Clash of the Titans: Tenacious D vs. Spinal Tap at the Big Easy, December 17
Hypothesis: If a band perform a tribute to a parody musical act, does it create a meta-textual black hole from which no form of entertainment can escape? Answer: A surprising, resounding "no."
Since debuting the weekly Clash of the Titans series in 2007, the Big Easy has found a way to elevate the so-called "tribute act" from dive bars and county fairs to a legitimate local phenomenon. The formula is simple: Take two similar artists, say, ABBA and the Bee Gees, assemble two bands, one for each artist, from the crème de la crème of the local music scene, then have them go song-for-song until a winner is declared by the audience. Originally slated as a summer-only series, the Clash has proven so successful that this year's was extended through the winter.
This week's Clash, in which joke-rockers Tenacious D took on fictional heavy metal legends Spinal Tap, was one for the ages. Led by possibly the world's greatest Jack Black impersonator, the would-be Tenacious D had their work cut out for them against the fright-wigged, bespandexed Spinal Tap simulacrum. Tenacious D emerged victorious, due in no small part to an underwear-clad acoustic version of crowd favorite "Fuck Her Gently." Goofy costumes, wild stunts, and local musicians pretending to be their favorite bands for a day: the Clash of the Titans in a nutshell.
Related:
New England Music News: March 6, 2009, First annual We Push Buttons Festival, Bare bones, More 
- New England Music News: March 6, 2009
Sorry we didn't have time to give you the heads-up before the show, but the BALTIC SEA debuted a new five-man lineup Sunday night at the Big Easy.
- First annual We Push Buttons Festival
The successful first-annual WE PUSH BUTTONS: ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL wrapped up on Saturday night.
- Bare bones
His press materials tell me the young Benjamin Burgess is "uniquely compassionate."
- Space cowboys
Sidecar Radio's EP Wave Principal was released in April 2008 and I've pretty much been listening to "Easy Gets So Hard" ever since.
- Action Jackson
Locally, Loverless, This Way, and now Highway Jackson are forging a bit of a rock renaissance in Portland.
- Multi-faceted
How we think about making and consuming music is changing. It is not news that labels, albums, and record stores are dying, pushed aside by new ways of conducting the commerce of music. (Though at the turn of the 20th century the song was king and the trade was in sheet-music publishing rights, so maybe this is all a return to form, just with new technology.)
- Colony collapse disorder
If you get a chance, check out the trailer for the movie 2 on YouTube.
- Review: Kino Proby, Loverless
With another holiday season over and easily the most significant presidential inauguration in history days away, most folks are probably experiencing celebration fatigue.
- Portland music news, February 6, 2009
Those of you pining away for TONY MCNABOE 's solo work should be pleased he's set up a residency at the Big Easy for the month of February.
- Less
Topics:
New England Music News
, Entertainment, Music, Pop and Rock Music, More
, Entertainment, Music, Pop and Rock Music, Tenacious D, Tenacious D, Punk Rock, The Bee Gees, Sciences, Astrophysics, Physics, Less
