The Kyle Gass Band lit up Lost on Main Tuesday night by bringing guitar solos and crushing acoustic chords together for a night of comedic rock ‘n’ roll.
Gass, best known for his role in Tenacious D, the funny-man musical duo featuring acoustic counterpart Jack Black, returned to play a Chico once again, making a stop along a two-week west coast tour.
Local openers Northern Traditionz, a group of reggae-metal defectors that seemingly lost their way to the stage upstairs at the Crazy Horse, started off the night with pop-country, hell-yeah originals and a hot rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.”
People ranging from college students to raucous grandparents, made their way through the double doors of Lost as the clock began to approach 10 p.m.
The bar was packed and the dance floor crowded when members of the Kyle Gass Band made their way on stage, some wielding sparkly guitars clad in deep Hollywood V-necks and sunglasses.
With anticipation, Gass waited on the side of the stage looking like a rock ‘n’ roll Santa Claus of sorts complete with drink in hand.
Though the white beard exhibited the years since the Pick of Destiny was released and Tenacious D reigned supreme, Gass showed no signs of throttling the rockin’ power of his onstage presence.
Equipped with an acoustic guitar and recorder, Gass and the band brought the audience on a journey fueled by farcical songs from their two albums like “Bro Code” and “Ram-Damn-Bunctious.” Gass and his band worked together the entire set, trading vocals parts with rhythm guitarist Mike Bray along the way; all while passing a a bottle of Jameson back and forth to other members.
At one point during the night, with cannabis smoke and whiskey wafting around the venue, some kind of hazy confluence was established between the audience and band. Before the set was over, much of the audience would be anticipating the next time The Kyle Gass Band returning to Chico.
Do yourself a favor, catch these guys the next time they come to town.
Matthew Manfredi can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_arts on Twitter.
