If you’re asked where you first heard of Tenacious D in the British media, the bigwigs that are Q, Kerrang and NME will be – or at last should be – the last names on your mind.  Forget even suggesting MTV.  uk-fusion brought your attention to the D three months ago with a live review of their show in Atlanta, USA.

Shortly after, a review of their debut album followed, which hadn’t been released in the UK until last week.  If it hasn’t occurred to you already, we are probably (if not certainly) the first in the UK to sing the praises of the wonder boys who are Jack Black and Kyle Gass.

Tonight, the Astoria has been booked exclusively for Tenacious D.  It’s sold out despite an upgrade from the 500 capacity of the Garage.  There is no support act.  More noticeably there aren’t a great number of US ex-pats present to support their home country boys.  They needn’t fear as the chants of 1200 British D-ciples fill the venue, impatient to see the ‘greatest band on earth’.

Due to start at 8 pm prompt (yeah, that puzzled a lot of us), it’s nearly a quarter past the hour when darkness falls and a spotlight hits the stage.  It’s your first live date in Europe and you’ve chosen London as the destination.  It’s got to be something special so whom do you call?  Your best mate of course.  Jack and Kyle’s closest pal is none other than Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl.  The duo have appeared in the Foo’s video for ‘Learn To Fly’ and Grohl duly returned the favour by playing the drums on their album and dressing up as the devil in the video for ‘Tribute’ - the best song in the world.

So it is with this great game plan that the audience’s excitement is trebled just from the brief appearance of Grohl introducing Tenacious D.  With that, the D (who perhaps should be named the smallest live band in the world) stride onto the stage to the sights and sounds of cameras flashing and people cheering.  For a minute or two, they stand still, taking in the buzz that is ricocheting around the heaving club – Jack dressed in a crisp tartan shirt and navy blue trousers, Kyle in a sky blue t-shirt and grey shorts, sporting some neatly trimmed chin-pubes.

Each armed with an acoustic guitar, their silence is shattered on the first note they play.  For a moment, the audience stops and stares – what?  No drums, no electric guitars, no mixing decks – just two chubby blokes with guitars?  Is that it?!  In a word, yes.  Two chubby blokes – one bald and one hairy – stand aside, poised to hit you where it hurts – be it your funny bone or the slightly worrying damp patch growing around your crotch area.

What follows is an indescribable 90 minutes.  Tenacious D live is like a pantomime, a stand-up show and a sound-check twisted together but you know, they do it with such precision that you’re quite simply bowled over in one strike.

’Wonderboy’ is the second song into the night, which is met with a euphoric sing-along from the crowd.  The normally foul-tempered security burst out laughing when Jack launches into the first line of ‘Kielbasa’: "I lurve ya baby but all I can think about is kielbasa sausage your butt cheeks is warm".  Forgive them for the poor grammar.  Let me remind you again there are only two men with two guitars holding the fort, oh except for the one song where Jack plays a Fisherprice type saxophone and pretty well too.

Apart from Jack's wild facial expressions amusing the audience, other memorable moments include the Tenacious D backdrop slipping halfway down and the 'G-A-Y' illuminations lighting up behind, and the band’s roadie helping tiny Jack (who’s only 5’4) down from a high storage trunk in which the star of Hi-Fidelity snaps at him, saying “I’m not a child!” before quietly whimpering “help me”.

Their performance is interrupted on three occasions by a giant screen lowered onto the stage.  While this is the cue for the two to take a breather, short sketches (a reminder of their television show) are shown.  The content is, well let's just say, far from being subtle, as the two parade around in their tighty-whites, bellies bulging out.

But back to the music - after all, that is what we want to hear.  With helpful explanations/short stories in-between, we are treated to 'The Road' ("In London you have to pay £20 for a porn channel and there is no penetration!" complains Jack), a glorious performance of 'Lee' (dedicated to the chap who runs their website), the hilarious 'Karate', the storming 'Explosivo', 'Double Team' (which is met with howls of laughter) and for the ladies, 'Fuck Her Gently'.

In true rock'n'roll spirit, 'Rock Your Sock Off' does the trick but it's 'Tribute' that re-ignites the fire in the crowd.  The entire performance is blistering especially when 1200 people yell "rock on!!!", drowning out Jack and Kyle.

Those who couldn't get a ticket this time are eagerly awaiting the D's next visit.  40,000 people who got soaked in the rain at Oasis' Finsbury Park gig on this very night, were foolish to part with £35 a ticket. 

They came, they conquered and they would have got full marks had Grohl whacked a few drum skins.  Still, there's no denying the D know how to rock your socks off.  Cheers, Seanie.
(4/5)

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Photos: Afsheen Shaikh