-X-

One of the best shows I have ever seen in a smaller venue. Played everything I wanted to hear, and some deep cuts I didn't expect. Musicianship was spot on. I was blown away, and can't wait to see them again.

a very enjoyable and energetic show to attend. the band kept on the beat and is very engaging with the audience.

Have been seeing X for almost 38 or their 40 years but had not seen them in a long time. Show was tremendous, the hits just kept on coming! The band was on point, great energy and fully engaged - much more then the typical "reunion" tour. Highly recommended The Brighton Music Hall is fine, good sight-lines and excellent sound

Everytime I see X I feel like they get better and better. Every song was perfectly sung. And there is not one song that you don't want to hear! AA++!!!!!

Overall, I enjoyed seeing X again - but it would have been a better show if the band would have picked the set list instead of the fans - they seemed to just play through the songs without playing with a lot of feeling. I miss the passion they had in the 80s. They did still prove they have their chops for the most part. DJ Bonebreak was a little off I thought and by the end of the night I found the drumming a little too robotic. I was very pleased with the opening act, Steve Sotto and the Twisted Hearts. I bought their album.

X turned it out in NYC, showing the crowd that even if they get older, they are getting better! I couldn't believe how superb they were - the more amped the crowd got, the harder they played!

Basically the opening band was a disappointment and didn't get the crowd pumped up, although that might be difficult since the audience was mostly aging punks and suburban rockers, but X blew me away and totally lived up to my expectations. I have major respect for those guys. My craving for authentic, sweaty, jump around and come out deaf and bruised-punk rock was totally satisfied.

I can't believe how sharp everyone still is. What a great band in a great venue. Once in a lifetime kind of stuff.

First time seeing them live and I hope they return soon!

X blew into Chicago for a three-night stint at the Double Door in Wicker Park. Each night's set list was determined by the fans via online polling at the X website. The eclectic set list included hits such as True Love (John Doe's and Xcene's vocals still harmonizing with that same ethereal, hauntiing quality) to Nausea, one of the early X anthems that firmly positioned them as THE voice of the LA punk scene.

4th time I have seen X and it was the top show I have seen....excellent connection with the fans....high energy....loved it !

tiny tiny venue suprise. got to shake the band members hands to say thanks for the many years of great music. they jammed the best time I have seen them in 25 years.

Best X show or any show I've seen in a long time. Only problem.....no Fourth of July!! They haven't played this for years!?

as always, x put on an energetic performance at the double door in chicago. john doe's shirt was drenched in sweat as he worked his way through the hour and a half +/- set. it seemed to me that exene, on the heels of her ms diagnosis, was not her bouyant self (which is understandable). this was the fan request tour so, the band played a lot of their old, less popular stuff. they performed each song as if it was their first time...hard and with abandon.

X was still as good as ever and Billy Zoom was slick as snot. Too bad the acoustics at Double Door suck so bad. These guys deserve to be in a much bigger and better place.

Great show. John Doe, Billy Zoom, DJ Bonebrake and Exene all still raving on. They played Internet requests. The show was 21 and over, which was nice. Wish I could've seen all three shows at Double Door. Good venue, though the nearby L station was closed for repairs at show's end. But that's not X's fault, now is it.

Everyone who was there was VERY into the music and energy of the show...FINALLY!

Not that it was unexpected, after all, they ARE the seminal 80's LA punk band. I just get the feeling that some of the poseurs in the audience (most of whom were in diapers in the 80's) were moshing because somebody told them that's what they were SUPPOSED to do. To all those moshers........... We native New Yorkers have been living all our lives in a city that is VERY densely populated and we all have a "thing" about our "personal space". WE DON'T LIKE-A DA MOSH PIT!!!!!! Even with this distraction, I finally got to see X live and closeup. Trust me, this band does not disappoint. Tight, energetic playing, a great varied setlist and the coolest looking band on the planet. What more could you ask for.

I saw these guys in 1983 and they sounded just as good....they still got it!!

The band was tight, the crowd was into it. It bought me back 25 years. They still got it!!

