Former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra made a surprise appearance at TentacleFest in San Francisco on June 27. The punk icon joined Wheelchair Sports Camp for a performance of their track ‘Make It Make Sense’. The show marked his first time onstage since a stroke in March.
Biafra, whose real name is Raymond Pepperell, performed for around 10 minutes at the event. Alternative Tentacles, the label he founded in 1979, shared footage of the appearance and noted that he looked visibly exhausted by the end.
The 67-year-old had been hospitalised after a haemorrhagic stroke caused by high blood pressure. Family updates at the time indicated his speech had mostly returned and his cognition was unaffected, though weakness remained on his left side.
The label urged fans not to overinterpret the brief return, stating that Biafra still faces a long recovery. The appearance came after he last joined King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard onstage in 2025 for a performance of the Dead Kennedys song ‘Police Truck’.