Tenacious D at the Pageant, 7/23/12: Review, Photos and Setlist

Jason Stoff

Other highlights of the night included an onstage attack by some kind of squid-alien-thing during "Deth Star," Black's mock-belittling of his roadie (he had the man towel him off and massage his back onstage), and the band's performance of new song "Jazz" from its upcoming one-song-only 2015 album, entitled Jazz (through noodling guitars, walking basslines and jazzy drums, Black sang "Jazz! Jazz! Jazz! You cannot rehearse the jazz, it just happens! You must improvise the Jazz, it just happens! Three hours of non-stop jazz! You won't leave this theater until 8:30 a.m.; we're playing hours of jazz!" before a roadie brought out a plastic toy saxophone for him to "play").

Through all the comedy, it is easy to forget sometimes that the members of Tenacious D do have considerable talent. At the end of "Double Team" the band members each soloed briefly but effectively on their instruments as Black introduced each of them, culminating ultimately in a self-introduction and vocal "solo" -- an exaggerated a capella rendition of "Three Times a Lady" that quickly disseminated into fractured yodeling. At the end of the set, Black said "I don't think you can deny that we rocked you extremely hard this evening." As the aforementioned Biggest Dick in Rock leaned forward and ejaculated ticker tape confetti all over the stage, all the members stood in a line and took a bow, having indeed rocked a satisfied Pageant crowd to completion.

Jason Stoff

Obviously winning the Tenacious D fan-off.

Critic's Notebook:

Personal Bias: I loved the TV show, liked the movie, and dug the albums. Fair to say I was already a fan going in.

Overhead: In what seemed like an unscripted moment, Jack Black mentions the huge, sold out crowd, and pontificates that the band may need to play a bigger venue next time, quipping "Maybe Busch Stadium -- The D is deep in the Bus(c)h."

Setlist:

Rize of the Fenix
Low Hangin' Fruit
Señorita
Deth Star
Roadie
Throw Down
Jazz
Kielbasa
Kickapoo
Dude (I Totally Miss You)
Kyle Quit the Band
Friendship
The Metal
Wonderboy
Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)
Pinball Wizard (The Who Cover)
Tribute
Double Team
Encore:
Baby
Jesus Ranch
Fuck Her Gently