Manchester Apollo, 10 June 2012: Feeling frustrated, down and poor? Tired of all that Radio 1 shit? Whatever ails you I have found the solution, albeit very temporary and short-term. Well, it’s certainly worth a try… I suggest you go see or listen to Tenacious D.

Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released three albums – Tenacious D (2001), The Pick of Destiny (2006), and Rize of the Fenix (2012). The band’s studio releases, and more recently its live performances, feature a full band lineup, including such musicians as guitarist John Konesky, bassist John Spiker and Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman. The band first gained popularity in 1999 when they starred in their eponymous television series and began to support large rock acts. In 2001, they released Tenacious D, their debut album featuring a full band. The first single, “Tribute”, was the band’s most successful achieving their only Top 10 in any chart, until they released “The Metal”, which was first shown at Saturday Night Live. In 2006, they starred in, and recorded the soundtrack for, the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. In support of the film, the band went on a world tour, appearing for the first time with a full band. They released their newest album “Rize of the Fenix” on May 15 2012.

Tenacious D’s music showcases Black’s theatrical vocal delivery and Gass’s acoustic guitar playing abilities. Critics have described their fusion of vulgar absurdist comedy with rock music as “mock rock”. Their songs discuss the duo’s purported musical and sexual prowess, as well as their friendship and cannabis usage in a style that music critics have compared with the storyteller-style lyrics of rock opera. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters also appeared in the movie and on Tenacious D albums playing the drums.

The Show

Despite the fact that the ’serious’ rock critics pretty much dislike them, the fans going to tonight’s show created the longest queues I’ve seen at the venue for many years. Punters of all ages and sizes snaked around Manchester’s Apollo theatre and took a full 40 minutes to clear - it was extraordinary. Inside the venue any hope of getting to the front of the merch stand had to be put to one side as besieging buyers totally hid it from view, while the auditorium - upstairs and downstairs - was full to the rafters. And all this on a night of major televised events…

The single support act is called The Bots and for a moment I thought that this was a naughty invention by Black & Co who major on genetalia and bums. But no, here were two very young musicians - a very young black boy on drums and his older brother on guitar and vocals. Now I guessed they were pretty young because over to stage-right I saw what was probably their mom or perhaps much older sister…

The Bots duo rocked hard for thirty minutes but I was not totally convinced. The drumming was average, as were the vocals and guitar work. But there was something about these two young lads that interested me - their enthusiasm, stage craft and absolute passion. The songs also were pretty good but the proof of the pudding lay in the audience’s reaction and that was nothing less than generous and genuine.

I’ve listened to and laughed at the albums, loved the electro-acoustic guitars and super-expressive vocals, have even been known to hum along to the band’s melodies and used some of the lunatic duo’s lyrics. And now, for the first time, I’m about to witness a live performance by rock jokers Tenacious D. The lights darken to gloomy blackness and out of the far right corner come two white cloaked figures with arms folded across chests and mounted pastel shaded light bulbs twinkling in the shadows. The two figures reach the centre of the stage and while standing motionless to attention a female (roadie?) methodically removed first one cloak and then the next, revealing two rounded male bodies with arms raised. With utmost care, deligence and in the slowest motion both figures reached for their guitars signalling bright light and the first music of the set.

Appropriately, the song echoed the tour and new album title, THE RIZE OF THE FENIX. Also appearing on stage were two more (quite young) guitarists, the band’s drummer (not Grohl unfortunately), and looming large behind this latter unfortunate the largest male genitalia I have ever seen; topped with a serpent ‘head’ with a shaft of pumping blue veins. Yes folks, the whole stage was dominated by the largest erection in the world!

Even before the duo explode into action I’m laughing at the two faces with their fixed mean and angry stares. Still staring straight ahead Kyle and Jack begin to plunder their guitars as the sheer poetry of ‘Rise Of The Fenix’ is mockingly unleashed: “When THE PICK OF DESTINY was released, it was a bomb/And all the critics said that The D was done/The sun had set and the chapter had closed/But one thing no one thought about was The D will rise again. Just like the phoenix/We’ll fucking rise again!/That’s right the phoenix, We’ll rise again!” Inspiring stuff for those of you that may have given up the ghost because of criticism.

Then it’s ‘Low Hangin’ Fruit’ which includes the following plea: “Me and Kage are horny/We’re lookin’ for a snack/Lookin’ for a plump one/With a tasty crack.” Not exactly Shakespear or Bruce Springsteen but at least the message is clear… i.e. we are two sexually frustrated middle-aged losers… ‘Kielbasa’ delivered a little later confirms the problemo: “I love ya baby but all I can think about is Kielbasa sausage, your butt cheeks is warm//I check my dipstick, you need lubrication honey/My kielbasa sausage has just got to perform/Now get it on!”  The band covers a variety of events, opinions and emotions like When ‘Kyle Quit The Band’, ‘Friendship’, ‘Wonderboy’ and the utterly victorious ‘The Metal’ which celebrates the genre’s survival against all the odds. The banter continues for nearly two hours in which time the band manage to lineup for a photo shoot, pay a dubious tribute to the Who and massage that massive erection enough to cause it to ejaculate at the end of a lively encore.