Tenacious D seems to be everywhere these days, but I was surprised they would make it to live music loving, but oft-overlooked Davenport, Iowa. For all you Kerouac fans, this is in fact the same Davenport, Iowa mentioned in 'On The Road', and for all you 'Willy Wonka' fans, it's the current home of the girl who played 'Violet, You're Turning Violet'.

You Mean Sasquatch Isn't Real?

But that Monday night it was home to The D - the self-proclaimed 'World’s Greatest Band.' Much to my delight 'Cheap Trick’s Greatest Hits' was funneled through the speakers while we waited for the opening band. Once inside, I noticed a disproportionate number of dudes to girls. I assume this is due to the fact that Tenacious D is smart, sophomoric, and unpolished in the looks department. Bottom line: Guys like The D, and the girls that dig do because the guy they like do.

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They Swear A Lot, Too!

Tenacious D made up of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, an unlikely pair to be making musical headway in our world of corporate-created pretty boy acts like N’Sync. But corporations have forgotten that niche of listeners that may actually want to hear music from people with talent. If Frank Zappa and The Fugs had a mutant baby it would be Tenacious D - comic lyrics sung with Beatle-esque harmonies and stunning musical prowess. They swear a lot, too, and swearing is always funny. To carry a concert with just the power of two voices and two acoustic guitars is a feat in itself. I heard the influences of Ronnie James Dio mingled with Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” (Which contains the word: gitcheegoomee to rival JB’s “ A gooka goo”) other times it was like Led Zeppelin mating with Cheech and Chong.

I was expecting a good show when I walked in, but walked away with a smile on my face remembering when music didn’t have to be pain filled sung by some tattooed grimacing singer.