In their prime, Butthole Surfers were, by all accounts, one of the most thrilling, terrifying, consciousness-altering live bands in underground rock. They made some great records too. That legacy is explored in director Tom Stern's new documentary The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, which had its West Coast premiere Tuesday night at Beyond Fest in partnership with American Cinematheque. At the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, the movie screened with the full band in attendance, and then a surprise reunion show broke out.
Butthole Surfers had not played a concert since the fall of 2017, so this was their first performance together in eight years. It comprised just three songs — "Cherub," "The Colored FBI Guy," and "The Shah Sleeps In Lee Harvey's Grave" — but based on the footage, it was revelatory all the same. Check out some of that fan-made video below and let the FOMO flow through your veins.
Last night’s Butthole Surfers documentary Q&A morphed into a reunion performance. Only three songs but still fucking insane pic.twitter.com/xmDpDhgwHx
— HELLRAISER 2 on VHS (@BatBoyReturns) September 24, 2025
The @buttholesurfers just blew the fucking roof off the Egyptian for the @BeyondFest premiere of BUTTHOLE SURFERS: THE HOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUTT from Tom Stern & Co. An incredibly moving documentary, and a legendary night if ever there was one.@am_cinematheque #BeyondFest pic.twitter.com/tdCOjRotld
— CHRIS LOCKEY (@ChrisLockey) September 24, 2025
https://www.instagram.com/p/DO-XOJBFLkI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO-fHN7jqty/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
Thanks to Joe for the tip!