If all current rock bands acted & played like this, the music industry wouldn't be in the shape its in today. John and Exene still sound as good as ever, and Billy, DJ and the entire band was tight, fast and spot on the whole night.. The songs speak for themselves, and to hear them being recreated live with the same passion, energy & skill as when they initially rocked some 30 years ago was truly amazing. For a die-hard fan, there was never a moment of hoping it could be "as good as it was back then", and I actually feel that I've now seen the best of X. Tingles. Amazement. Wishing I could bring every person I know to that show to experience what we were lucky enough to enjoy. God Bless X - Hope I get to do it again soon.

Loud, Clear and Brilliant. These old rockers came alive and blew us all away. Better than ever.

this was my all-time favorite show. i wore a tutu and ended up in the middle of a large mosh pitt mid-show. exene is so badass, definitely my female idol. ill never forget this one.

X picked up where they left us off many, many moons ago...and they haven't missed a beat from the looks and the sound of them. John Doe and Exene Cervenka both looked and sounded wonderful (despite the very depressing news that Exene was just diagnosed with MS), and they reminded anyone who needed reminding why they were, and still are, one of the most influential rock bands America has ever put out. These songs have stood the test of time very well! X still makes the most melodic punk rock you ever heard...songs you can rememebr the tune of later on, songs you can actually whistle or hum the chorus to...after about an hour and a half of all request tunes (audience members voted on what they played...) John and Exene came back on stage for a beautiful accoustic version of 4th of July that was worth the price of admission alone. It was so nice to hook up with these guys after so long, like rediscovering an old pair of jeans that still fit perfectly!!

X rawked. Played a zillion hits and kept going full throttle long after I was exhausted. So fun. The venue was the only drawback. The Bowery bouncers closest to the stage seemed intent on being kind of overly hostile for no reason since the audience was chill.

Los Angeles is my favorite X album. They didn't take long to get to that title track either. Also Johnny Hit and Run Paulene and Nausea. Great stuff. Billy Zoom's playing is always on the money but that no motion of the body bit did bug me some. His fingers dance but not the rest of him. I mean i know that has always been his style. Oh well. I think partly it's his eyes too. Kind of Stepford wifeish. Yeah and well that might even be a good thing. The highlight of the band, for me, has always been the blending of John Doe's and Exene's voices. A counterpoint delight. And live their voices still do that tricky X dance. The kind of friction that makes a great rock band. Never sweet but always very tasty stuff. Sold out shows at the Bowery Ballroom. Nice. It made me think of a solo John Doe show i saw a few years back at the now defunct Fez. He played acoustic guitar and rocked out. Funny how fans are. At that show there were maybe twenty of us. Johnny strike up the band!

They really rocked the place. Great guitar play, great show.

I use to see X in east Los Angeles in 1979 at Self-Help Graphic's before the first album release and fallowed them for the next four album. 30 years later... Still the best group ever!

Friday night s show was a great lead-in to June, which is going to be an action-packed filled month of favorites and new bands in some of my favorite venues like the Bowery Ballroom. Earlier this year rtb, violaleeblue, and I saw John Doe and Exene perform as an acoustic duo at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. In addition to their excellent choice in opening act (it was when we were introduced to Justin Townes Earle) we were blown away by their harmonies, stage presence, and their mix of traditional songs and their own old and new songs. Just as I was nervous about introducing rtb and violaleeblue to John Doe and Exene, I was even more nervous about introducing them to X after 31 years this Los Angeles punk band still performs with the original lineup and, even though their version of punk is not as extreme as some of their contemporaries, it s still punk. But I needn t have worried. Their harmonies and stage presence still blow me away and they proved again why they are not only one of the most influential bands to come out of that era but that they sound as new now as they did then. Opening act Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts is one of those bands made up of musicians from several influential if not famous bands - Steve Soto, vocals/guitar (The Adolescents, Agent Orange, 22 Jacks, Manic Hispanic); James Achor, guitar (Royal Crown Revue); Veikko Lepisto, bass (Royal Crown Revue); and Jose Medeles, drums (The Breeders, Face to Face, 22 Jacks). Soto, from the punk band Agent Orange, and Achor, from swing band Royal Crown Revue, have formed a band that is quintessential southern California rock Eagles meets Go-Gos. You ve got the Nashville guitar and the power drums. Soto is a big man with a sweet voice but the entire time I was listening to them I kept thinking I ve heard this before. So even though there is nothing wrong with the music there is nothing exciting or innovative either. X is one of those acts that is really difficult to write about. What can I say that hasn t already been said? They ve been around for 31 years. They are one of the best live rock acts. Although they are considered a punk band (coming out of the LA punk scene in1977) their music is melodic and contains traces of American roots music, folk, blues, and rockabilly. They are hard rock and they are country. Their lyrics are poetic. Their influence is still heard today in bands like Green Day. X is Exene Cervenka (vocals), John Doe (bass, vocals), Billy Zoom (guitar), and DJ Bonebrake (drums). Exene s and Doe s harmonies are as beautiful today as they were 30 years ago. And she still keeps fighting to hear herself above the band. Zoom still plays guitar in his punk rock stance. A small mosh pit formed and kept growing until it took up the entire area near the stage. This was the first night of a three-night sold out stint at the Bowery. The songs they played were selected by their fans via their website. Doe said that we all voted for slow ballads and then they played another fast rocker. Exene and Doe did perform one acoustic song ( I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts ) during one of the three encores but most of the evening was hard driving melodic rockabilly hard rock.

