Tenacious D at the O2 Arena

Tenacious D aren’t your typical rock’n’roll band but they can still outshine the best of them. Stopping by London’s O2 Arena, the duo – made up of American actor-musicians Jack Black and Kyle Gass – present their Spicy Meatball Tour to fans at their first and only UK visit since 2019. 

Their live show plays out like a rock musical: most songs are preceded by a skit or intro, many conclude with a bow. There are props, dramatic acting and even a SFX guy nicknamed Biffy Pyro. For an act who met in a theatre troupe and found success through their own musical comedy film, it checks out. Black and Gass don’t take themselves seriously, which makes for a magnificent evening of laughter and music.

Yet beneath the jokes and un-seriousness of it all are two extremely talented musicians. They may exist within the genres of rock and metal, but the duo still choose to stick with acoustic guitars; their backing musicians/cast mates round out the sound with electronics and drums, while Black and Gass deliver strong vocal performances.

As the twosome arrive on stage to an eruption of cheers and the smell of marijuana in the air, inhibitions are lost quickly. The setup is simple: some instruments, some lights and a church-inspired backdrop. This is a band who know where their appeal lies. From the first song through to the last, the audience is captivated, singing and stomping along. Kickapoo kicks things off, followed by Low Hangin’ Fruit before Black collapses on-stage, claiming to have “rocked a little too hard”. A confused roadie is called up to take over on guitar for Jailbreak as Black alternates between lying on the floor and shoving his bandmates out of the way for his verses.

Unsurprisingly, a highlight of the night is Tribute, their biggest hit, alongside a cover of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game (accompanied by a video of Black and Gass frolicking half naked on a beach). It all feels a bit like a fever dream, but it’s bundles of fun nevertheless. The Metal features an unexpected dance routine with a metal demon cameo, while only at a Tenacious D gig would a song titled Fuck Her Gently garner a reaction of lit phone lights usually reserved for heartfelt ballads. A recorder solo and a long-winded shout out to famous friends in the audience are included in the madness.

It could be easy for Tenacious D to get up on stage and sing their little comedy songs and walk off when it’s all done, but instead they create a spectacle – a part-concert, part-theatre performance with cameos from various crew members and a well-planned setlist. Perhaps not your stereotypical rockstars but tonight there’s an arena full of people ready to argue otherwise. How would one describe an evening out with the duo? Wildly strange and wonderfully entertaining.

Katherine Parry
Photos: Guifré de Peray

For further information and future events visit Tenacious D’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Wicked Game here: