A Rare Look Into An Interesting Period…

Recorded December 5, 1978 in Austin, Texas…this interesting musical segment originally aired on Austin City Limits. The recording also supplies a very interesting look into Waits‘ transition into a more theatrical realm. Even without the visuals, it’s not hard to see how he commands both the stage and his audience.Upon listening to the record, you are immediately brought into a surrealistic landscape. With Waits creating sound effects and channeling a Charles Bukowski type narrative, you don’t even need to understand what he’s saying to relate to his jokingly melancholic narratives in the opening track “Summertime/Burma Shave“. Waits also shows off his balladeering capabilities with tracks like “On The Nickel” while returning and improving his free formed beat poetry with “Rome Is Bleeding” which has to be one of his greatest live performances ever. Every track shows the artist on the top of his game!

Don’t forget to pick up you own copy on vinyl…you will not regret it!