Tenacious D Have Cancelled the Rest of Their 2024 Tour of Australia and New Zealand
Following comments during the band's Sydney show, which kicked off their Down Under tour, Jack Black has also advised that "all future creative plans are on hold".
After playing their first show Down Under since 2013 in Sydney, Tenacious D have scrapped the remainder of their Australian and New Zealand dates on the two-man comedy rock group's The Spicy Meatball tour. The duo, aka Jack Black and Kyle Gass, kicked off their visit in Sydney, where a joke about the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump by Gass sparked controversy. In the aftermath, their next gig in Newcastle was initially postponed, then the entire tour cancelled.
Black has also put the band on hold, advising in a statement on social media that he was "blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday".
"I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding," the Instagram post continued.
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Tenacious D last performed Down Under in 2013, and were set to play July dates in seven cities. The Grammy-winning pair, which first came together in the 90s as theatre students in Los Angeles, were due to hit up arenas in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Wellington and Auckland fresh from sellout gigs in the US, UK and Europe in 2023.
Their Sydney show at the ICC Sydney Theatre on Sunday, July 14 fell on Gass' birthday, with the musician presented with a cake onstage by The Super Mario Bros Movie star Black, then asked to make a wish. He replied with "don't miss Trump next time".
Gass has also made a statement on social media. "The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake. I don't condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone," he said on Instagram.
"What happened was a tragedy, and I'm incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement. I profoundly apologise to those I've let down and truly regret any pain I've caused."
Ticketholders for Tenacious D's cancelled Australian and New Zealand shows will automatically receive refunds.
Tenacious D The Spicy Meatball Australia and New Zealand Tour 2024 Dates:
Sunday, July 14 — ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney
Tuesday, July 16 — Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle — CANCELLED
Thursday, July 18 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane — CANCELLED
Saturday, July 20 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne — CANCELLED
Monday, July 22 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide — CANCELLED
Wednesday, July 24 — TSB Arena, Wellington — CANCELLED
Friday, July 26 — Spark Arena, Auckland — CANCELLED
Travis Shinn
Tenacious D are no longer touring Australia and New Zealand across July 2024, with all tickets set to be automatically refunded. Head to the tour website for further details.
Top image: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons.
