforming into an Indiana Jones style. The band enter to rapturous cheers.
A nod and a wave at the crowd before Kyle Gass picks up his acoustic and he's off and racing. Jack Black sings the first lines of 'Kickapoo', his impressive vocals ringing out. The narrative style song sets the scene magnificently, as the lights swirl and twirl theatrically.
"What's up Sydney?" Black asks at the song's conclusion. "It's been a long time. Kage, do you remember the first time we played Sydney?" Kage nods, as Black jests: "You never forget your first time."
'Low Hangin' Fruit' is a humorous recount of pursuit, as Black scats through the middle 8 like a frantic hoon. The band join together for timed dramatic stabs, looking over their shoulder at the audience. They came here to rock.
Tenacious D - image © Hayden Nixon
"Anyone got a scrunchie?" Black asks, as a roadie obliges, before Black gestures for her to wipe his forehead as well. The crowd laugh. "Steven Seagal," he quips regarding his new hairstyle.
"Who's seen 'The Pick Of Destiny'?" he asks, as the crowd yell. "Not in cinemas you didn't!" Black says. "No one did. The critics said we were dead, but we rose." 'Rize Of The Fenix' follows, recounting their rise back to the top in an encouraging tale of hope.
"Wasn't there supposed to be pyro on that last song?" Black asks. 'New guy' Biff enters claiming the pyrotechnics didn't work because he didn't push the big red button. He pushes it and giant flames shoot out, as Biff is relegated from the stage.
'Wonderboy' is infectious, before a famous riff rings out and the crowd erupt. 'Tribute' follows and a giant inflatable demon appears at the back of the stage, his gleaming red eyes lighting up whenever he talks.
Tenacious D - image © Hayden Nixon
Gass and Black join at the front for an elongated acoustic facing, the song's classic guitar solo shooting out as the pair strum ferociously, until the song's conclusion. The demon's eyes remain red-lit.
"Anyone play video games?" Black segues. "We used to but we had to leave that childish sh.t behind." The crowd boo. "This song is called 'Video Games'." The demon's wings start flapping as the hilarious and short song confirms Black does indeed still play video games.
"Do you hear that?" Black asks as metallic rings sound out. A gigantic metal monster appears and chases Black across the stage. Another fantastic riff sounds out the beginning of 'The Metal'. The pair spar with the monster before succumbing to join it in a synchronised dance.
Tenacious D - image © Hayden Nixon
"Where's he going?" Gass asks as the monster departs. "To Milan to meet Taylor Swift to battle whatever genre that is," Black says, before declaring, "sax-a-boom please!" Black plays his humorous solo, raising the sax-a-boom triumphantly as if to signal the end of the section. Gass, however, brings out a hilariously gigantic sax-a-boom and plays sultry jazz effortlessly. The crowd love it, as Black feigns jealousy.
Black has an interaction with his roadie, gesturing angrily to fix his microphone stand, before wiping his brow and throwing the towel onto the roadie's face. "That's Mary, the best roadie in the world," he declares. You feel it was perhaps a set up as 'Roadie' follows, a big-hearted gesture to an unseen side of the industry.
Black and Gass then move to the back of the stage, where Black verbally abuses him. They return to the front where Gass exclaims: "I quit!" dropping his dacks as he walks off. Black begins 'Dude (I Totally Miss You)' as a single light beams down. Gass returns mid-song as the crowd cheer. The pair embrace at the song's conclusion.
A short cover of 'Wicked Game' follows, as images of the pair running into the ocean plays – Gass in underwear and Black in a leotard. It is a sight that forever burns your retinas.
Tenacious D - image © Hayden Nixon
'Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)' sees them defeat their 'possessed' guitarist in a rock off, as the demon deflates behind them. The backing band play various solos as Black shouts them out, before announcing their sound guy. "Take a solo!" Black declares, and the sound guy obliges with, "check one, two, one, two". Even the lighting guy gets a solo.
"Is that everyone?" Black asks. "Oh wait, me! It's time for my solo." His choice is the melancholic 'Overkill' by Men At Work, ending with a metal scream. Biff again fails in his pyrotechnic duties in the encore before confessing 'the D' is his favourite band, so he was nervous. "We're nervous too," Black comforts Biff, as the band join together to sing 'The Spicy Meatball Song' in a heartwarming moment.
'F... Her Gently' ends a set full of memorable moments, as Biff's pyrotechnics finally get their glorious moment, crowning its conclusion. Wild, theatrical and metal, Tenacious D sure do have a whole lot of fun.
More photos from the concert.
