the once over twice -- X @ Avalon, 12/10/05

John Doe -- still crazy after all these years

On Saturday, I saw the legendary X. In the early 1980's, X led the Los Angeles punk pack. The band infused it's raw sound with rootsy rockabilly, folk, and country blues, borrowing as much from Gene Vincent and Woody Guthrie as The Clash and Buzzcocks. X has been described as "not just one of the greatest punk bands, but one of the greatest live rock acts of all time." I nearly melted my iPod running through X's back catalog in anticipation of this show.

And what a show. While perhaps not as white hot as days of yore, the band still lit up the stage with an intense electricity. John Doe and Exene Cervenka's off harmony vocals rang out clear, sounding as exciting and unsettling as ever. Working up quite a sweat, John Doe's energy seemed to swell as the show wore on. At one point I wondered if a roadie had turned Doe's bass amp up to eleven, until I noticed John thumping and pounding on his fender with renewed frenzy. Cervenka held her ground center stage, often leaning into the crowd, one foot perched atop her monitor. Always an underappreciated drummer, D.J. Bonebrake pounded the skins with aplomb. I had to occasionally remind myself that the band members had all passed or nearly reached the half-century mark.




And what about Billy Zoom? Billy constantly charmed and amused with his understated antics and smirky charisma. Standing motionless, feet spread wide, Zoom effortlessly ripped lightening fast riffs off his glittery guitar while mugging for the crowd. Billy struck pose after pose, as if the gig was an extended photo shoot directed by the audience. "Dude, raise the guitar up a bit and give us that trademark shit eating grin. That's it! Now hold it. Now hit it!!" Zoom caught me pointing my camera in his direction several times and always broke out an extra goofy, exaggerated smile. Yo, thanks Billy!

Getting on in age and holding the aforementioned (and expensive) camera, I was a bit concerned that I had positioned myself right up against the stage in mosh pit ground zero. But no problem. Except for sporadic pogoing, a true mosh pit did not develop until late in the show, when it was easy to step out of harms way as the youngsters got to jumpin' jumpin.'

Billy Zoom takes my picture

X mostly stuck with material from their critically acclaimed first four albums, released in rapid succession between 1980 and 1983 (Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun, and More Fun in the New World). Opening with the intense rave up "Beyond and Back," the band did not let the energy drop once as they ripped through crowd favorites "Hungry Wolf," "The Once Over Twice," and "White Girl." Then the place practically exploded as the opening chords to "Los Angeles" rang out. Pressing closer to the stage, the crowd continued to sing along as X dug into spirited renditions of "In this House that I Call Home," and "We're Desperate." No one in the audience, which included a well balanced mix of twenty somethings, thirtyish hipsters, and oldster fans in their forties, had time or inclination to reflect on the irony of a couple of well off fifty year olds singing:

Every other week we need a new address
Landlord, landlord, landlord pick up the mess
My whole fucking life is a wreck
We're Desperate. Get used to it

Here's a small taste of what X is all about:

the once over twice (live)* -- Beyond & Back: The X Anthology

beyond and back (live)* -- Wild Gift (expanded reissue) (1981)

because i do* -- Under the Big Black Sun (1982)

X performed two encores, the first of which included the title track from More Fun in the New World. That song, as covered by Pearl Jam and Tim Robbins, became an anthem of sorts during last year's Vote for Change concert tour. X always sang from a populist or working class perspective, tuned into the trials and joys of the down-and-out. Yet 1983's New World album upped the ante on the band's political commentary. My only disappointment Saturday was the band's failure to sing that album's standout track I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts:

The civil wars and the uncivilized wars
Conflagrations leap out of every poor furnace
The food cooks poorly and everyone goes hungry
From then on it's dog eat dog, dog eat body, body eat dog
I can't go down there, I can't understand it
I'm a no good coward, an American too
(a North American that is, as opposed to
a South, a Central or a Native American)
I must not think bad thoughts

"The facts we hate . . . " You just might find new meaning in some more lyrics from this Reagan-Bush era song:

I'm guilty of murder of innocent men
innocent women, innocent children
thousands of 'em
my planes, my guns, my money, my soldiers
my blood on my hands
it's all my fault
I must not think bad thoughts

i must not think bad thoughts* -- More Fun in the New World

X polished of the second encore with their rousing cover of "Breathless." Which left me, uh, breathless.

Juliana returned to join X on a couple numbers.

Boston's hometown darling Juliana Hatfield opened the show. The former Blake Baby performed material from her new album Made in China. Which is a very strong work, perhaps her best since 1992's Hey Babe. Juliana's new songs are raw and confessional, but relatively hard rocking. And hook laden. And lots of fun. Check out her recent output. And read Bostonist's review of her show this August at the Paradise. Oh, and in case you lost track of Juliana after Only Everything, here's a great review of her late 1990s work from the Boston Phoenix.

Even though X failed to play "Make the Music Go Bang," they made a helluva joyful racket on Saturday.

note: a version of this review was posted on:

and click here for more photos from the concert.

r.i.p. Richard Pryor
. . .