The man was in a hospital for 8 days just over a week ago. No way is he playing this show.

Whos going to this show tomorrow? Think it will be good. I've never seen Television live...

I will be there. I am SURE it will be a great show; I saw their reunion in 1992 and I've seen Tom Verlaine a couple times in the 1980s. Nothing flashy but a great show every time; never seen Richard Lloyd solo though. Even if Richard CAN'T make it I'm sure it will be a great show . . . but not the same. But I have a feeling he'll be there, I HOPE he'll be there and, most of all, I hope he enjoys a full recovery soon!

Pretty much have seen all of the reunion shows in NYC and will be there on Saturday (a bit late but there). Lloyd solo is pretty bad due to his voice but the guy is stunning on guitar. Curious to see if I get shut out of this free show due to the crowd size.

Richard Lloyd did not show up. According to Tom Verlaine, he was still in the hospital.

Jimmy Ripp did fill in. The show ended up pretty much being a Tom Verlaine solo show (only three songs off of MM and none off of Adventure). The highlight for me was Little Johnny Jewel. They reworked Prove It which removed the great chorus! Show ended up way after the time limit because Marquee Moon went on for 15 minutes.

Verlaine took all the solo, making Ripp do all the rhythm riff except for the melody lines in MM and Venus. Crowd was so/so. Overall great day.

Glory IS from Adventure bubblehead and Marquee Moon always goes on for at least 15 minutes.

Glory IS from Adventure bubblehead and Marquee Moon always goes on for at least 15 minutes.

Oops, I didn't recognize Glory. I must admit I don't put Adventure on that often. I never heard their reunion album from the 90s. I know that Marquee Moon goes on for a while, but the staff didn't know that! They were freaking out because the song was so long and they ran out of time.

Yeah, that was an AWESOME way to end the show! By the way, they also opened with a Television song (1880 or so, from their 1992 LP). BY the way, does anyone know what that great, really long song was that they did RIGHT before Marquee Moon? [Forgive my ignorance.]

did it rain in during the concert? There was rain in Bklyn.

Some good reviews-want to add a couple of things. Got there about three and because I had no bags to be checked, I was able to get in right away. Dragons of Zynth (sic) opened up and were excretable. Just absolutely toneless. I can appreciate acts that are different or avant-garde but these guys were awful. Their set went on too long.

Not familar with Apples In Stereo but clearly they were retro and reminded me of a band like the Dandy Warhols. Some good catchy songs, and performed a good set even though it rained throughout the entire set.

Was at the front of the stage and saw Jimmy Ripp setting up and thought to myself Lloyd must have lost a lot of weight and had some botox. Then I realized it was not him.

Very mellow performance with Verlaine taking over almost all of the leads. Little Johnny Jewel being really the one exception. But I love Verlaine's playing which is airy and a lot of bend notes. Absolutely reminded me of one of his solo performances but still stunning to see him play.

Hopefully Lloyd is okay as he has a history of hepatitis and other medical issues.

It rained during the entire Apples in Stereo set. The sun came out for Television. Nobody got too soaked. Weenies were using ubrellas. Hope them not getting a little wet was worth people behind them not being able to see at all.

It rained during the entire Apples in Stereo set. The sun came out for Television. Nobody got too soaked. Weenies were using umbrellas. Hope them not getting a little wet was worth people behind them not being able to see at all.

set list?

i was one of the weenies with my umbrella...cant blame me for being prepared you stupid hippie.

as for the show, it was basically a mix between tom's bowery shows last year and any reunion concert. i dug the first part of the set but verlaine has an incredible way of boring the hell out of his fans. i lost a lot of interest in the middle. 1880 or so was a highlight...i liked the reworked prove it. venus de milo was good and i agree, the song before marquee moon was great.

but it definitely rambled on and lloyd wouldve been amazing to see.

Dorks on here who show they know nothing about Television. Losers.
FIrstly I could not agree more with the assessment of Dragons of whatever. They sucked big time
Apples in stereo were great as usual. Lots of fun even though it rained
And the guy calling people with umbrellas weenies is just a shithead. I hope you get pneumonia you moron. This was not Woodstock. The stage is high enough at Summerstage that everyone could see. I myself was in the front row so...

