Half Television

(Toggle Switch photo of Richard Lloyd at The Taphouse, Norfolk)

Richard Lloyd chose not to play any tunes from his groundbreaking band Television tonight at The Taphouse in Norfolk. But Television's sound was definitely present nonetheless. Playing as part the SufiMonkey Trio (which included TV drummer Billy Ficca) Lloyd soaked the small audience creative guitar wankery that couldn't help but recall his glory years with Tom Verlaine. His set included songs from an upcoming album that salutes some of Lloyd's influences, so we heard a number of Jimi Hendrix covers -- "Spanish Castle Magic," "Purple Haze" "Axis (Bold as Love)" and "Are You Experienced?" But Lloyd didn't try to ape Jimi. He injected the tunes with his snarling, darting, twirling guitar style. And that tone -- achieved with nothing more than a Strat and Supro combo amp -- was unmistakably Lloyd: scratchy and sweet. The crowd was appreciative, though tiny. At one point, the guitarists from three local bands -- Rylo, Action Habit and Shifty -- stood shoulder to shoulder near the edge of the stage, reveling in Lloyd's fretboard freakouts.