Townes Van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter

Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas is a double live album by Texas singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt. The recording captures Van Zandt in a series of July 1973 performances in an intimate venue and there is a strong critical consensus that this recording is among the most exemplary of Van Zandt's career. In July 1973, Van Zandt performed a string of shows over five sweltering nights at the Old Quarter club owned by Rex Bell and Dale Soffar that were recorded on a portable four track by Earl Willis, the album's producer and engineer. They would eventually be released four years later by Van Zandt's previous producer and manager Kevin Eggers on his new Tomato Records label. The liner notes describe the recording as the "Rosetta Stone" of Texas music. One can hear Van Zandt's influences in covers by artists like Bo Diddley, Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins, and country picker Merle Travis. Van Zandt's most famous works can also be heard, such as "If I Needed You" and "Pancho and Lefty" played to an audience not already familiar with these songs. The singer's laconic banter and corny jokes are also on full display. The album is also noted for the intimacy of the performance, with Van Zandt taking the stage alone and accompanying himself on guitar as he did thousands of times during his career. In the 2007 biography To Live's To Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt, John Kruth writes that Van Zandt played "to nearly a hundred folks per set, packed shoulder to shoulder within the club's bare brick walls. The room was so jammed that it was impossible for a waitress to wend her way through the crowd to take drink orders. People had to pass money hand over fist and wait, in hopes that a mug of cold beer would eventually find it's way back to them." Van Zandt is introduced by Dale Soffar and, after apologizing for the busted air conditioning, performs a gentle reading of "Pancho and Lefty". At the end of the song the singer remarks, "I've never heard it so quiet in here." The photograph on the album cover was shot by Steve Salmieri.

1. Announcement 0:45
2. Pancho ; Lefty 4:08
3. Mr. Mudd ; Mr. Gold 3:41
4. Don't You Take It Too Bad 2:58
5. Two Girls 3:52
6. Fraternity Blues 3:08
7. If I Needed You 3:19
8. Brand New Companion 4:20
9. White Freight Liner Blues 3:26
10. To Live Is to Fly 3:21
11. She Came and She Touched Me 4:10
12. Talking Thunderbird Blues 2:33
13. Rex's Blues 3:05
14. Nine Pound Hammer 3:06
15. For the Sake of the Song 4:49
16. Chauffeur's Blues 4:33
17. No Place to Fall 3:09
18. Loretta 2:27
19. Kathleen 2:55
20. Why She's Acting That Way 5:43
21. Cocaine Blues 3:21
22. Who Do You Love 3:45
23. Tower Song 3:48
24. Waiting 'Round to Die 2:35
25. Tecumseh Valley 4:30
26. Lungs 2:34
27. Only Him or Me 2:43

Shipping is available to the 48 contiguous United States. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes, International locations, or APO/FPO addresses. 

Please ensure your address is entered correctly. We are unable to redirect to an alternate shipping address once an order is placed.If your order contains multiple items, it may ship from different warehouse locations.

Tracking information will be sent as items are shipped.

Allow up to 5 business days for your order to process when calculating delivery dates. 

Note: Additional delays may occur due to severe weather or other carrier delays. 

Standard Shipping: allow 7-10 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Media Mail; all other products via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.

Expedited Shipping: allow 2-5 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; all other products via UPS 2-Day Air or FedEx 2-Day Air.

Overnight Shipping: allow 1-2 business days for delivery. All products will be shipped via UPS Next Day Air or FedEx Next Day Air. 

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased from Victrola.com. All items must be returned as new in their original packaging, including all accessories and cables. Albums must be unopened to receive a refund. Missing items will be charged based on suggested retail prices.

All returns must be accompanied by a valid return authorization number (RMA) issued by Victrola. If an RMA is not obtained prior to shipping, the returned product will be refused and returned to sender.

If the item is no longer wanted, the shipping cost is not refundable and returns must be shipped prepaid by the customer. There is a 15% restocking fee that will be calculated based on the price of the product once the item is refunded.

If the item is defective, a pre-paid shipping label to return the product will be provided, and no restocking fee applies.

To set up a return for refund please visit Customer Care. Be sure to include your order # and reason for your return when submitting your request.

View more information about returns and warranty here.