Television were well umm Televison without being Television cause frankly without Richard Lloyd it is just a bunch of guys playing Televison songs or like someone said a Verlaine solo show. That being said i do love Jimmy Rip and how he plays although Verlaine stole the show. He is just an awesome guitar player so it is great to hear him play any time. Now as anyone who has followed the band knows this is the Television since 1992., They play the songs like this now. Lots of extended leads and atmospheric guitar work. And they have a bunch of new songs which they actually have had for a number of years and never recorded. Sadly they will probably never officially put them out but you can hear them on various bootlegs. That was one of them towards the end. And lol at the poster who said they played nothing off Adventure.
As for the running over. Actually MM was about 20 mins and Verlaine did that purposely. He was pissed from the start of the show because of the sucky pa system, the sound guy who was one of those old cigar chomping fuckers who dont really care about who is playing and is just punching a clock. Probably as well they were treated badly backstage by the notoriously amateurish Summerstage people. So he got back at them and knowingly kept MM going even continuing at the end when it looked like they were done. Kudos to Jimmy Rip for completely ignoring the shouting of the stage manager to tell Verlaine to stop. I would have loved to see what would have happened if they kept going and the sound guy was forced to shut em down.
All in all a great show, Crowd was very into it. And The Man BV taking pictures up front in the press pit.

There are 5 things you can expect at a TV show (in this order.)
Tom complaining about the sound-
Tuning ad nauseum-
Extended guitar solos-
A number of unrecorded songs you've already heard live-
Marquee Moon to end the set (in my 27 years it's only NOT happened once)-
The stage crew, to their credit, flipped the stage very quickly.
Go to the Beacon one day and watch them spend 45 minutes changing over and cutting the headliner's playing time as the curfew approaches.
I agree, the stage manager was a total dweeb. How about "Apples" playing about 20 minutes too long!

i hardly think anyone was going to catch pneumonia. it wasn't raining all that hard and it was WARM out. i understand not wanting to get wet if it's a downpour or it's cold out (when you actually COULD catch pneumonia)... but not on a day like yesterday. people who were using umbrellas were just getting the people behind them more wet from all of the drippage.

i actually had an umbrella with me, but didn't use it out of courtesy... and c'mon... it's kinda fun to watch a show in the rain sometimes.

1. MM was awesome, as always.
2. Verlaine is a guitar god, as always.
3. Funny he complained about the sound though... with the exception of muffled vocals in the first couple of songs, the sound was phenomenal -- everything super crisp and bright. I actually credited the band itself for much of that -- these guys have such masterful control of their instruments i'm sure they could turn the crappiest PA etc. into musical gold.
4. Didn't like the reworked Prove It... loses all the distinct guitar parts, melodies, etc.
5. Some of the new stuff is pretty dull compared w/ even the third album, not to mention the vintage stuff... but still pretty fuckin good compared to most other bands.
5. Verlaine is a guitar god.
6. Verlaine is a guitar god.
7. Ficca is a drum god.

Anon 8:13am-I think it started with Dragons of xynth going too long. That dweeb of a stage manager came out at some point and flashed them the 10 minutes sign and then they continued to play for about 20 minutes. So the problem started there.
Also, Verlaine does not complain ALL the time about the sound but yeah he does complain a lot about lots of things. He is cranky.

Anon 9:41-It was hot out but then when the rain came it got windy and chilly especially for those of us in shorts and a tshirt. That makes it easy to get sick and that is fine if you like to dance in the rain. Some of us don't

you can avoid getting wet AND not be a douchebag blocking other people's view by buying yrself one of those $3 plastic hoodies. as a bonus, it's easier to dance with one of those things on than with an umbrella in your hand.

Alright Mr Know-it-all Anonymous | June 17, 2007 3:02 AM,

What *is* the name of the Middle Eastern sounding song? And for that matter, what was the entire setlist?

I have this:

1880 or So
? – can't hear the vocals
Venus
Little Johnny Jewel
Prove It
?
Glory
Sapphire
? – (Middle Eastern sounding)
T. V. introduces Jimmy Ripp, Billy, and Fred
Intro> Marquee Moon

The Apples in Stereo noted the irony of playing "Sun Is Out" just as the rain picked up.

Apparently the name of the MidEastern-sounding great tune is "Persia". They have been playing it since 2002. They have been playing at least five or six new tunes since then...too bad they never recorded them. Doesn't look like they will now, since Lloyd is leaving. Perhaps they will continue with Rip, but it will not be Television without Richard.

I also have this for the Apples:

Just Like a Rainbow
"I feel the magic when"
Please Tell Me What to Do
"Go Baby"
Light Inside of Me
Look the Other Way (?)
? – had a false ending
The Sun is Out Comma' Check it Out
Proggy Synth Intro
Secretary
Same Old Trash
(something) Johnny (?) (something)
Alone (?)
"your ferocity"

[missing some?]