X burned up the stage. Sounded as good as they did 20 years ago -- very tight, fast and fun. Exene seemed to take a little while to warm up, but once she did, she was great and the last half of the show was excellent. Only thing I was disappointed about was that they didn't play See How We Are. Really fun show overall.

Upon the show's opening, I discovered that the playlist was derived form an on-line poll, reminiscent, at least for me, of the The live Minutemen album, "Ballot Result". I thought this made for a great show format, especially for a tour not in support of a new album, challenging the band with an objectivity that discouraged complacency. They played the hell out of those songs: John Doe had a look on his face that said, playing this music this hard at this age is killing me. Billy Zoom sported the same goofy smile on stage as 25 years ago, & also demonstrated why it is a good idea, if you bleach your hair, to have started doing so at age 19. X still rocks punk!

Their X! Always amazing, if you've never been go! They have a little something for everyone.

X at the Sinclair may have been the best show I've seen 'em do (out of 5 previous ones). The band is obviously well-rehearsed, resulting in an incredibly tight, yet raucous, sound. Billy Zoom's guitar riffs and leads continue to impress (and John Doe's bass playing is great as well). Highly recommended; people who don't know the band's music will like it too, if they have any taste at all. Slainte.

I live in the Los Angeles area and flew to the D.C. area (Alexandria) to see this show with a friend who lives in the D.C. area. I have seen X a number of times over the years, but I must say that this is one of the top ten X shows that I've seen. The evening started out with a the playing of the video "X - The Unheard Music". When the video started the crowd went silence not wanting to miss a single word or video. The crowd grew more animated when the live portions of the video played, even clapping loudly after each performance. Yes a very animated crowd. Once the video was over, the people seated around the stage got up and there was a rush to get closer. Shortly the band came out and the show started with the "Los Angeles Album". This tour is the 31 Anniversary of X's first album "Los Angeles". So, they started the show by playing the album (in order). What to me was amazing was Exene. She was wailing, thrashing and moving around to every song. Her energy seem to spark John Doe, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake even more. I've seen X almost every tour in the last ten year in Los Angeles (where I live) and have never seen Exene as responsive or animated as in this show. Her singing with John Doe's was perfect and they fed off each other. The harmonies (some people say what harmonies), were tight; Billy Zoom playing as great as usual. Even though there were 3 false starts, it had to be because they were feeling each others energy. Normally in the last few years, there is an acoustical break where John and Exene come out the sing "I Must not Think bad Thoughts" and 2 other song, but not this time. at the end of the first set, the roadie was preparing John Doe's acoustic guitar, but when they came back on stage it was all electric. I can only think it because they sense the going acoustic would kill the moment. They played a a few more songs ending with "Hungry Like The Wolf. As usual, Billy Zoom, end each show by taking pictures of teh audience. I checked and they are on Billy Zoom's Facebook page. Again, one of the best X shows ever.

