The Meat Puppets have always done things their own way. Their shift from a more hardcore sound to the now-legendary underground rock/country hybrid known as “cowpunk,” their well-known battles with drugs, and all that touring with Stone Temple Pilots; it’s all well-documented, and it’s all part of the legend, for better or for worse. Original members/brothers Cris and Kurt Kirkwood have been performing under the Meat Puppets name since the band formed in the early 1980s and started releasing output for SST Records. The Meat Puppets reunited a couple years ago and are touring in support of their most recent album, Sewn Together, out now on Megaforce. When I saw them this summer, it was sweltering, packed, and totally awesome. And now you yourself can relive the magic of that night, but hopefully with less of a chance of heatstroke and your shorts getting all sweat-drenched and clingy. Gross.
Back in 1993, the band hit it big after appearing with Kurt Cobain on MTV’s Unplugged in 1993. The Kirkwoods and co. then embarked on their first tour with STP, and their album Too High to Die went gold. The band began working together again in 2006. Today, Sewn Together has got the critics all in a tizzy, and after a weekend stint with old tour buds Stone Temple Pilots, The Meat Puppets are ready to rock a venue near you. Taking over opening duties on much of the tour will be Athens, GA country/grunge practitioners Dead Confederate
09.05.09 - Tuscon, AZ - Club Congress
09.16.09 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater *
09.17.09 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern *
09.18.09 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater *
09.19.09 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's *
09.20.09 - Sebastopol, CA - Hopmonk Tavern *
09.22.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *
09.23.09 - Chop Suey - Seattle, WA *
09.24.09 - Boise, ID - Grizzly Rose *
09.25.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *
09.26.09 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre *
10.24.09 - Atlanta, GA - 40 Watt Club *
10.31.09 - Houston, TX - Rudyard’s
11.01.09 - New Orleans, LA - Voo Doo Music Experience
11.03.09 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry’s
11.04.09 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Room
11.05.09 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ball Room
11.06.09 - Kansas City, MO - Record Bar
11.07.09 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
11.08.09 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
11.10.09 - Columbia, MO - Mojo’s
11.11.09 - DeKalb, IL - Otto’s
11.12.09 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
11.13.09 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
11.14.09 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
11.15.09 - Indianapolis, IN - Radio Radio
11.17.09 - Louisville, KY - Headliner’s
11.18.09 - Cleveland, OH - The Grog
11.19.09 - Ithaca, NY - Castaways
11.20.09 - Albany, NY - Valentines
11.21.09 - Teaneck, NJ - Mexacali Live
11.25.09 - New York City, NY - Bowery Ballroom
11.27.09 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
11.28.09 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live
* Dead Confederate