Concert Review: Riding the Groove Machine – King’s X at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs, NY

Sep 11

4 min read

Updated: Sep 11

Review by John Moore

Photos by Mark Kurtzner

Houston, TX heavy rockers King's X have been described by bassist and vocalist Dug Pinnick in a recent interview as "somewhere between the Beatles and Black Sabbath and anything else you can imagine in between, with some kind of gospel vocals."

Recently, the band undertook a late August and early September Northeastern run of tour dates, including a stop at Putnam Place in downtown Saratoga Springs, New York, on September 4, 2026.

Although the band were regular visitors to New York's Albany-Saratoga Capital Region in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, this was the first King's X performance in the area in 25 years. Needless to say, anticipation was high and the club was packed. Putnam Place, a mid-sized venue with a large open floor and excellent sightlines from every corner of the room, was filled for the long-overdue blast of melodic, memorable heaviness that only Dug, Ty, and Jerry can deliver.

New Jersey rockers Colossal Street Jam, who are opening several shows on King's X's Northeast run, kicked off the evening with an uplifting, energetic set of '70s-inspired hard rock. While I wasn't familiar with their original material, they included a cover of Sugarloaf's classic "Green-Eyed Lady" and received an enthusiastic response from the crowd. They're definitely a band worth watching.

King's X is truly one of a kind. No one sounds like them, and they sound like no one else. They are phenomenal musicians with songs to die for, blending memorable melodies with crushing heaviness. Dug's bass tone is unmistakable, Jerry Gaskill remains an astounding rhythmic whirlwind behind the kit, and Ty Tabor's guitar leads are exercises in melodic brilliance. And all three musicians, still performing in the original lineup that released their debut album Out of the Silent Planet in 1988, are exceptional vocalists.

The setlist covered much of the band's discography, drawing from the debut through their most recent release, 2022's Three Sides of One. The show opened with the anthemic stomp of "Groove Machine," the band's longtime opening number from 1998's Tape Head, before charging straight into the propulsive "The World Around Me" from the self-titled 1992 album.

That was followed by the pounding hammer of "Pillow," with crowd participation audible throughout the venue as fans roared along to nearly every word, and the more reflective "Cigarettes," both from the landmark 1994 release Dogman. Ty extended several guitar solos to jaw-dropping effect.

"Fade," a relatively deep cut from Tape Head, featured shared vocal duties from Dug and Ty after Pinnick handled lead vocals on the first four songs. It was an inspired choice. It's easy to forget just how strong some of King's X's album tracks are, and this one absolutely killed.

There were minor sound issues early in the set, which Dug addressed from the stage, but the band remained tremendous throughout, even if the overall volume wasn't quite as rib-rattling as some fans might have hoped. Nearly 40 years into their journey, they still look effortlessly cool. Jerry's white mop of hair suits him perfectly, Ty's hair is long again after a period where he looked more like an accountant carrying a guitar, and Dug seems almost ageless. The day before the show, he celebrated his 76th birthday, and after several rounds of birthday wishes from the audience, he continued to sing and play with the energy of a man half his age.

The setlist pulled from across the catalog. Material from Three Sides of One appeared throughout the show, including "All God's Children," sung by Ty and featuring pointed lyrics about fundamentalism, and the blues-soaked "Nothing but the Truth." Sandwiched between them was "Alright" from the previous album, XV. While it's a strong album track, it transformed into an even more powerful, head-bobbing rocker live. A killer deep cut, and one I was thrilled to hear.

Oddly, the soaring anthem "Summerland" was the only song performed from the band's second album, Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, which many fans consider one of their finest works. Most of King's X's 15 studio albums were represented, with the only omissions being the early-2000s releases Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous and Manic Moonlight, 2008's Ogre Tones, and, unfortunately, 1996's final Atlantic Records album, Ear Candy. Of course, they can't play everything.

"Black Like Sunday" was a welcome addition from the underrated 2003 album of the same name, followed by two more Three Sides of One tracks, "Let It Rain" and an outstanding rendition of "Festival," before the band entered the home stretch of the main set.

"Pray," another deep cut from XV, preceded the vintage powerhouse "In the New Age," a particularly cool selection as it opens the band's debut album. The regular set concluded with the winding, false-ending powerhouse "We Were Born to Be Loved" from 1990's Faith Hope Love. It was spectacular.

Of course, there were encores. Anything less might have caused a revolt among the faithful.

Arguably the band's biggest hit, Ty's "It's Love," opened the encore, with Tabor stretching the solo into exhilarating territory. A pulverizing version of "Dogman" followed before Dug pointed his microphone toward the audience.

What came next was one of those moments that reminds you why live music matters.

The crowd in Saratoga Springs sang, roared, hollered, and bellowed every word of the 1988 classic "Goldilox," the hit that should have been, the fan favorite that has become a highlight of every King's X performance. It was truly a goosebumps-inducing, life-affirming, communal moment of beauty.

Any Complaints?

It's difficult to think of many.

As noted, the sound mix and overall volume could have been better. Longtime fans will also inevitably debate the setlist. Could more Gretchen Goes to Nebraska material, or perhaps something from Ear Candy, have been substituted for "Pray" or "Nothing but the Truth"? It certainly felt strange to experience a King's X show without standards such as "Over My Head" or "Black Flag."

Personally, I always want to hear "King" and "Visions" because I love those songs, and I probably would have preferred "Shoes" or "Complain" from Dogman over the more somber "Cigarettes."

But that's nitpicking.

Let's not complain, quibble, or split hairs. The show was fantastic, and King's X needs to return to the Capital Region soon. No more quarter-century waits.

All hail the mighty King's X.