Turn it up to 11.
This weekend saw the cast of This Is Spinal Tap reunite for a special screening and live performance to celebrate the classic rock mockumentary’s 35th anniversary – and Elvis Costello even made a surprise appearance. Check it out below.
The 1984 cult classic, directed and co-written by Rob Reiner and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, tells of the rise and fall of the fictional British hard rock band, Spinal Tap.
To mark the anniversary, this weekend saw a special screening and Q&A in New York, before the band reunited on stage at the Beacon Theatre to play an acoustic set – where they performed the favourites ‘Hell Hole’, ‘Big Bottom’, ‘Rainy Day Sun’, ‘Clam Caravan’, ‘Sex Farm’, as well as ‘Gimme Some Money’ featuring Costello.
“We will see you in another 35 years!” McKean told the crowd.
Last year saw Smalls release his debut concept album on growing old. The solo album ‘Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing)’ features some very high profile collaborations, including members of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters.
Acclaimed musicians David Crosby, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, Peter Frampton, former Yes member Rick Wakeman, Dweezil Zappa, Joe Satriana and Steve Vai also featured.
Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner (Photo by Gary Gershoff/WireImage)
Spinal Tap never let fiction get in the way of the music, and played a headline show at London’s Wembley Arena and a set on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2009.
Spinal Tap star Christopher Guest recalled the experience: “We played the Pyramid Stage in 2009. It was a fantastic show. There were 130,000 people there or something. Since the film 30 years ago we’ve gone on tour, playing Wembley, the Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall… It’s weird but great. The fiction became real.”
