I had not seen X since ‘back in the day’ - otherwise known as 1980 - in a small Decatur, Georgia club called Rumors; sadly, the club is now a store selling mattresses – I’m sure there’s a comment in there somewhere on where old-school punk has gone.  Their debut album, Los Angeles, had just come out and we were blown away by their raw energy and loud, coarse music.  Many years have passed since then, but you wouldn’t have known it at the X gig on Friday night.  All the members are now in their 50s, with the exception of Billy Zoom who turned 60 earlier this year, but they put as much energy into that gig as they might have back in the 80s.  All the songs from Los Angeles and their second album, Wild Gift, were there.  They opened with Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not and continued to pound them out – Los Angeles, The World’s A Mess; It’s In My Kiss, Johnny Hit and Run Pauline, We’re Desperate, White Girl.  The gig was broadcast live by DIRECTV so cameras were everywhere.  That allowed Billy Zoom to flash his trademark grin and wink at all the girls up front.  Exene Cervenka stomped and swaggered around the stage as she’s always done and D J Bonebrake, pork pie hat atop his balding head, flailed away at his drum set.  John Doe was dripping sweat early in the gig, pounding his bass, and roaring out his vocals.  The band was tight – I’ve read they play together regularly and it showed - the audience loved it.  The anticipation was strong for this gig – the line to get in The Bat Bar stretched down one side of the conference center and around the corner – many more people than I expected wanted to see this band.  I thought that was terrific!  There was a great mixture of folks – those, like me, who probably first saw them back in the 80s, and young kids in their early 20s.  Everybody was pogo-ing, bumping into each other, stepping on feet, but no one cared – this was X, after all.  Aside from John Doe responding with, “Get used to it!” to someone in the crowd shouting, “We’re desperate!” just before things got started, there wasn’t a lot of conversation with the audience.  But we didn’t need conversation – we needed that energy and power that X has always been known for and we certainly got it.  I think everyone was a little disappointed that the gig couldn’t go all night when things wound down.  Even Moby, who stood right behind us during the gig, I think would’ve liked the band to keep on playing.   Definitely catch these guys on their upcoming tour if you get the chance; I don’t think you’ll regret it.