As usual X put on a personal tight performance interacting with the audience and just having fun!! Exene was awesome.

I have seen X several times, both the classic lineup and with Tony, and I will tell you that seeing John Doe and Billy Zoom on stage was classic. Billy is pretty freaky playing those wicked licks while widely smiling ....and is there a better pure singer than John Doe? I don't think so ...the man's voice is gold ...and it gets better with age.

This was a monumental X show, especially considering they have been rocking it hard for the past 30+ years. This particular show proved that, not only did they write some of the most crucial and abiding songs of their era, but that they still are able to play with an exuberance far greater and more satisfying than any young new band I have seen in recent memory. I felt like a teenager again for the first time in years! The Bowery was a perfect venue also... The Roseland shows of the past couple of years pale in comparison to the energy and fire of these. Do yourself a favor and see them before they say "enough"... Long Live X!!

Fan since 77 ! Thank you X for 41 years of giving your all. This band has been there and back and is still playing with passion and commitment to their fans and each other. They look great and kick ass musically. Craig is a great addition and lets DJ and Billy branch out instrumentally. Every song was full throttle. Standouts for me: Los Angeles, Nausea, New World, Please Come Back to Me and Hungry Wolf. I love this band.

So awesome! They have not lost one step or beat! I danced & banged my head until it almost fell off! I m so in love that I m now pregnant by John Doe, the lead singer & bassist. If it s a girl, I ll name her Doe. If it s a boy, I ll name him DoeDoe!!! Rock on! Punk Rock foreva!!!

I like the Venue, but it was way too hot, no A/C & way over priced for not so good food & way over priced for drinks. X was great.

while the energy was there, Exene was way off key and the sound system was horrible, terrible feedback and sloppy mix, would not go back to that club again had to buy earplugs.....

went to see X in Boston the other night on their 40th anniversary tour. As good as Ive seen them live.... and thankfully Mr Billy Zoom has made a full recovery as evidenced by the fact he is still one of the best guitarists out there. I go to dozens and dozens of concerts a year and this was one of the best shows Ive seen in the 17.Check them if they come anywhere near where you live

Wow! Their 40th anniversary! Amazing that anything associated with punk rock is that old! But as they have aged, they have barely lost a step. Both Exene and John still sound great and guitarist Billy Zoom, (now over his health scare) sits on a stool but otherwise rips out those rockabilly-Check Berry riffs like lightning. Same songs (nothing under 35-years old, I d guess), pounded out hard and fast and how many bands have a 2-page set list!!?? Everything you could have asked for, including an audience request for 'Poor Girl'.

GREAT, GREAT SHOW !!! THE ONLY THING I'D CHANGE WOULD BE TO MAKE THE SHOW LAST LONGER.

i was 14 when i attended my first show (the beach boys!) i am now 50, and have been to literally hundreds of shows over the years. at one point i was going to 4-7 shows a week. i've seen X before, but the show i attended last week has now moved into my top 5 shows of all time. it was amazing. the played cuts that previously were not playable live due to extraneous instrumentation, but they have a 5th person onstage for some songs. he played acoustic guitar while regular guitarist billy zoom played sax on "come back to me", and also played drums on a few songs to let founding drummer dj bonebrake play xylophone. these additions to the set made it extra special and worthy of their 40th anniversary. they played all their "hits" as well, and i believe all from their first 4 albums, the ones produced by ray manzerak of the doors. john doe's voice is in fine shape, you would't think he was 64 years old. exene did her typical live thing of wailing without melody in her solo parts but harmonized fairly well with john doe. by the end of the set they were firing on all cylinders, tempos be damned! the audience was totally blown away, and i might add that X packed the place on a tuesday night in portland maine. to be quite frank i didn't know there were enough X fans in maine to even go to the show on a weekend, let alone a tuesday. interestingly, billy zoom sat on a bar stool for almost the entire set. he walked on and off stage fine, stepped forward to play sax fine, but otherwise sat, still with that creepy teen idol smile on his face. i looked him up and he's going to be 70 years old in february, so i can only assume he can't stand for long periods of time. (i know i can't!) but he sat there right in front of his very loud amp and played phenominally. in fact, the whole show was loud, but billy was the loudest. all in all a great night that i will bot forget.

