Scenes From Saturday's X and Blondie Show at the State Fair of Texas.

Apologies to any Kelly Rowland or Kacey Musgraves fans out there, but the top show of the 2013 State Fair of Texas has already come and gone: On Saturday night, iconic '80s favorites X and Blondie took to the fair's Silverado Main Stage for a powerhouse double-bill that found fans reliving their youth and/or transporting back to a time they wish they could've experienced firsthand.

Yes, the night felt like a throwback — as if the early '80s scenes of Los Angeles and New York City decided, 30 years after the fact, to join up in Dallas for a brief summit.

But, make no mistake, this was no shoddy reunion cashgrab. Each of these acts very much proved they still had “it” on this night, and, if anything, the bands had to tone things down a bit given the family-friendly environment of this show's setting.

That much was certainly true for X, who opened the double offering with a remarkably punky and rowdy showing, and joked about having to cut the curse words out of their set so as not to offend the ears of their young listeners.

But it was Blondie that truly shined bright on this night, with frontwoman Deborah Harry's voice still recognizable and intricate as ever — even on such difficult vocal tracks as the band's “Heart of Glass” smash and such cantankerous offerings as the band's cover of the Misfits' “Hollywood Babylon.” And the fans — young and old alike — certainly appreciated the effort, singing along to nearly every song offered up during Blondie's set.

The state fair circuit is often ridiculed for concerts like this one — shows that prey on nostalgia by trotting out seeming has-beens for an easy draw across various age groups. But Saturday night's show didn't feel cheap.

If anything, it felt like a steal.



















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