X / Dead Rock West @ Empire Live, 9/25/2024

Written by Staff on September 26, 2024

After a late dinner with a friend, we arrived at Albany’s Empire Live to a packed crowd of about 700 enthusiastic rockers, buzzing with anticipation. Even on a rainy Wednesday night, the energy inside the venue was electric.

Opening the night was Dead Rock West, the Los Angeles-based duo of Frank Lee Drennen and Cindy Wasserman. They brought their unique blend of jangly, alt-country to the stage, with influences that span from pop to punk. Drennen’s songwriting and guitar work, paired with Wasserman’s soulful vocals, offered a perfect warm-up for what was to come. The West Coast vibes in their music were infectious, providing a laid-back yet energetic sound that seamlessly shifted between styles. While Dead Rock West released their new album Smoke and Fiction in August, the spotlight wasn’t solely on that. Instead, they kept the focus on their connection with the crowd, delivering a set that blended old and new. They were the ideal choice to kick off the night, setting the tone for what would be a bittersweet farewell performance by X.

X is currently on their swan song tour, bidding adieu to their fans after over four decades of making music. It’s rare to see a band these days with all of its founding members intact: Exene Cervenka, John Doe, Billy Zoom, and D.J. Bonebrake. The chemistry between them was undeniable from the moment they hit the stage. Sure, Billy Zoom left for a spell back in 1986, but his return to the group in 1999 solidified their sound once more—and it’s that sound that continues to endure today.

X’s set was a mix of new tracks, like “Sweet Til the Bitter End” and “Ruby Church,” alongside fan-favorite classics like “Breathless” and “I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts.” Their performance was tight and vibrant, reminding the audience that, while this might be their final tour, they’ve still got the energy and passion that made them punk pioneers in the first place. It’s rare to see a band that formed in the late ‘70s still locking into each other so effortlessly on stage. The crowd, largely made up of older punks who grew up with the band, was fully engaged, jumping and bopping along. And there were some younger faces too, proving that X’s music transcends generations.

This farewell tour feels like the end of an era, not just for the band but for the punk scene they helped shape. As X continues on their 16 remaining tour dates, they do so with a sense of pride and commitment to the genre they helped define. For the crowd at Empire Live, the night wasn’t just about nostalgia—it was about celebrating a band that’s stayed true to themselves and their fans for over 40 years.

Photography by Stephanie J Bartik.