20/20 at The Zebulon Café – Live Review
20/20 Look Out Revisted
20/20, The Zebulon Café, Los Angeles, CA., April 12th, 2025
Legendary power pop trio 20/20 made a triumphant return to where it all began over 40 years. In town to promote their brand-new album Back To California on SpyderPop Records, the venue was absolutely packed awaiting their arrival. 20/20 has meant a lot to music fans, including myself, who went to see their shows throughout the Los Angeles and Orange County areas when I was back in high school.
Their first two major label endeavors were the soundtrack to my teenage years, and the third indie endeavor Sex Trap was released after I had graduated high school and began a crazy life in this great big world. I was probably not the only one thinking about where I was in 20/20’s heyday when the band arrived onstage and burst into a rockin’ rendition of Remember The Lightning from their 1979 Self-Titled release.
Steve Allen and Ray Flynt
She’s An Obsession from the first album was up next – and then it was time to debut some brand-new material live. From the Back To California album the title track and Laurel Canyon were performed, very warmly received by the audience. Then it was back to the classics, with 20/20 unveiling Cheri, Tell Me Why, Jet Lag, and The Night I Heard A Scream.
Yes, our power pop heroes Steve Allen on guitar and Ron Flynt on bass are older (as we all are), but they can still deliver the auditory goods with a thrilling sense of conviction. Along for the adventure through memory lane when power pop ran wild in the clubs was Ray Flynt on drums – Ron’s son – and what a dynamic performance he contributed to the iconic 20/20 sound.
Ron Flynt
There were even more rapturous new songs to be presented within the set, as 20/20 delivered Springtime Love Song, and The End Of The Summer from their critically acclaimed SpyderPop release. And what a thrill it was to hear Fast Car from Sex Trap being performed again after all these years – “because nothing means nothing if I lose my baby tonight” Ron sang with a vibrant sense of urgency. Then it was time for Yellow Pills, their best-known anthem that was played all over the local radio airwaves – and what a stunning way to end their set – or was it the end?
Of course, there was an encore – the crowd was nowhere near wanting 20/20 to stop playing – it had been way too many years since they were last here in the Southland. And 20/20 treated us all to a triple grand slam of Nuclear Boy, Tonight We Fly, and a wonderful cover of The Flaming Grooves classic Shake Some Action. This was an event that many will remember for a lifetime. Thank you 20/20 for coming Back To California for this very special show. Here’s hoping we hear a lot more from 20/20 in the future!
(Review by Ken Morton – Photos by Vivian Ortega)
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