Live at The Old Quarter is arguably the greatest live record ever released. It can easily be listed with Bob Dylan’s “Live at The Royal Prince Albert Hall”, or Brian Wilson’s “Pet Sounds Live” (Which some critics said was better than “Pet Sounds”). Van Zandt played twenty seven songs on that night that demanded so much respect from the packed house that at one point you can actually hear the cash register ding in the background. He played with a beautiful eloquence that night that will with stand the test of time, and still be loved long after many of our lives pass. He filled the Texas air not with sound, or words, or noise, but with pure music. The kind of music that all musicians dream and hope for, but few actually attain. That night captured for all of us to hear was one of the most amazing and beautiful nights that music will ever have.
The first song Van Zandt played that night was probably his best know song, “Poncho and Lefty.” “Poncho and Lefty” was made famous after Willie Nelson covered it on one of his records. Nelson also appeared on the 2001 release “Poet: A tribute to Townes Van Zandt.” “Poet” also featured Steve Earle, John Prine and Emmylou Harris to name a few. After this, Van Zandt goes on to play “Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold,” a song written about five card stud poker. These are two of the best songs written by Van Zandt and started the evening out right to lead the audience into the music that was to be heard that night.
Throughout the evening Van Zandt talked with the crowd, telling jokes and stories, about songs, friends, and life. While listening to the record one can’t help but close their eyes and feel as though they are in attendance that night. The sweet soft sound of Van Zandt’s voice is so reverent and timeless that this record can be listened to at anytime, anywhere and still carry with it a certain excellence and timeless quality that few records in history actually carry within them.
Throughout the evening Van Zandt played twenty-seven songs in all, all originals. He sings each song with such feeling and well tamed excitement that it seems as though he wrote them all yesterday. Songs such as “Fraternity Blues” and “Talking Thunderbird Blues” bring laughter and smiles to the faces of whoever is listening. Then, in great contrast, songs such as, “She Came and She Touched Me,” “To Live’s to Fly,” “If I Needed You,” “No Place to Fall,” and quite possibly the best song on the record “For the Sake of the Song” almost bring tears to the listener’s eyes. This type of contrast and song writing and singing ability is what made Townes Van Zandt one of the greatest and most important artists in the history of music.
In the end I would rate this record as high as any record ever released. I would put it on the same lists as “Sgt. Pepper’s,” “Highway 61 Revisted,” “Led Zepplin IV,” “Nebraska,” “Nevermind,” “Let It Bleed,” or any other record that you may consider to be amazing. Live at the Old Quarter is one of the most important and beautiful records ever made and deserves to be known as such. What Townes Van Zandt did on that night long ago will live forever as one of the most unforgettable nights in music history.
- William Saulsbery