Television (minus a Major Channel)
It was an inspired Tom Verlaine show with the fantastic TV rhythm section playing TV songs.
But it wasn't a Television concert. As at the Irving Plaza concerts of a few years ago, there was new material which has never come out on disc. "Persia", that middle east -meets James Bond theme- by way of the "You Really Got Me" riff extended tune that came before "Marquee Moon", which was great even though it was missing half of its guitar fire. Richard Lloyd plays almost as many solos live as Verlaine at the shows, and when they go at it phrase for phrase it is beautiful. That tension between their very different styles gives many of the tunes their excitement and interesting dimensions. With only Verlaine soloing while Jimmy Rip (he tours with Verlaine) plays rhythm all the time, you only get Verlaine's vibe, which while it is the dominant one in the band, is made even more ethereal and majestic when it can contrast with the technical virtuosity, fire, and soul of Lloyd's playing.
On its own, it was a good set. (Billy Ficca and Fred Smith played beautifully, and Tom was sounding good.)
But Verlaine called "Prove it" a "cover version of one of our oldest songs" for a reason. They also left out some tunes that focus on Richard - See No Evil, Call Mr. Lee... (Did you check out Verlaine's not exactly sensitive comment at the start about "our regular guy is in the hospital"? Jimmy Rip quickly added a classy comment wishing Richard well.)

Still....great shit. Especially "1880 or So" (the first tune), "Little Johnny Jewel" (highlight of the stellar live album The Blow Up), "Persia", and "MM". Good to see at least three quarters of TV. Still a good band.

The show was very good. LJJ and MM were the highlights for me. I am wondering if Richard Lloyd might play one more show with the band considering the fact that he was too ill to play yesterday. I hope so.

Thought the show was average with a few brilliant spots at best. I didn't see the first band. Got there for the Apples who were abominable. Television without Richard Lloyd is not Television, so don't be fooled. Verlaine, obviously a great guitar player, was never really pushing it or giving his all. He seemed bored. Maybe it had to do with the sound sucking for most of the set. I never thought I'd see a Television show and say that the highlight was easily Billy Ficca and Fred Smith. Give it up for them! At least they were really playing some music!
Get well soon Richard, it's not the same, not even close, without you.

Thanks to all of you for filling in this wealth of information. And to the [3:02 AM] poster, I agree with everything you say . . . except calling the rest of us (or some of us) "Dorks on here who show they know nothing about Television." I'm actually pretty impressed with the array of postings here.

By the way, I too was one of those "weenies" with an umbrella, though I only kept it up BETWEEN sets and for a few mins of Apples when it was raining pretty hard.

I too was in shock when Verlaine announced that "our regular guitarst" is sick. Classless! I still have the highest respect for him as a musician and writer, but my respect for him as a person is greatly diminished! Kudos to Ripp for wishing Richard well BY NAME.

Also, I guess I'm going against the consensus here, but I think a lot of credit and thanks should go to the Central Park Summerstage for hosting this FREE concert in a great venue. Sure the sound was bad for the first 2-3 songs, the setup was not ideal for viewing, and the stage mgr may have been a jerk, but we all got to see a great show outdoors for free!

Finally, I agree it's too bad that they omitted See No Evil, Call Mr. Lee, as well as one of my personal favorites "Aint That Nothing". But unless I missed something, there are only 2 mystery songs left in the setlist:

1880 or So
?
Venus
Little Johnny Jewel
Prove It
?
Glory
Sapphire
Persia
Marquee Moon

Also, one more thing to add. Having seen Television twice before (both post-1991), this show was not quite up to par. Obviously not having the interplay with Lloyd was a BIG factor. But I've also seen Verlaine solo a couple times (back in the 1980s) and this didn't even quite meet up with those shows, in my opinion. I agree he just didn't seem that into it. Nevertheless, it was a great show!

Is the title of "Sapphire" correct? I do not see that title in their discography.

Verlaine never "seems into it", that's his vibe. Actually, he smiled a few times at the showhich is rare. It was actually a good set for him. It was a great set for Ficca and Smith. And Rip was a class act given the situation. It just wasn't a great TELEVISION show...

the apples in stereo mostly stuck to their newest album.

what i remember them playing

energy
skyway
same old drag
sun is out
can you feel it
play tough
some new song

there were others but i don't remember what they were. i actually didn't stick around for television because i had to meet some friends but i stayed till the end of the apples set.

in addition to the Apples songs listed above, they also played...

Go
The Rainbow
Ruby
Please
Do You Understand

Mr. Verlaine, to my knowledge, has never performed (and hardly been seen) in the daytime so the fact that he didn't seem "to be into it" may have something to do with that. Why do you think they missed sound check? He probably wasn't out of bed...

As for Sapphire, I'm not really sure where that's from either; I was just repeating it from an earlier post. Ditto for Persia. All the other songs I'm sure about.

