Meat Puppets thrilled fans at Crescent Ballroom

The Valley’s own Meat Puppets returned to the stage for a sold-out show on Saturday, April 18, at Crescent Ballroom as part of the VIVA PHX festival.  With rumors swirling that the band might be cooked, their first show in four years carried a real sense of anticipation.

With no opening act, the band played a long set approaching the two-hour mark. It was a welcome return for the Kirkwood brothers, Curt and Kris, along with drummer Derrick Bostrum, who last played four years ago. Originally a trio, the band is now a five-piece, having added Curt’s son Elmo on guitar and jazz-trained keyboardist Ron Stabinsky.  

Curt Kirkwood developed a debilitating bout of COVID in 2022 and has been recuperating ever since. Naturally, fans were stoked that the band is back in action, and that excitement was apparent from the time the Puppets walked onstage.

As soon as they did, a guy standing near me began shouting, “’Plateau!’ ‘Plateau!’” in reference to one of the band’s early songs later made famous by Nirvana in their acclaimed “MTV Unplugged” episode.

Meat Puppets delivered a fun, entertaining set that included many recognizable songs, including a handful from their most commercially successful album “Too High to Die”: “Comin’ Down,” “Roof with a Hole,” “Never to Be Found,” “Lake of Fire” and their biggest hit, “Backwater,” causing a chorus of cheers and a sea of cameras capturing the moment. Additionally, they satisfied the pre-show shouter by performing “Plateau,” although my guess is that the song was already on their setlist.

I’ve seen the band several times over the years, and by years, I mean decades. The first time I saw them was in the late ’80s — years before their mainstream breakthrough — at an outdoor Tempe festival and, prior to Saturday night, I last saw them at the Crescent Ballroom in 2019.  The VIVA PHX show was the first time I noticed how much Elmo brings to the band with his ability to play both rhythm and lead guitar, and it was fun to see the generations perform together.

Overall, it was an engaging night and a warm assurance that the band is not only back, but evolving, while honoring their decades-long career with a new generation.