These Aren't the Druids You're Looking For

As the band gets set to perform "Stonehenge," there's an awfully big deal made out of the fact that the set piece for this number comes out much smaller than intended.

On the surface, it's understandable why they might be upset on a purely logistical level. This is supposed to be a set piece for a rock concert. It needs to be big so those in the nosebleeds can still see it. And it should have a commanding presence on the stage, to really drive home the idea of how big the real Stonehenge actually was.

But, on another level, maybe the members of Spinal Tap are P.O.'d about the mix-up because they are unusually preoccupied with size. In a Freudian sense.

After all, they refer to the "armadillos in their trousers." Derek has trouble at the airport when he's caught attempting to enhance himself. Very often, when someone is lacking in that department, they'll attempt to make up for it in other areas. Like with a big car, or a big house, or maybe big set pieces.

The tiny Stonehenge also embodies the difference between what the band delusionally thinks they are (sexy rock and roll legends on a triumphant U.S. tour) and what they really are (fading stars with mediocre talent and few fans). The audience knows that, but the boys don't. We know about the tiny Stonehenge and they don't (until it appears on stage). What was supposed to be an epic, mysterious number—just the image the band wants to project—turns out to be a laughable disaster.