RE: (TV) Seattle: super mini review

["Martin McClellan" <martin@rosacordis.com>]

Hi Folks,

As Russ reported, it was a great show. My first Television live
experience--something I've been anticipating for nearly 17 years now (but
never thought I'd get the chance).

It certainly was _the_ show to be at. In our little isolated haven of
Seattle, you'll occasionally attend a show that all of the right people are
at, and this certainly was the one. The crowd was very reverential. They
even had local guitar god Kurt Bloch (the Fastbacks, Young Fresh Fellows),
as their guitar tech--a coveted position to be sure.

The show was in the massive "Sky Church" at the Experience Music Project,
which (for those of you who don't know) is a huge metallic blob on the
outside. The venue is wide and lean, with a short throw, 85 foot ceilings
(with throbbing umbrellas hanging from them) and probably more spent on
sound equipment and lighting then Television has made on all of their albums
combined. The show sounded great.

The lighting at shows here tends to be over the top--swirling and diving,
blinking and spotlighting the crowd. Behind the band is a massive screen
that they can play graphics on (and they did--doing a "flying through a star
field" effect once). After one song, Tom approached the mic and said "All of
you don't listen, this is a private message for the lighting guy. Can you
stop with the sideways swirly lights?" He must not have been feeling
particularly rockstarish right then...

Highlights? Well, Tom strapped on a new guitar for Little Johnny Jewel after
breaking a string the song before, and it wasn't working right, so he went
off to get his other guitar from Kurt who was still putting the new string
on. The rest of the band kept playing, though, for the extended LJJ intro
remix which Tom just smoothly joined into when he was back up and running.
The crescendo to Marquee Moon was amazing. Richard was smoking. See No Evil
was loose and energetic. Tom cracking up during Psychotic Reaction was truly
amazing and hilarious--he was obviously having fun.

The greatest thing was when they broke into Hotel California. What? You
don't believe me? Fine, but I'll have you know what Verlaine said
afterwards: "That Joe Walsh makes me giggle."

All in all an amazing show. Everything I'd expected, except that it wasn't
in a dingy smoky club (which is a plus...)

Now, when are they going to have the special "club-show" and master class
for list members only--boys, are you listening?

Martin


PS--okay--I was just joshin' about Hotel California. They really played "the
Long Run"




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