X’s John Doe helped invent half of what modern LA rock & roll is about—the other half is Black Flag, probably—and once he got that done, he moved on to the whole wide, weird world. His country songs are stronger than good dirt and just as healthy for living things, and if he is not completely recognized as one of the American greats now, he can’t be more than a moment or two away. There are times when you just need to listen to Merle Haggard, especially if you had trouble making it through December—but you know what? A lot of those times you could listen to Doe, too.
Sun., Jan. 16, 9 p.m., 2011
