(TV) 2003, Short but interesting

["Casey, Leo J" <CaseyL@VOLPE.DOT.GOV>]

LA Weekly, OCTOBER 10 - 16, 2003 
Live in L.A. 

Twists and Kisses: Ear pretzels from Television by Falling James 
TELEVISION, ELENI MANDELL at the Henry Fonda Theater, September 30
"It's pretzel time," an amused Tom Verlaine announced, tossing snacks into the front rows 
in response to some desperate song requests from the madding crowd. And it was pretzel time 
all night long, as Verlaine and especially Richard Lloyd twisted up some gorgeously fiery lead guitar 
during epic workouts "Little Johnny Jewel" and "Marquee Moon." Mr. Lloyd casually flicked off the 
intricately snarled curlicues of "Calling Mr. Lee" as if he were absently swatting at flies, and the 
quartet's surprise encore of "Psychotic Reaction" - despite a bit of stiffness on the double-time 
rave-up - was bookended by improvised instrumental passages in which Verlaine and Lloyd masterfully 
manipulated their volume controls to create moodily pretty shape-shifting waves. And these famously 
surly bandmates were having more fun than usual. As a pregnant silence and audience expectations 
gathered mass at one point, Verlaine seemed stuck for something meaningful to say. He glanced across 
the stage at Lloyd and burst out laughing for no real reason, all the tension dissipating. For that moment, 
at least, it really was all right not to think twice.
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