All photos and words by me for LA Record

Los Angeles veterans, X, have been influencing the music scene with their own unique brand of rockabilly infused punk and a genuine ferocity that has remained relevant from 1977 to today. The first of their 4 sold-out nights at The Roxy was a razor-sharp performance satisfying fans of all ages – some who were there to full-on thrash and some who were there for the refined punkabilly brew. X will be playing all four of their albums and last night they began with the entirety of ‘Los Angeles’ as well as other songs. “The Unheard Music” and “The Once Over Twice” showed off Exene Cervenka and John Doe’s complementary howls and drummer Dj Bonebrake’s percussive finesse . Unlike many of their punk peers, X are snotty and aggressive but are also revered for their musical talent – a sophistication that previously paved the way for backlash from punk-scene purists. Nevertheless, X have retained a raw punk language and a fervor that heated up the Roxy into a collective sweat. Accompanied by songwriter/composer/producer Jon Brion on keys, X delivered snarling nostalgia and unrelenting prowess. Lyrically, X weave in and out of punk ethos, relationships and heartbreak as if they all belong together. Crowd rouser “Devil Doll” was an up-tempo shout-along with crashing elements of proto-grunge and the fierce licks of X’s incomparable guitarist Billy Zoom. Closing the night with a 4-song encore including the wordy “The New World” and “Because I Do” X commanded our attention amidst their faithful roots of infantile punk and seasoned rockabilly. The atmosphere at the Roxy felt like home and “In the house that we call home/nobody knows the party rules.”