Re: (TV) Television Copenhagen 7.29

["Dennis D" <dend@nyc.rr.com>]

I'm pretty surprised to hear Fred is wearing hearing aids, I would think 
they were in ear monitors but then Fred wouldn't be the only one wearing 
them, but I didn't see any stage monitors in the video for Torn Curtain. I 
have seen Television 4 or 5 times with Rip and never once heard him do one 
of Richards's solos note for note. He generally went with the "flavor" of 
the solo but not recreating them, though I'm sure he could recreate them if 
he wanted. The only big change I saw in Billy was the color of his hair, it 
being pretty grey now. But these guys aren't kids and you really can fault 
someone for looking their age.
I understand some people will never accept Television without Lloyd, but 
Richard quit the band and that's that.




Television got a very warm welcoming to Copenhagen last evening. The tropic
al heatwave in this part of Scandinavia culminated yesterday, which meant
that the venue Pumpehuset was really, really nicely heated, located in
an attic as it is. I can't remember any concert in my entire life being th
is horribly sweaty, actually. And they also got a warm reception by the n
ot just Danish audience -- the 600-capacity place was if not sold out then
close to.

But I was there in time to get a position directly in front of Tom Verlaine
and his Vox amplifier; I might've been the tallest in the audience, bu
t I might also be the band's biggest fan, so no complaints from others ab
out that. A varied crowd -- many middle-aged men with high foreheads and si
lvery hair, but quite a few younger girls were also identified. There was
also a merchandise stand, operated by a bloke in a Iggy & The Stooges T-
shirt. And yes, those hoodies and bags we were notified about some weeks
ago were present. Perhaps that't the group's new official logotype.

The set: all tracks off "MM", although not in LP order; "See No Evil" t
he opener, "MM" the closing song. Encores: an inspired "LJJ" plus "Glory"
, which was apparently decided about onstage as Verlaine shouted the titl
e to Fred Smith. Fred Smith was wearing glasses, but also hearing aids. V
erlaine didn't looked as old as I feared, contrary to Billy Ficca, who
seemed pretty ravaged. No changing of instruments, tuning kept to a relat
ive minimum.  The high point may've been "Torn Curtain" (http://www.youtube
.com/watch?vóF7at3Q); I haven't listened to the recordings from re
cent shows that are fleeting around on the internet, but the fade out was
quite atmospheric. The low point was possibly the butchered version of "Gu
iding Light" -- not much of the album version's tenderness there.

It was enough enjoyable as long as it went on, but not much more than tha
t; outside, in the fresh air, I got an overwhelming feeling of indiff
erence to it all. I can't get rid of the notion that ultimately this is a r
ather sordid enterprise. Seriously -- what can they get out of playing *onl
y* about 40 year old songs? Jimmy Ripp is, which should come as a surpris
e to noone, a perfectly capable guitarist, but do I want him to play Ri
chard Lloyd's monstrous "Elevation" solo note by note? Don't think so. Woul
d it be better if he hadn't played that solo note by note? Not sure about t
hat either, unless he'd come up with something similarly monstrous -- whi
ch probably is too much to ask for, anyway. But how good can Television b
e with not much more than a very skilled imitator?

This as good as it gets, Television-wise, in 2014?

Leif J, Sweden



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