First saw X at the Whiskey in LA in 1979 or '80. They were a precision band, high energy, great songs. Amazingly, they have not lost a step in the past 40 years. The band blasted through a 90 minute set at about 120 mph, and blew the crowd away. This was in Portland, Maine on 9/19/17. I don't think they had ever played in Maine before, but the audience gave them plenty of reasons to return. What a great night!

All in all the show was great! Two things to improve the venue would be better ventilation , and I don't know who was on sound control, but it was a bit off at times, washing out in the mid-range. Still, the opening band, Skating Polly, was awesome, and X naturally brought the ass whoopin love with their dynamic one of a kind sound! I liked seeing all performers close up and personal. I hope both bands come back.

X played a great variety of all their tunes and were really into the 40th anniversary show. Exene looked great, surprised Billy sat down for almost all the show, wished I'd seen him in his signature stance. John and DJ were fantastic. All the punks and Johnny Cash fans have a group to look up too.

Great show. The room was perfect. The band played with great energy.

Wow! Never thought I'd have the chance to see them live but it happened and I enjoyed every minute of it! Only complaint was a facility issue with there being absolutely no ventilation on the floor in front of the stage. The Masquerade seemed to take the Hell moniker seriously.

X has simply worn out its welcome with me and many others of their fans. They play the same songs from the first four albums every time. It has just gotten ridiculous. They have so much talent and to limit themselves is beyond my comprehension. It could be a legal issue. I don't know. Also the venue had no place for those of us with handicap issues to see the stage. The venue staff tried to accommodate me but I cannot see over everyone who is standing.

They put on an amazing show. More than expected!!!

The band was on fire and did not miss a beat giving a solid performance that would impress even the most dedicated audiophile. The venue was unique and totally had a real DIY vibe to it. Was able to get real close to one of my favorite all time acts.

Best show I've seen in years. They sounded better than their recordings. Amazing musicians and energy! True rock and roll. Amazing drum solo. Exene is a queen goddess, John Doe rocked it all night and Billy Zoom- a great guitarist.

Great show, in a great venue setting, for a good price. Plus the opening act did a nice SHORT set.

Having spent most of my adult life in Los Angeles I've had the good fortune to essentially grow up with X. A Los Angeles punk rock/alternative/classic rock dream come true, for them and their audience. Need to make it into the RR Hall of Fame, no question. A GREAT night with a TRULY GREAT BAND!!!

Grat job X! You sound better than ever. You sound as good or better than 30 years ago

It had been 35 years since the last time I saw X live, but it was worth the wait. My only selfish complaint is that the didn't play "Real Child of Hell" or "Wild Thing"

X was great. So good to see Billy Zoom back. Looking forward to them coming around again.

A very nice opening act that did a husband and wife version of the Everly Brothers style of music. = Top Quality stuff X was X !!!! Vocals were in top form, songs were strong, they even had a bit of fun by adding an extended Jazz Jam to one, which just added to the great X music. And Billy Zoom on guitar I thought was really playing with a lot of edge this night. I'm a late in discovering this band and didn't want to miss my chance to see them. I'm so ooooooooo glad I went. They were great !!!!! A very musically versatile, professional, Punk Rock band. :) a rare breed indeed. Don't miss out.

It was so great to see all of the original X back together, and a great way to spend New Year's Eve. Billy's fingers flew gracefully across his frets and his eyebrows raised at least once for every member of the audience (which was sadly for X not at capacity, hopefully because it was New Year's Eve). John's bass and voice were as good as ever. In addition to his usual great drumming, DJ showed versatility by playing vibraphone on numerous tunes. I went with low expectations(after reading some reviews of earlier shows) for Exene's voice, but my fears were unwarranted. As usual, she's the perfect complement to John, and brought just the right amount of quirkiness (without overdoing it). All in all, a very memorable evening.

Great show in an intimate setting..felt like a house party- Fun!!

X always puts on a great show! They played all their classic songs. We had seats close up to the stage with a great view. Great to see Billy Zoom play the show as well.

great venue, right in Harvard square. small club that made for an amazing show

I give the Blasters 5 Stars. Over the past year X has "changed its sound", and the "new X" is horrible. Save your money. If you have never seen them, too late, go find some good, old recordings.

