Culture

Kyle Gass of Tenacious D plays The Union Thursday, joined by Mt. Air and Evan Seurkamp

By: Emily Votaw
Posted on: Monday, October 20, 2025

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – Kyle Gass, a giant of comedy rock, plays The Union (18 West Union Street) on Thursday. Gass is best known as one half of Tenacious D, the “mock rock” group he founded with Jack Black in the early ’90s. While Tenacious D has been on hiatus since July 2024, Gass has continued to perform internationally, wrapping a series of European dates—his first in five years—this past spring.

Also on Thursday’s bill at The Union is Mt. Air, a Columbus-based acoustic rock-pop trio joining Gass for several Ohio dates, including Wednesday night at the Northside Tavern (4163 Hamilton Ave. in Cincinnati, Thursday in Athens, and Friday night in Dayton (430 East 5th Street) at Blind Bob’s.

Mt. Air recently released its first proper single, Ghost Away. It’s a gentle track, layering whisper-soft three-part harmonies, shifting guitar textures, all while radiating warmth. Fronted by Sean Gardner, the group channels the emotional depth of Americana storytelling in the vein of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy—pursuing self-discovery with enough self-awareness to avoid indulgence. Mt. Air’s rhythm section is made up of longtime friends Nate Rothacker and Casey Cooper.

Although Mt. Air is a relatively new project, its members have been fixtures on Ohio stages for years, performing in acts such as The Receiver and Minnows.

The lineup also features Evan Seurkamp, best known as a member of the Athens-born group The Laughing Chimes. Since releasing its debut album In This Town in 2021 on Spain’s Pretty Olivia Records, The Laughing Chimes have drawn international praise for literate, jangly guitar pop. The band’s latest album, Whispers in the Speech Machine (Slumberland Records), deepens that aesthetic, moving from early-R.E.M. sparkle into post-punk atmosphere and shoegaze fuzz.

Find more information about this upcoming show at The Union at this link.