Reminiscing on punk with X at Cornerstone

As soon as I opened the doors to the Cornerstone to see X perform on December 16, I could tell that I was surrounded by some of their most original fans. I found myself in the middle of a sea of black clothes and white hair. Having secured my wristband and photo pass, I thought it would be easy to make my way to the front. After all, this Los Angeles punk band put out their first album Los Angeles more than forty years ago in 1980, so I assumed the audience wouldn’t be very packed. However, I was quickly proven wrong. Despite being older than I’m accustomed to, X’s fanbase is not only large but loyal, too. They were singing along and wouldn’t let anyone get in the way of their show.

Finally, after tripping over walkers and canes and folding chairs, I made it to the front, just in time for their opening song, “Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not.” This song starts with a fast guitar, immediately setting the noisy and raucous mood that would continue throughout the rest of their set. My eyes were drawn to poet-turned-lead-singer Exene, clad in cowboy boots, patterned tights, a shaggy silver haircut, and a black jacket with a bejeweled “X” on the back.

Their energy never dipped as they plowed through their setlist, and someone close behind me accurately commented that they had the “same energy as they did in ‘84.” The band knew it and so did the crowd. About halfway through the set, I decided to explore the upstairs of the venue. I was photographing the band from the balcony when I was approached by a guy who recognized my wristband and invited me through a door protected by a keypad, behind which I suddenly found myself with an amazing overhead view of the band. I was even able to see the handwritten setlists the band was taking cues from.

Towards the end of their set, I decided I’d spent enough time photographing and opted to stand in the back of the mezzanine area. It was from this position that I was able to sit back and listen to three of what, in my opinion, are their best songs of the entire show. The first was their most popular song, “Los Angeles,” about a girl who’s grown to hate everything, especially the city of Los Angeles. After this song, which captures that feeling of utter hate that I’m sure many found relatable, they went right into “Nausea.” The simple yet powerful drumbeat perfectly reflects another experience we’ve all shared, one of an awful and inescapable hangover that can only be captured by Exene’s cries of, “Oh Christ, Oh Jesus Christ!” The last song in this perfect, gritty trio was “Johny Hit and Run Paulene.” To nobody’s surprise, this song tells the dark story of a hit and run.

The encore brought us something different: blues-y “Come Back to Me.” The beat and lyrics of this song were much sadder and more filled with longing and nostalgia, but in what I began to realize was classic X fashion, just as real and raw as the others. As the song came to a close, the audience was swaying side to side, some with hands over their hearts. However, X didn’t let us dwell on these feelings, quickly launching into their very last song, another one of the best of the show: “I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts” is almost a chant, where these lyrics are repeated while the song builds in intensity. When I heard the lyrics “Both sides are right, but both sides have murdered/I give up, what can I say,” I realized that lyrics and messages like these have remained true and are what have allowed X’s popularity to span over four decades. I left this night feeling hopeful and inspired by X’s fans who still show up, both old and young.

 

Editor’s Note: This is a piece from our concert review archives. The original concert took place on December 16, 2024. 

Article and photos by Mina Lavapies