I just heard this sad song by another band

In 1967 the Doors recorded a little ditty called "Soul Kitchen". Ten years later, a couple of guys posted nearly identical ads in the same newspaper on the same day, looking for like-minded musicians. They got together, found a like-minded drummer and a female voice, and ended up re-recording "Soul Kitchen" -- this time with original Door Ray Manzarek producing.

31 years later, that band -- X -- is touring again, and they are a sweet treat indeed. In the time between, the guitarist had left the band, the female voice had a kid with Viggo Mortenson, and the bass player and male voice had been playing the father of troubled teens on various tv shows and movies (ok -- over 60 at last count, and not always as the father of the troubled teen).

They played at Metro last night on Clark Street in Chicago, a fast and furious night of loud guitars, humming amps, fuzzy ears, sweat and pure rock & roll. I thought I'd jot down the set list, but my pen was knocked out of my hand during the opening chords of the opening song, and I didn't much mind. In 75 minutes they'd pretty much whipped through nearly every song on their first two albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift, with generous helpings from More Fun In The New World.

Instead of smiling his shit-eating-grin off into nowhere while he played his signature silver guitar, Billy Zoom was smiling down into the crowd, boring creepily into every individual who dared lock eyes with him; John Doe showed that he's got to be the happiest man on the planet, being able to do what he loves and working up a lather doing it; Exene's no longer that messed up hot chick we lusted after, but now an older sister, showing us how cool it is to be a singer in a rock & roll band; and drummer D.J. Bonebrake revealing how the most fit drummer in the land keeps in shape. (Stark juxtaposition: just 4 months ago, I saw Doe crooning Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" into a lone mic with an acoustic guitar -- looked like he was loving that, too..)

A critic once suggested that X "were not just one of the greatest punk bands, but one of the greatest live rock acts of all time." I can't argue against that point, and I have to say that seeing them in a smaller club could underscore that point -- and best of all I have a chance to prove it to myself again Saturday night in Minneapolis.

Here's X during the recording of "White Girl":



And here's an interview with Ray Manzarek and a performance of "Soul Kitchen":



Oh, and...does anyone out there know the identity of the bearded gentleman who read the awesome poetry before X took the stage?

Thanks to Seitz, who answered the poetry question in the comments.

The poet was Thax Douglas. His poem is here.

Chicago Sun-Times review is here.