Music

Television

O2 ABC, Glasgow

Jonathan Geddes

three stars

THE merchandise section at the ABC was a sparse affair only offering up a couple of T-shirts emblazoned with, of course, the cover of Television's Marquee Moon album. Almost 40 years on from its release, the record still defines the band, and while they weren’t playing it in full like their last jaunt to Scotland, it undoubtedly was the main draw for those in attendance.

And no wonder. The title track is still a transcendent number and it closed the main set in lengthy fashion, letting the twin guitars of singer Tom Verlaine and Jimmy Rip (the newest member of the group, and he’s been there nearly a decade) absolutely soar. It’s been imitated so many times, but never duplicated, while the melodic cut of Venus retained the off-kilter nature of Verlaine’s vocal.

As you might expect from a band who were never easy to pigeon-hole, there was plentiful jamming throughout, and a highlight arrived with 1880 Or So, which steadily grew more and more hypnotic as it progressed. Yet for that there was greatness in the set, the overall experience had an unsatisfying taste. When the foursome arrived onstage, they spent a couple of minutes tuning up, which tended to occur after every song, robbing the experience of any sense of momentum.

It felt more like an appreciation like a living, breathing gig, with relatively new track Persia (perhaps written for their increasingly mythological next album) nowhere near strong enough to justify its 15 minute workout, and versions of I’m Gonna Find You and the encore’s Friction disappointingly sluggish. For all the great moments that were re-visited, there was a sense of diminishing returns looming over the night.