X can obviously play their songs any way they want, it just wasn't what I wanted. They played well, but when I go to an X show I look forward to a full frontal assault. Ive seen so many great X shows in the past, and recent past (like last year!) Ive been following the band continuously since 1982, but Im not going anymore if this is what its gonna be from here on out. The show just seemed a bit anemic and lacked the energy....

Great show. Different line up than I've seen before, but still very very cool. Exene had a ton of energy & watching DJ play the xylophone was amazing.

The Blasters were killer, and X sucked. I've been an X fan for years, and I don't ever want to see Billy Zoom sitting on a chair! Who thought this was a good idea?

Nothing comes close to the pioneering sound of X. If you don't know their music, buy any (or ALL) of their first four albums and sit back to hear them fuse late-70s disillusion, punk, thrash, rock and rockabilly like no one before nor since. Exene's minor, and sometimes discordant, harmonies have never been matched by anyone and Billy Zoom and John Doe set the standard high indeed for guitarists. This particular show, like their entire 2014 tour, included the talented Michael Fitzpatrick on backing guitar, bongos, drums at times (when percussionist D.J. Bonebrake was doing a great turn on xylophone), all giving the band a full and polished sound. Yeah, who would have ever used "polished" to describe a band from Los Angeles' punk era!? This just tells you how accomplished they are as "musicians,' not just as music legends. We can only hope for an album of NEW music in 2015 and another tour. I have seen them three times this year and every time has been exciting, (though I am still waiting to hear "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene". Hint, hint) GO SEE X!

Up close and personal at the Canyon club. The best of X. All the great songs.

What more need I say? X Still has all the chops from yester year. It would have been groovy if Billy Zoom went into the greatest rock stance in the universe, but he ripped through every moment with the axe & sax.

I'm a huge X fan and try to see them as often as possible. As always, Doe carried the show but things are going down hill fast. I'm hoping the slow, unenthusiastic attitudes and play was a result of the venue and the old, very old and strangely inappropriate audience (sitting next to a couple in the 70's in dress attire), and not the tiring of the band. I get it, many shows, many years, same songs. I'd rather they play once a year in la or orange and put their hearts into it. Exene barely sang, never smiled and might as well have pulled up a chair. Speaking of which, Zoom was sitting the entire show and now there's an additional member to X??? Um.....they used to be considered punk I was explaining to my friend. That got me laughed at. Come on X!!! Doing it for the money is fine, but now I have to consider ever going again. The canyon club in Agora hills is a nice place to see a show. But this table service idea is horrible and quite a scam. 1. I learned of the dinner requirement after purchasing the tickets. Maybe I didn't read the details or fine print, but to pay a premium for selected seats, then to be told later that I'd forfeit the seats and be let in later during general admission if I didn't show up by 7 is just wrong. 2. The seating chart was WRONG!!! I bought tickets for specific seats and they sat us wherever!!! The tables weren't even situated the same as in the diagram. Then, try turning your head around for the whole show because there's not enough room to turn your chair. My friend was behind one of many poles. 3. A small choice of meals to choose from, starting at $30 and up to I think $50 each. What??? For a pre-prepared, dry piece of chicken? A $40 steak that was sliced thin in half? In other words, they got you. No choice but to order a little beer in a plastic 'glass' to make the most of it. I'll give X one more try and I'll see a show at the CC general admission...maybe if I'm desperate.

It was great to see the Blasters rocking out the way they were and have always been, loved it. When X came on with Xene and John Doe I was dancing and having to much FUN. I scored a pick from the Blasters guitarist and 1 from John Doe, with a fist pump. The show was great, a lot of fans there. Jan Zetterberg.

Great band as always! Same energy and intensity. The sinclair was a great venue too.

Killer performance! The atmosphere felt so right and down to earth. this was my first time at the Sinclair with my fiancé and we will certainly be coming back for more! Underground early punk bands are hard to come by so I didn't wanna miss this show for the world. X is a timeless band and are super loyal to their fanbase. Enjoyed every second of it, highly recommended!

