Last night, I went back to see the X at Showbox at the Market for the second night in a row. And, frankly, I thought this time was even better. Maybe it was because I was standing on Billy Zoom’s side of the stage watching him flirt with all the girls up front, letting them tickle the fret board as he played. Or maybe the last encore put this show over the top. It started with Exene Cervenka and John Doe delivering a poignant, unplugged “See How We Are” (absent from the previous night’s set.) And then they hit it out of the park with “Beyond and Back,” my favorite X song at the moment. Then and there, this show topped my best concerts of 2008 list. For now, at least. And at one point, Doe even gave us another get out and vote PSA, followed by what I can only assume was a shout out to Eddie Vedder, who I'd been trying to spot all night since X and Pearl Jam are homies and all. (Doe even made a cameo last time I saw Pearl Jam on that very same stage.)

“You know who I’m voting for, and it’s not the crappy white guy,” Doe said. “This is for our friend Eddie who would have been here, but he’s sick.” The song he dedicated was "The New World."

And I don’t know what it was, but I enjoyed the Skybombers a lot more the second time around. Maybe it was just my mood, since their tour manager thought they were better the previous night. The Australian punk band, which has been on the road with X, plays raucous, no frills punk (think Against Me) delivered with infectious, over the top energy. Hugh (who is the singer, according to their My Space page) is quite the showman; though he did get booed by a few aging punkers after quipping “I wasn’t even born in 1984” in response to something or other. Later, I met guitarist Sam and drummer Scottie, who seemed like nice chaps. Bought their CD, too, which I like so far. Maybe a clip will wind up on Critic’s iPod.

X is (top photo, from far side of the stage) John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom and DJBonebrake (not picture); the flirtations Mr. Zoom; and a kinda sorta accurate set list. See encore description above.
ERNEST A. JASMIN

I did a little research on opening act the Skybombers (you know, I found their My Space page) and learned that the lineup is (from far side of stage) Sam, Hugh and Ravi, with Scottie (obscured) on drums. And why does it have to be so hard to get a decent drummer photo, anyway? Is it that they move so much? They're stuck back in the shadows? You be the judge.
ERNEST A. JASMIN