Audio By Carbonatix
Tenacious D, The Sights Palladium Ballroom Friday, July 20
Before starting up their third song of the night, Jack Black commented on where Tenacious D played the last time they were in Dallas: The Bronco Bowl. And since that beloved venue is no more, Black quipped that the Palladium might be no more because Tenacious D played there.
Black and Kyle Gass, backed by guitarist John Konesky, bassist John Spiker and drummer Brooks Wackerman, made Tenacious D’s sold-out Friday night show part Ronnie James Dio tribute, part Bob Seger tribute and part old-school country hoedown. They threw in some goofy skits, like the free-form bebop of “Jazz” and “Saxaboom,” and kicked off with “Kielbasa,” from their self-titled debut.
The biggest problem of the night wasn’t found in the band’s performance; it was how the overall sound was poorly mixed. You didn’t need to have an engineering degree or even know what EQ is, the imbalance was painful and annoying. When Gass and Black sang and played together, they sounded crisp and clear, but when Wackerman hit any one of his drums or cymbals, good luck making out anything else that was played with it.
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Detroit’s The Sights might have fared better opening for Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights. The five-piece’s sound, which had callbacks to the MC5 and Exile On Main Street-era Stones, was satisfying, but it just didn’t seem to fit on a Tenacious D bill.
Personal bias: I find Jack Black to be funny, but something has always eluded me about Tenacious D. They’re funny, but not that funny. I guess This is Spinal Tap overshadows my view.
By the way: I’ve been to the Palladium several times over the years, but I had never seen the line to get in stretch all the way down Belleview to Opening Bell Coffee.
Tenacious D’s set list: “Rize of the Fenix” “Low Hangin’ Fruit” “Señorita” “Deth Starr” “Roadie” “Throw Down” “Jazz” “Saxaboom” “Kielbasa” “Kickapoo” “Dude ( I Totally Miss You)” “Kyle Quit the Band” “Friendship” “The Metal” “Wonderboy” “Beelzeboss” “We Beat the Devil” Tommy medley, including “Pinball Wizard” “Tribute” “Double Team” Encore, featuring only Gass and Black “Baby” “Cosmic Shame” “Fuck Her Gently”