Super show, great venue. Sound was outstanding, hope they come back soon!

X is one of my favorites and I go every time they come to town. But they need to have some new material or least play from the albums that Billy Zoom was not on. To continue to live off of the first four albums, it is getting the fan base to shrink.

Great show, they played and sounded right on. A lot of fun.

Excellent show, as usual with X. Unusually high energy.

Great show all around. Never saw RHH before but will now go to see them every time they come back to Philly. Amazing energy, great tunes....awesome live act! X had alot to live up to after RHH, but they matched it note for note. John Doe is so underrated it's criminal...a true pioneer and excellent showman. TLA was a great place to see this show, it fit perfectly. Just an outstanding night of pure rock and roll!!

The show was amazing! The band was entertaining and the sound was on! This was a small, intimate venue and X kept it personable.

First band: Good, but too long Reverend Horton Heat: Gets better each time I see him. I liked the quirky way he introduced each song by album number instead of title...mmmmmkay. The Jimbo Song = always awesome. Covers of Johnny B Goode & Folsom were great. His guitar chops are unequaled in that genre. Then out comes X: Amazing! Everyone was firing on all cylinders. Every song I wanted to hear + more. I wormed my way to be directly in front of Billy Zoom's amps...the voice of the angels sung on high! Exene sounds better than in the 80s. John is of course awesome & DJ is still the same powerhouse as always. Hey TLA! You need center stage sound reinforcement. If you are front & center you get nothing but the amps & drums. The tenacity & personal risk of fighting your way down front should be rewarded, not punished. Luckily I just screamed all the words myself

I have not missed a X show when they come to town in 25 years, and The Reverend was unbelievable. But The T.L.A. needs to fire their soundboard man, now.

Both the Rev and X put on a great show. Not sure if it was sad or funny when Exene had maybe one too many beers and tried to get political. There was a lot of eye rolling from John, Billy, and DJ. Still love her, though!!

"Not in the Face' (Austin, TX) opened the show with a 30-minute set. Strong performance, still-smallish crowd @ 8:00pm was impressed. Very tall 2-guitar attack...no bass...drummer among the best I have seen live. I'll go see them again, in any city, if we happen to cross paths in the future. Reverend Horton Heat (Dallas, TX) followed for 60-minutes @ 9:00pm. Had not seen this band before, other than youtube. The crowd had grown considerably, this band had drawn its own paying fans, and they added quite a bit to the atmosphere, and I'm sure to the band's enthusiasm. I dug the Reverend and Jimbo, but found their brand of "Americana" somewhat ordinary, and they eventually grew tiresome. Used most of their set to get our drink on. While floor was crowded and busy, balcony was roomy and relaxed. I was able to make many trips to the bar, and always had the immediate and full attention of the servers. LA punk living-legends "X" took the stage for 90 minutes @ 10:30. X ripped through their catalogue with iconic proficiency. They are the last surviving punk band because they can really play, an astonishing presentation of that kind of music. X's story is all about the bittersweet, emphasis on the bitter. The greatest-ever band to not sell enough records, X at Irving Plaza is way better than anybody at Madison Sq Garden.

In my humble opinion As a whole all three bands put on a great show .There was no real down part of the night Each band brought a little something different to the table.I was truly a skeptic when it comes to punk and rockabilly styles but i was impressed.It was nice to see musicians who truly love their fans and show their appreciation for those who continue to support them.Great event !!!!

All I can say is X made my year! Been a fan since the beginning. First saw X at the Leroy Theater in Pawtucket RI in early 80's. Dissapointed I missed the 35th Anniversary show for Los Angeles so when I saw this show I was in. Like to commend the Opening act "not in the face" and the always kick asss "Reverand" for revving up the night. On to X. With DJ keeping them together he allows Billy to Zoom wherever he feels he needs to go, never missing an opportunity to smile! As far as John and Exene well they're like a great old couple. They know when, where and how the other will go and keep on rocking. Thanks for making my Holidays special!

Band members all sounded/looked great! Excellent punk rock, would loved to have seen more acoustic pieces. Reverend Horton Heat was outstanding! In Your Face were great too. But 3 bands were too much - especially on a Sunday night!

