Last night’s Chris Cornell tribute concert was a lot. Like a lot, a lot. Running nearly five full hours, a veritable cavalcade of rock and roll royalty and the people who love them braved traffic-crippling rain storms to make the pilgrimage to The Forum in Inglewood, CA.
With everyone from Metallica to Fiona Apple to Miguel to Peter Frampton taking the stage during “I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell,” videos and images of the star-studded tribute have permeated news and social media outlets all day.
What seems to have been overlooked from last night’s proceedings, though, was a typically stellar turn from comedian, Tenacious D frontman, and recent FLOOD cover star Jack Black.
Tapped to introduce Metallica, Black found himself centerstage, ready to make the big announcement, when producers asked him to improvise while the band made final adjustments.
If you ever need someone to kill time in front of a crowd, Jack Black is your man. He talked about the power of Chris Cornell’s voice—and how he sang notes that didn’t exist, and how he was able his ability to hit certain notes that would open portals into another dimension.
Given the directive to keep it going, Black regaled the crowd with a rendition of Soundgarden’s “Spoonman” that only he could deliver. When Metallica frontman James Hetfield casually strolled onstage to let it be known that the band was ready to rock, Black took the opportunity for a quick blast of Metallica’s “One,” accompanied by Hetfield on guitar.
Watch Jack Black work his rock and roll comedy magic with Metallica below.