As for Verlaine "not being into it", I guess that IS his M.O. I think it was the absence of the interplay between him & Lloyd that was conspicuously absent. I agree with ManhattanBeef that it wasn't really a Television show; when I've seen him solo, he's done mostly solo songs, and Breaking in My Heart and Always sound perfectly fine without Lloyd; but Venus and Glory would have benefitted from the 2 together.

Richard Lloyd and the guitar interplay was clearly missed. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the show and thought the band played great. I also enjoyed Jimmy Ripp and thought he was a real presence. Tom Verlaine grousing about sound, etc. is par for the course :-) . I missed the opening acts and the rain. The evening before I saw another great concert featuring Cassandra Wilson and Olu Dara at the same venue. Summerstage is a wonderful place to see a show. Some pics for both shows can be found at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Davek729

I was running massively late to the gig, but wanted to at least catch a glimpse and followed the sounds of "Persia" all the way through the park towards summerstage, which was a really tranquil experience, then to catch Marquee Moon. Well worth the trip. Jimmy Ripp was solid, and Billy Ficca is still one of the best drummers from the 1970s. Period. Sloan next Sunday for Canada Day. Be there.

Yes, Billy Ficca really is one of the greatest drummers EVER!

The only time Verlaine commented on the sound was when he tried to speak to the audience at the beginning and static came out of the PA, perfectly reasonable and not Tom being "moody". Also, as a regular Television and Tom Verlaine concert attendee I must say that Tom seemed in a better mood and more animated than I've seen him in a while. So, for those saying Tom wasn't into it, um, what are you judging by? He's never been David Lee Roth, lol. But he was smiling, laughing, and his guitar-play was quite playful. I'll also defend "Prove It" - Tom's slithery playing on this rearrangement was sweet.

Television

"Summerstage"
Rumsey Playfield
Central Park
NYC
Saturday, 6/16/07
5:45-7:15pm

01 Intro
02 1880 or so
03 Balloon (aka Flower Spasm)
04 Venus
05 Little Johnny Jewel
06 Prove It
07 Frustration (?)
08 Glory
09 The Sea
10 Persia
11 Marquee Moon

Thanks for these, all very interesting posts. But surely to goodness this isn't the end Television once and for all? I saw them last here in UK a couple of years ago with Patti Smith and they seemed to be working, albeit at their customary snails pace, towards some new recorded work. Live they were still great and as other posters have said the guitar interplay between Verlaine and Lloyd was and is truly unique. Without either one of them it really isn't Television anymore.

I don't quite buy Richard Lloyd's assertion that he needs the time and energy to concentrate on his new solo record either. He's managed to combine Television and solo work for years so why is it suddenly a problem now? Anyway Television gigs were always few and far between. There has to be more to it. Anybody heard anything on the NYC grapevine - probably not though because they always were the most uncommunicative of groups. Great, great shame if this is the end.

Hope Richard Lloyd is better now anyway.

Will someone other than me say Verlaine is a complete asshole who plays great guitar? His voice is weak and always strained. The magic in Television always was the tension (on all levels) between Lloyd and Verlaine. Lloyd has always complained to almost anyone in listening range that Tom always thought he owned Television lock stock and barrel. and anyone who has watched Verlaine put down Lloyd in any way he could on or off stage knows that the man is a narcissistic sadist despite his perchance to being tied up by his girlfriends. Yes Lloyd was a drug addict and caused Tom to have to wait .. However, really if Verlaine had given Lloyd some equal space and credit I wonder just how long the addiction problem would have actually lasted.

Those knowledgeable know that Patti's Tom would make up all kinds of outrageous stories about anyone who supported Richard's position.

I suggest that you listen to Lloyd's Field of Fire if you want to hear GREAT guitar playing. Verlaine would never let Lloyd play the song in a Television show .. despite the fact that Verlaine would play any number of non-Television Verlaine solo songs .. and remember this is the man who went to Nashville to produce Jeff Buckley .. another sensitive musician. and Buckley killed himself ( ok .. he died dead drunk)

It is a good thing I am a veggie or I wuld say something nasty about Mr. Ego, Tom Verlaine!

So it is no surprise to see Tom put down a sick Ricard and than do the TOM show.. and fred, billy and jimmy had to just follow along.

Shane,
So the evil dictator Verlaine also forced Lloyd into nitrous oxide abuse during the solo tour May? I'm certain you're familiar with its side-effects, particularly regarding air passages.

Isn't Television T.V.'s band? I always thought it was. He who does the writing usually calls the tune. Verlaine the performer can do no (material) wrong by me, but thanks so much for that paparazzi ooze you scumbag Shane. T.V. got out of bed and came to work, but Richard Lloyd didn't.