Songwriter Townes Van Zandt’s Lyrical Style to Be Spotlighted : Dubbed the ‘Van Gogh of Lyrics,’ the recording artist will perform his moody but whimsical melodies at Nicholby’s in Ventura.

It looks like Nicholby’s in Ventura is really on to something great with its intimate showcase series, launched last month. Since inaugurating Nicholby’s Presents, the club has scored two hits with blues legend John Hammond and fiddle virtuoso, Mark O’Connor.

Tonight, the third installment, will spotlight country-folk recording artist Townes Van Zandt, considered by many in the business to be one of the best songwriters in the country.

But since his music is not the stuff of Top 20 airplay, chances are that most readers are asking themselves, Townes Van Who?. Yet praise from country music heavyweights, including Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, seems to justify a compliment from Austin country rocker Steve Earle: “Van Zandt is the Van Gogh of lyrics.”

Nelson and Haggard recognized gold when they recorded “Pancho and Lefty.” And Harris and Don Williams scored a hit with “If I Needed You.” Now Ventura County residents get a rare chance to hear the lyrical imagery of a literate man who, with an acoustic guitar, has been weaving songs about relationships since the ‘60s.

But don’t expect any Van Zandt lyrics to be simple. He’s so introspective that a 1989 review in New York Newsday dubbed Van Zandt “the dean of depressed.”

“See, when you’re happy . . . you don’t think about it,” he said in the current issue of CountryBeat magazine. “But there’s 15% of the time you get the blues, and those times you’re sitting there and thinking.”

But the Texas songwriter, now transplanted to Nashville, also knows when to be whimsical. He often tells audiences: “ ‘Buckskin Stallion’ is about a girl and a horse, and I still miss the horse.” And don’t be surprised if midway through his show, Van Zandt breaks into “The Shrimp Song” from the Elvis Presley film “Girls! Girls! Girls!” Referring to his more serious fare, Van Zandt once said, “You have to pass out the razor blades before the end of the set. By doing that Elvis song, it just lightens up a little.”

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Management has finally pulled the plug on country music and dance lessons at Santa Barbara’s Red Dog Saloon, where we used to flock to hear popular groups, including Darlene O’Connell and the Dixie Flyers and Sky King. To help folks deal with the loss, the Dog’s former dance instructor, Miss Ila, rounded up the club’s refugees. And Saturday night, they held a “Dead Dog” dance party at her new home base, the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks.

Now Santa Barbara country fans will have to count on the City Line Club and Galleon Room for their music and dance fix. But the clubs are using good bands and offering lessons. The Galleon Room caters more to a couples / two-step format. And City Line has some fun and original line dances, including Mustang Sally. Check out City Line on Thursdays when Connie is teaching. She’s what a good dance instructor should be: competent, mellow and she stays all night to help her students.

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Meanwhile, back in Thousand Oaks, look for Miss Ila to cook up some local fun-tastic dance events in the near future. And congrats to Borderline dance instructor Jennie, who put together the Borderline dancers in record time to perform at Conejo Valley Days. Everyone present agreed that the routines were amazing: slick, professional and glitzy.

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Here’s your chance to support a new country venue. The Starting Gate, a refurbished club featuring live country music and dance instruction on the weekends, will kick off its grand opening Friday. The Rhythm Rangers will play 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. And Saturday, starting at 4 p.m., everyone is invited for a free barbecue “until the hog runs out,” co-owner Gail Sap said. The Starting Gate is at 396 N. Ventura Ave., Ventura, 653-9112.

Details

* WHO: Townes Van Zandt in concert.

* WHERE: Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura.

* WHEN: Today, doors open at 7:30 p.m., show time 8:30 p.m., general seating only.

* HOW MUCH: $10 per person at the door.

* FYI: Nicholby’s box office, 653-2320.

* ETC: Special guest Fred Schmitt and the Undefinables.