When it comes to ’80s rock, it’s hard to find redeeming value in anything very popular beyond aberrations like U2. But among the bands delivering distinctive, innovative sounds, few guitarists offered such a virtuosic touch as Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets. His guitar lines bob and weave, offering overdriven slop one minute, intricate, even beautiful melody the next. Put with that a poetic and off-kilter brand of lyrics, and a bassist (Curt’s brother, Cris) and drummer who could hang with the vertigo-inducing Kirkwood, and there was and is little finer. Kurt Cobain helped them finally get the kind of accolades they deserved by bringing them onstage for an MTV Unplugged show a few months before his untimely demise. Their career has been circuitous, and the band was largely derailed in the ’90s by Cris Kirkwood’s personal struggles. But these days the newly-revived trio is back with a new drummer, and they’re in town this week to play with Built To Spill and The Drones at the Calvin.
Sept. 18
8 p.m., $25
The Calvin Theatre
19 King St., Northampton
(413) 586-8686
jheflin@valleyadvocate.com
