Image by Erik Adams
X shows Austin it's still got it after 30+ years
June 2, 2008, at La Zona Rosa
By Erik Adams
Published: June 4th, 2008 | 3:30pm
There are few things as unsettling as a fixed, unwavering smile — this is one of the reasons why the Joker is one of the greatest villains of 20th-century literature. It's probably also the reason X guitarist Billy Zoom blasts through his band's sets with a maniacal grin plastered to his face. When every other punk choose to show contempt for the mainstream with a sneer, Zoom was all smiles.
But now that middle-age spread has set in and his pompadour is losing its platinum sheen, Zoom's "nice guy, punk legend" shtick has become full-on creepy. Between that and the herky-jerky moves he showed off in Austin Monday night, Zoom's stage presence is becoming akin to a terrifying rockabilly robot.
Which is to say that as it tours these united states celebrating its 31st year as a band (give or take those years in the '90s when it wasn't a band), X has not gone soft. While the fire in their marriage was permanently extinguished in 1985, there remains a great deal of chemistry between Exene Cervenka and bassist John Doe (Fact: When it comes to stage names, nobody's better than the members of X). Throughout the show, Cervenka's caterwaul and Doe's deadpan tangled and tumbled along like the gutter-bound characters of the band's songs.
As with any reunion or anniversary tour, one has to wonder whether the band is back on the road for the love of music or the love of a paycheck. While Doe's "We'll see you next time" send-off hints toward the latter, the two encores and Zoom's brief post-set meet-and-greet point to the former. The band members are playing their asses off; 31 years was a long enough time for Cervenka to learn how to really wail, for Doe and drummer DJ Bonebrake to lock in and tighten up, and for Zoom to develop a telekinetic connection with his guitar.
X has long been praised for mixing punk with elements of rocknroll's pre-Elvis roots, so the Detroit Cobras made for a perfect opening act, given their re-imagined repertoire of forgotten R&B sides. The Cobras' concept is can't-miss, even the members don't possess the kind of onstage energy their source material demands (the day's headlines about Bo Diddley's passing probably didn't help). Still, the band set the crowd to movin' and groovin', which didn't let up until the last Billy Zoom handshake was given out.
Issue #35
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