The End Is Nigh: Seminal Punk Band X, Plays Chicagoland On Their Farewell Tour

Jul 16, 2024 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By: Kyle Decker

X is not a band that should need an introduction. But at 39, I was one of the younger people in the audience when they played at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn, Illinois. So, I guess I shouldn’t make assumptions. Part of the first wave of LA punk, X was formed in 1977 by bassist and vocalist John Doe and Guitarist Billy Zoom. Doe’s girlfriend (and later wife and even later ex-wife), Exene Cervanka, joined as a vocalist and DJ Bonebreak became the drummer. When they played FitzGerald’s on July 14th, all four original members were still part of the band. Their music stood out from other LA punk bands at the time by having a distinct rockabilly flavor. By 1980 they’d signed to the independent label Slash Records and had some relative mainstream success, which turned the band into “flag barriers” for the LA punk scene in the early 80s.

FitzGerald’s is a music venue at 6615 W Roosevelt in Berwyn, Illinois, and has a unique setup. At least for the Chicagoland area. A friend I was with commented it looked like venues he’d go to in Texas. The frame building was built in the early 1900s and has origins as a hunting lodge, and it still retains that kind of vibe. After becoming a series of nightclubs throughout the 20th century, it’s been FitzGerald’s since 1980.

Now that the history lesson is out of the way, let’s talk about the show itself. The stage was outdoors in a large courtyard covered by a large tent. I was glad I arrived early and got up front because the show was sold out and the space was packed. As stated earlier, I immediately noticed it was an older crowd. Granted the band themselves are about my parent’s age, but considering X’s status in punk history, I figured there’d be a wider age range. Perhaps there was when they played Square Roots street festival in Lincoln Square, Chicago the day before.

There was no opener, and X was scheduled to play a ninety-minute set. It was an early start time at 5:00 pm, which, on a Sunday, I was thankful for. X took the stage and launched into their set opening with “Beyond and Back” from 1981’s Wild Gift. It became apparent after they finished the song that whoever was in charge of the sound hadn’t turned off the stereo yet. The band had played loud enough that it wasn’t entirely noticeable, but something about the song seemed different. A bouncer was able to get the sound tech’s attention and they finally killed the stereo. Instead of getting bent out of shape about it, John Doe quipped, “We hope you like our new direction.”

This type of banter in the face of trip-ups, I feel, is part of what makes punk rock, punk rock. I’ve seen rock stars lose their shit over sound flubs. But to just roll with it, make a wry comment, and move on adds to the unique experience of live music. X has been in the game for almost 50 years. They get it. And this type of light banter continued throughout the show. Another good example was after a false start on “Los Angeles,” the title track of their debut album and probably their most famous tune, Exene joked, “We almost know this one…”

The stage was also close to the sidewalk. Passers-by could get a decent view of the show. So people stood and watched from there, at least for a few songs. And the sidewalk could be seen from the stage.

“What are you standing around outside for?” Exene cooed at them.
“It’s free,” Doe cracked in response.

It’s also worth mentioning that it was hot. Like, really hot. And a couple times there were brief bouts of heavy rain before the show, while people were still waiting in line to get in. Which meant it just got muggy. Add to that the packed house and I probably lost a fair amount in water weight.

Joking about the crowd density and heat, John Doe introduced “Come Back to Me” by saying, “This is a slow dance song. There’s plenty of room for it. It will be sticky, but fun.” Speaking of sticky, I’m not sure if anyone else noticed but when Billy Zoom switched to saxophone for this song, he stuck his guitar pick to his head. And it stayed there. So, yeah. It was muggy.

“The tickets were expensive. But the spa treatment is free,” Doe joked. At this point in the show, he was dripping sweat and soaked through his shirt. Exene had to take a breather herself at one point. The heat was bad for the crowd sure. But it’s always hotter on stage. Not to mention, the band’s age ranges from 68 to 76. But the band never seemed to let it get to them too much. The songs were tight. It was as though they’d been playing together for 47 years or something.

The sound system in the place was clear. And they did a nice mix of old and new material. Usually, you show up for these bands to “play the hits,” but X’s more recent material has been worthwhile too. And yeah, they played “Los Angeles,” “Nausea,” “Your Phone’s Off the Hook (But You’re Not)”, but they also played “Smoke and Fiction”, the title track off their upcoming new album (which was available on vinyl at the merch table, but not yet widely released). It’s a high-energy number that should assure fans their music isn’t “chilling out” anytime soon. Smoke and Fiction will be out officially on August 2nd through Fat Possum Records.

Aside from the core members, the band was occasionally joined by multi-instrumentalist Craig Packham. He joined on acoustic rhythm guitar for a few songs and took over for drummer DJ Bonebreak when Bonebreak switched to xylophone (or a marimba if you want to get technical) for “Bad Thoughts” and “Smoke and Fiction.” Though not a core member, Packham proved a talent in his own right and a consummate professional. He’s a good drummer and it gave Bonebreak the opportunity to solo on the marimba.

Speaking of solos, John Doe laid down a killer bass solo during “Motel Room in My Bed.” And they closed out the set with their cover of The Door’s “Soul Kitchen.”

“I feel like I’m either 25 or 95 right now,” Doe said before they retired from the stage.

“Split the difference!” someone shouted out.

“Yeah,” he said, “maybe somewhere in the middle.”

The band did return for a two-song encore. “Water and Wine”, a newer track from 2020’s Alphabetland, and “Because I Do” from 1983’s Under the Big Black Sun.

Overall, the show was worth braving the heat for. X played like seasoned veterans and, like seasoned veterans, they rolled with the small gaffs and were willing to use it as an excuse for audience engagement. They played a healthy mix of songs from most of their albums, making for a good cross-section of their storied career. This was suitable since not only is this tour for promoting their upcoming album, Smoke & Fiction but it’s also being billed as a farewell tour. So, I’m glad I caught it.

There was some personal significance for me covering this show, because John Doe’s book Under the Big Black Sun (Da Capo Press, 2016), which also features guest essays from a veritable who’s who of LA punk figures, was a major piece of research for my novel This Rancid Mill (PM Press, 2023), a hardboiled mystery novel set amid the 80s punk scene in LA. The narrator is an X fan and it’s always powerful for me to see the bands my characters would have seen. I think there’s something to be said when seeing artists connects you more deeply to your own art, and this is one of those moments for me.

Set List:

“Beyond and Back” (Wild Gift, 1981)

“In This House I Call Home” (Wild Gift, 1981)

“We’re Desperate” (Wild Gift, 1981)

“I’m Coming Over” (Wild Gift, 1981)

“Los Angeles” (Los Angeles, 1980)

“Sweet Til The Bitter End” (Smoke & Fiction, 2024)

“Adult Books” (Wild Gift, 1981)

“Breathless” (Otis Blackwell cover), (More Fun in the New World, 1983)

“Ruby Church” (Smoke & Fiction, 2024)

“Dancing with Tears in My Eyes” (Al Dubin, Joe Burke), (Under the Big Black Sun, 1982)

“Come Back to Me” (Under the Big Black Sun, 1982)