Spinal Tap[a] staged a special ‘bass off’ as they reformed especially for [a]Live Earth at Wembley Stadium today (July 7).
The spoof band – stars of Christopher Gest‘s seminal rock’n’roll satire ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ – staged the one-off show for Al Gore‘s environmental benefit.
Comdeian and Tap fan Ricky Gervais echoed his controversial comments from Live 8 two years ago, saying of today’s event, “If this doesn’t save the Earth, I don’t know what will”, and making references to the number of private jets that had been used to bring artists to and from the event.
Gervais then welcomed to the stage director Rob Reiner, posing as band manager Marty DiBurghi, who introduced the band as “the loudest and most punctual band on Earth, this is Spinal Tap!”.
The veteran rockers then ploughed through three of their ‘hits’ beginning with ‘Stonehenge’, as model pieces of Stonehenge itself were wheeled and dangled on and off the stage on wires.
However the real centrepiece of the performance came before the closing ‘Big Bottom’, before which ‘David St Hubbins’ introduced “every bass player in the known universe…”.
Joining the band were Foo Fighters’ Nate Mendell, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Bloc Party‘s Gordon Moakes and Madonna‘s bass player and producer Stuart Price.
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However, Metallica frontman James Hetfield and the entire Beastie Boys also made it onto the stage to join in the fun.
Spinal Tap played:
‘Stonehenge’
‘Warmer Than Hell’
‘Big Bottom’
Live Earth continues in London with James Blunt on next, and performances coming from Beastie Boys and Madonna among others.
Stay tuned to NME.COM for reports live from Wembley Stadium all day.