With the original line up in place featuring DJ Bonebrake, John Doe, Exene Cervenka, and Billy Zoom the band opened with “Once Over Twice” and “More Fun”. California’s answer to the Ramones and the Sex Pistols still packed a hard core musical wallop covering classic X tunes such as “Adult Books”, “White Girl”, and “New World”.

Billy Zoom was cranking out some amazing sound on his vintage Gretsch Silver Jet guitar while being backed up by D.J. Bonebrake’s relentless drum rhythm.  Zoom’s red-hot efforts were showcased throughout the night but probably the most memorable work was on the song “The Hungry Wolf”, a real mondo twango sounding number from the band’s 1982 release “Under the Big Black Sun”.

The song writing team of Cervenka and John Doe has been responsible for penning most of the band’s music. To hear them perform together Tuesday night was an absolute thrill.  Doe’s passion for music and live performance coupled with Exene’s roughhouse vocals are key ingredients in making X who they are.  They both gave a rock and rumbling performance, no less than one would expect.

Other songs from the night’s play list included “Motel Room”, “The World’s a Mess; It’s In My Kiss”, Johnny Hit And Run Pauline” and “Los Angeles”.  One of my favorites, “Nausea”, was featured as well.

The intense energy produced by the quartet Tuesday eventually provoked some obligatory slam dancing, which occurred shortly after I took my first beer bath of the night.  It was around that time I decided to step back to the bar and let the head banging occur in front of me instead of on me.

Encore numbers of “Blue Spark”, Breathless” and “Devil Doll” rounded out a fantastic show on a hot Houston night.