Five Songs Television Has To Play

Saturday, 5:50pm, Orange stage

With an unreleased album's worth of new songs under their belts, don't expect Television to perfunctorily trot out 1977 landmark Marquee Moon at Fun Fun Fun Fest. Aside from an Australian date where the definitive NYC art-punk quartet performed the LP debut in toto, Television's recent overseas shows have drawn heavily on non-Moon material. Austin remains just one of three stateside stops for the band, its first U.S. dates since 2007, when guitarist Richard Lloyd was replaced by Jimmy Rip. Bandleader Tom Verlaine isn't known for taking requests, but he's also not predictable. Here's a wish list of songs for Saturday's show.

"Marquee Moon"

An obvious but vital choice. Unadulterated by whizz-bang effects, the amazing electric guitar odyssey in the marathon title track's midsection ensures perennial overuse of the term "angular."

"See No Evil"

Verlaine and Lloyd's steam-heated guitar interplay on Marquee Moon's opener summons the hopes and dreams of every gourmandizer that ever stumbled into a dive bar for uplifting.

"Torn Curtain"

It's easy to discern Verlaine's artistic connection to Patti Smith on this cataclysmic cabaret closer. Billy Ficca's drumming beats top-notch.

"Careful"

The closest thing to a transistor pop song in Television's catalog, its sprightly melody obscures a lyrical poke in the eye.

"Fire Engine"

Television often opened with this 13th Floor Elevators cover during its initial run.