Ah, 1996 … the economy was booming, the Information Superhighway was taking off and tickets for Metallica at the Kiel Center topped out at just $35.

We may be feeling some pain at the moment, but we can relive some fun — circa-1996 — this Sunday when the pranksters of punk pop band Celery (1994-2000) reunite at Maplewood’s Deluxe. The quartet made it happen after lead singer Phil Browne moved back to St. Louis this year after working as a musician and DJ in Vegas.

Celery had a strong local following and was known for their colorful costumes and outlandish stage antics. They would often serve platters of celery and dip before shows and throw celery at the crowd during sets.

Above all, though, they were a talented and tight unit that seemed to always have it together onstage, blending up-tempo Latin lounge standards with catchy, high energy punk pop.

“Steve (Marshall, bass) and Phil were so goofy onstage together and really funny, so there was that comic element,” said drummer/guitarist Gus Nanos, who joined Celery hours before a gig when they needed a drummer. “Our songs were relatively serious, though, and we put a lot of work into them.”

Nanos said popular songs like ‘Twit’ and ‘Precious’ have held up well since they were last played almost decade ago.

“Rehearsing some of the songs, it was like not a day had passed. We played them and they were perfect,” said Nanos, who played in the Five Deadly Venoms and other bands after Celery. “The songs don’t feel dated for the most part. People who come to the show without having heard us before, it won’t matter. The songs are good and having a high-energy, good time is the whole point of it.”

Nanos said that the band is definitely open to playing more shows and writing new material to add to their two previous releases.

Celery with the Livers and Scene of Irony

Deluxe, 2733 Sutton Blvd, Maplewood, 646-0370

Doors 6:30 pm, $7