The funniest fake band ever, Spinal Tap, is doing something that proves its own theory that, “There’s a fine line between clever and stupid.”
Those nearly immortal lines were uttered by Spinal Tap singer/guitarist David St. Hubbins (aka actor/comedian/musician Michael McKean) in the greatest rockumentary/mockumentary ever made: This is Spinal Tap.
While that movie was one of the greatest, and perhaps most (unfortunately) accurate, portraits of rock’n'roll excess and dimwittedness ever made, the band’s decision to reunite in the real world is no laughing matter.
(Complete Spinal Tap Tour Dates after the jump)
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap, the (semi) fictional trio has announced plans for a reunion tour that finds the members appearing without their costumes and wigs and instead placing the focus on the music.
Um, Spinal Tap is hilarious, but the group hasn’t exactly been pumping out hit records. Which reminds us: the trio is also preparing to release a new Spinal Tap CD, for some reason.
The “Unwigged and Unplugged” tour hits 30 cities and finds actors/musicians McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest performing as themselves rather than their over-the-top Spinal Tap characters. In addition to stripped-down versions of Spinal Tap’s hair-metal hits, the trio will perform songs from A Mighty Wind, their Tap-like movie about folk music.
The good news is that even outside of their Tap personas, these guys will probably pretty entertaining. With ties to Saturday Night Live, SCTV and the Simpsons, their brand of comedy is hard-to-beat.
Of course we’d still rather see these guys in concert with Guest performing as his Spinal Tap character Nigel Tufnel. Tufnel is a rock god. Guest is boring little dude who is married to uber-annoying actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Who would you rather see unleash a wild guitar solo on “Stonehenge” or “Sex Farm”?
Yeah, that’s what we thought.
Fortunately, the band is planning a full-on Spinal Tap tour to coincide with the release of Tap’s new album. No word on whether the new album will be rock’n'roll, or some sort of jazz odyssey.
Spinal Tap Unwigged and Unplugged Tour Dates:
April 17 - Vancouver, BC @ Center for the Performing Arts
April 19 - Portland, OR @ Keller Auditorium
April 20 - Seattle @ Paramount Theatre
April 22 - Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
April 23 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara County Bowl
April 26 - Los Angeles @ The Wiltern
April 27 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ Dodge Theatre
April 29 - Denver @ Paramount Theatre
May 1 - Houston, TX @ Jesse H, Jones Hall
May 2 - Dallas @ Nokia Theatre
May 4 - Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre
May 5 - Miami @ The Fillmore
May 6 - Orlando, FL, @ Hard Rock Live
May 8 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theatre
May 9 - Atlanta @ Fox Theatre
May 10 - Nashville @ Ryman Auditorium
May 12 - Baltimore @ Lyric Opera House
May 13 - Washington, D.C. @ Warner Theatre
May 14 - Philadelphia @ Keswick Theatre
May 17 - Columbus, Ohio @ Palace Theatre
May 19 - Cleveland, Ohio @ State Theatre
May 21 - Toronto @ Massey Hall
May 22 - Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods
May 23 - Boston @ The Wilbur Theatre
May 24 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box at The Borgata
May 26 - New York @ Beacon Theatre
May 27 - New York @ Beacon Theatre
May 29 - Detroit @ Fox Theatre
May 30 - Chicago @ Chicago Theatre
May 31 - Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
