Tenacious D’s Festival Supreme is returning to Los Angeles for a third year, with everyone from The Kids In The Hall to Die Antwoord in tow. The fest will be held Saturday, October 10 at the Shrine Expo Hall And Grounds, and will feature appearances from Jenny Slate, Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza, Andrew W.K., Adam Devine, The Darkness, Dan Deacon, Tim Minchin, Big Freedia, Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Dan Harmon, Puddles The Clown, Charlyne Yi, Nick Thune, Neil Hamburger, Nathan Fielder, Kristen Schaal, and a wealth of other performers, including Tenacious D. The original cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will also reunite, in case the lineup wasn’t already ridiculous enough.


Speaking to The A.V. Club, Tenacious D members Jack Black and Kyle Gass confirmed that they’re the only ones who curate Festival Supreme. Black says the pair “remain mindful of who we’ve had in the past, because if you’re a real festival, you don’t just bring back the same people every year.” As he put it, “You can’t just keep bringing Phish back, or else it’s Phish fest.” Tenacious D will perform again, though, though Black says the group does “try to mix it up.” This year, for instance, the group will perform a jazz set, which Black says “is a phase [the group] went through.” Whether it’s true or not, Black says the pair “wrote and recorded a jazz album,” and that’s what they’ll be performing.

Black and Gass are also working with Goldenvoice and Largo owner Mark Flanagan to build a tent on the festival grounds resembling the old Largo nightclub space from the ’90s. Black says it’ll be “a lounge haven for funny lounge acts or acts that would work well in that environment,” and that it’ll be “cool and special for this year only.” Likening the tent to “Old Vegas,” Black says he looks forward to playing the room, which he says is a place “where people can lounge and chill and watch a show but they’re sitting at tables and eating shrimp scampi, or whatever they want to order off the menu.”


With acts like Die Antwoord, The Darkness, and Big Freedia on the bill, it’s clear—if their existence didn’t make it clear already—that Tenacious D are interested in the intersection of music and comedy. Black says that while most festivals have a comedy tent, that’s usually “relegated to the ghetto of the festival… with a capacity of like 500.” Plus, as Gass notes, “usually it’s very hot.” With Festival Supreme, Gass and Black aim to “celebrate the comedians alongside the musicians,” with Black saying that, “if anything, we put the musicians out in the parking lot to get a taste of what it’s like.”

As to what non-standup acts like Poehler, Plaza, and others will do on stage, it’s anyone’s guess. Black says he and Gass “use guilt trips and personal relationships to force them” to do the fest, “to be in the show, to use their names on the marquee. What they’ll do, we don’t care. Just get out there and do your thing.” Smartly, Black says he wouldn’t “tell Amy Poehler what to do,” saying she’s both a genius and a national treasure. Gass hints that “she might bring on some very special guest stars,” while Black says Poehler “also might cancel at the last minute.”


Tickets are $99 for the whole day, and will go on sale tomorrow, June 9 at 10 a.m. pacific to buyers using the password “Supreme.” Special $250 VIP tickets are also available.


FESTIVAL SUPREME 2015 LINEUP:

Die Antwoord

The Kids in the Hall featuring Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney & Scott Thompson


Jenny Slate

Andrew W.K. (Very Special Solo Show)

Adam Devine (Workaholics)

The Darkness

Dan Deacon

Amy Poehler

Tim Minchin

Big Freedia

Good Neighbor featuring Dave McCary, Nick Rutherford, Beck Bennett & Kyle Mooney

Harmontown Live with Dan Harmon

The original cast of Mystery Science Theater 3000

Puddles Pity Party

Charlyne Yi

Nick Thune

Neil Hamburger

Super Dave Osborne (Bob Einstein)

DJ Douggpound

Finesse Mitchell

Kristen Schaal

Aubrey Plaza

Nathan Fielder (Nathan For You)

Richard Cheese

The Lampshades

Toby Huss

2 Headed Dog

Largo Presents, An All Star Show

Morgan Murphy

Wynchester

the one and only PPL MVR

Kate Berlant and John Early

Tenacious D (Jazz)