Tight playing and more raw energy than I've seen from X in years. Seemed to be a lot of joy in their performance. Awesome.

really impressive stamina, vocals and playing - SO glad I got the chance to see them...

X is back on tour this time performing their 1980 debut album Los Angeles and showing the 1986 documentary The Unheard Music - but most importantly touring with a healthy Exene, who announced back in June that she does not have MS. I got there a little after 7pm and the doorman told me that the movie started at 8pm and the band would go on at 9:40pm. The show was sold out (I think the night before at Maxwell s and the next night at Irving Plaza were also sold out and by the way, how happy am I that they re back to calling the venue Irving Plaza instead of trying to stick Fillmore onto the name) but the room was pretty empty when I got upstairs. I sat on the floor against the wall and listened to the music and watched the videos. One had nothing to do with the other there were light shows or people running around and the music alternated between The Ramones and rockabilly/Chuck Berry. The room had filled up a bit when The Unheard Music began enough so that I had to keep moving my head to see past the tall people. It s a straight narrative about the early years of X told with roundabout-who-knows-where-they re-going visuals and reminisces of the band members and people associated with the band. While the movie was playing a group came in and I realized right in front was Exene, who was so close to me that I could have just leaned over and kissed her. And I m sorry I didn t. Drummer D.J. Bonebrake describes starting to drum by imitating the coffeepot percolating three beats with his foot on the floor. Then he added four beats at a time with his left hand on his thigh. And he completed it with five beats at a time on the stovetop. And telling us he makes up for the lack of bassoons in the band by the way he bangs on the hi-hat and cymbals. My mouth fell open as he played the three different rhythms and when the band was live on stage I listened for it. And there it was that unmistakable drum sound that lets you know you re listening to X and sounding exactly the same 25 years later. Sometimes it seems as if he s doing drum rolls with one hand. Guitarist Billy Zoom style, dress, guitars are still rockabilly and there he was on film or live on stage standing still while delivering his perfect solos on his beautiful Gretsch. When you listen to them live it s amazing to realize that there is only one guitar up on stage. Lead singer/bassist John Doe explained that he had been in bands and knew how to sing and come up with harmonies. Exene didn t and has to work to find them and that s what makes their sound unique. There were some wonderful scenes watching John and Exene work out the harmonies on a song. Doe had a big metal X and explained that they were tearing down the Ex-Lax building in Brooklyn and he asked for the X and he did a funny imitation of two Brooklyn construction guys getting him the X and wondering what the hell he wanted to do with it. Lead singer Exene Cervenka gave a small tour of The Whiskey A Go Go. Later when she was in her apartment all you could think was how much it looked like her the Day of the Dead art, the original artwork, the robe on the wall, all the little Xs around the apartment. One of the amazing things in watching the 25-year-old film and then seeing the band on stage is that they pretty much look the same. Sure there s a bit of age but not as much as you d expect. John and Exene still move like crazy all over the stage. There was a funny moment in the film when the MCA executive said why he wouldn t sign X and how all their resources were going towards the next up-and-coming band Point Blank. Unfortunately the director ruined it by inserting an Edsel commercial. We got it and didn t need that reference. For me it was fun watching the recording process and the old tape machines and 2 reel-to-reels and watching vinyl records being pressed. For I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts there were then-current scenes of what was going on in El Salvador. By the time the band came on the room was full. The ages ranged from early twenties to early sixties. The band started with Your Phone s Off the Hook, but You re Not and it was clear this was not a night of LA punk, this was a night of rock and roll. X will be touring with Pearl Jam in Central and South America next month and I can t think of a better lineup and wonder why we won t get the chance to see the bands together. They also performed The Doors Soul Kitchen. The New World was dedicated to the Wall Street protesters. During a break (not sure what was happening on stage if someone was tuning or what) Exene decided to lead us all on a songwriting sing-a-long. She started singing about beer in heaven and asked us to contribute the next line. No one did but who s brave enough to write with one of the best songwriters we have? For the encore the first song was an acoustic I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts with just John and Exene. Then the band came out and played True Love, Jerry Lee Lewis Breathless, and The Hungry Wolf. Thirty years from now I still expect to be listening to this album and this band.