The band spent the first twelve years of their career playing concerts acoustic; just Black and Gass on acoustic guitars, with no backing instruments apart from occasional guests. Black and Gass have expressed angst they experience before concerts saying: "We're always looking for a loophole. Pretty much every concert we've ever done, we're trying to find a way to cancel the show at the last minute." The band mainly spent their first five years performing in Los Angeles, with occasional concerts in New York and Colorado. The band embarked on their first ever tour in the summer of 1999. In 2001, Tenacious D started their second nationwide concert tour, performing at larger venues, many of which sold out. In the fall of 2001, Black and Gass toured with Weezer alongside Jimmy Eat World, performing in large arenas. In 2002, the band supported Kid Rock at a handful of concerts, before starting their third domestic tour, "Le Tour!", playing many medium-sized theaters. Later that year and in early 2003, the band would perform three small European tours, and an Australian tour.In 2006, the band launched their first ever major tour, "The Pick of Destiny Tour." Black and Gass wished to recruit electric guitarist John Konesky and bassist John Spiker, both members of Gass' side-project Trainwreck, and had been session musicians on "The Pick of Destiny" album. The band also wished to recruit drummer Brooks Wackerman from The Vandals. At early rehearsals of the tour, Black and Gass contemplated whether to go ahead with the musicians, or whether to continue performing acoustic, of which they decided to try the tour with the band. The tour would continue into 2007, with two US legs, a European leg and an Australian leg.