The third night of their four date stand X performed the band’s third album, 1982’s “Under The Big Black Sun”, in its entirety. Comprising all original members with occasional guests, the seminal Los Angeles Punk band, now into its third decade together, performed a flawless two set show with a generous triple encore conclusion. Given that the performance included Billy Zoom’s many guitar changes [including a turn on saxophone], a marimba player, an organist, and genres spanning vintage west coast hardcore, rockabilly, and chanteuse ballads the very capable sound engineers at City Winery enabled an unfettered seamless evening for the sold –out standing room only audience.
The evening’s program follows:
First Set:
1.) Hungry Wolf
2.) Motel Room in MY Bed
3.) Riding with Mary
4.) Come back to me
5.) Under the big Black Sun
6.) Because I Do
7.) Blue Spark
8.) Dancing with tears
9.) Real Child of Hell
10.) How I (Learned My Lesson)
Second Set:
1.) The Have Nots
2.) Drunk in My Past
3.) Adult Books
4.) World’s a Mess, Its in My Kiss
5.) Los Angeles
6.) The Unheard Music
7.) Beyond and Back
8.) Who You Know
9.) Desperate
10.) I’m Coming Over
11.) New World
12.) Sugar Light
13.) Soul Kitchen
Encores:
1.) Bad Thoughts
2.) Breathless
3.) Devil Doll
At moments throughout their performance the band was accompanied by two musical guests, one introduced as Michael Kilpatrick [marimba and rhythm guitar], the other lacking an introduction played keyboards. Solid and tight the ageless Dj Bonebreak set the pace, Billy Zoom demonstrated tremendous technique, the animated pixie Exene Cervenka alternated between punk, rockabilly, and lounge chanteuse, and all the while John Doe pummeled the bass while delivering the band’s emotive vocal direction, this was indeed a fan’s show.
Highlights included: An extended drum interlude on Hungry Wolf; the first time ever live performance of Come Back to Me; a David Lynchian tremolo guitar on Dancing With Tears in My Eyes; top tier rockabilly riffs on Adult Books counterbalanced by insane Manzarek inspired keyboards; lightening fast renditions We’re Desperate and I’m Coming Over; and of course Zoom’s multiple solo trips up and down the fret board without so much as a glance at his left hand.
The crowd of aged Reagan-era teens [bedecked in ancient signifiers including hoodies and tees emblazoned with logos for bands such as T.S.O.L., U.K. Subs, and the Misfits, among others] sat comfortably at their tables , drank chilled Riesling, and remained a largely benign herd. One fist pumping diner at a center stage however was so moved by the rendition Dancing with Tears in My Eyes to yell “Fuck Yes” directly at Exene who stood a merely dozen or so feet away and elicit her sarcastic response “Thank You Mr. Anarchy personified”. A good time had by all!
