The Damned and X show their punk rock staying power in Chicago

The Damned and X, survivors from two of punk rock's original scenes, teamed up for a concert at Chicago's House of Blues on May 30.

Both bands have been going strong for more than 40 years. The Damned, from the U.K. punk class of 1976, still has three of four members from its heyday. X, a band out of the Los Angeles punk scene, boasts a lineup of four original members.

X. All photos by Christopher Windle.

X, with vocalist Exene Cervenka, bassist/vocalist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake, showed why it has incredible staying power. The band performed a rather lengthy setlist for an opening act, playing several of its best-known songs, sounding great, and having fun. When Exene straightened the collar and wiped the face of her onetime husband, John Doe, he playfully proclaimed, "That's true love." 

Tracks like "In This House That I Call Home," "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts," and "Nausea" offered a chance for the band to showcase its energy, an energy often lacking in bands decades younger. 

The Damned is also a band that looks and sounds younger than its years. Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible, the two original members, have long outlasted their contemporaries from the class of '76, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. 

Also onboard for the summer U.S. tour is Paul Gray, who played on the Damned's "Black Album" and "Strawberries." He also happens to be the Damned's all-time best bassist. With drummer Pinch, the two formed a rhythm section that lent an exciting intensity to the show.

This tour, the Damned is also playing its best album, "Machine Gun Etiquette," in its entirety. Though the band usually performs most of the album in its live show, this time, it delivered the songs how they were meant to be heard. 

The 35-minute, rapid-fire album provided barely a second for a breather. After the five-song opening salvo of "Love Song," "Second Time Around," "Just Can't Be Happy Today," "Melody Lee," and "Anti-Pope," Vanian donned a clown nose and unleashed some diabolical laughter on "These Hands." The other lesser-played songs, MC5 cover "Looking at You" and "Liar" (with Vanian getting an assist from a lyrics sheet), were also much appreciated by the crowd.

After zipping though "MGE," the band ventured on to a second set of well-known songs and rarities. The band played deep "Black Album" tracks like "Twisted Nerve" and "13th Floor Vendetta," as well as the "Black" B-side and Jefferson Airplane cover "White Rabbit," which closed the show.

After the concert drew to an end without a Sensible-sung track, it seemed as if the guitarist would come back out to play a solo song, but it wasn't to be.

A Sensible solo song may have been the only thing the show lacked. The band played 22 tracks spanning from "New Rose" (with a manic dance from keyboardist Monty Oxymoron) and "Neat Neat Neat" off the band's debut, "Damned Damned Damned," to recent single "Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow." The Damned also played two encores, Sensible threw his trademark beret into the crowd, and he and Vanian even jousted with microphone stands. 

It's rare to see not one, but two, bands that have been around for more than 40 years. To see two such bands that are still going strong and appear to be having a blast doing it, well, that's pretty amazing.