Photo by Olivia Duff
Review by Brendan Hickey
Matt Costa is the type of performer who would rather hear his fans sing than his own voice. After opening with “Mr. Pitiful,” Costa’s sweet speaking voice murmured, “Thanks all for coming out and shakin’ your legs and what not.” The casual remark set the tone for the show. No one would have guessed it was a 6:00 p.m. concert when Costa joined the crowd in U Street Music Hall during just the fourth song of his set. While taking a few mid-song pictures with his fans, it became apparent that Costa’s priority was to keep the Friday evening concert intimate. Mission accomplished, Matt.
Costa nailed his most popular songs, including crowd favorites, “Sunshine” and “Ophelia,” very early on. This got the excitement level soaring but left little to look forward in the second half of the set. Despite the night’s popular hits being front-loaded, Costa managed to keep the crowd’s morale high.
Photo by Olivia Duff
Costa’s playful chatter was a treat in its own right. He opened the encore with a heart-wrenching tale of the days before and after his marriage. Effortlessly, he continued the story for a solid five minutes and ended not a moment too soon. His fun and simple banter was well-received throughout the set, which helped him gain new fans and befriend the old ones. This simplicity carried over into his music. He doesn’t paint a masterpiece in his lyrics; rather, he draws a pencil outline complete with stick figures and speech bubbles with which the listener can draw his or her own interpretation and connection.
Despite his elegantly simplistic style and charming personality, he needed the aid and support of his band. They take his originals from songs you’d hear in a coffee house to anthems fit for a paying audience. While introducing the crew, Costa forgot to mention Jason Kardong, his pedal steel guitar player. Although he may have slipped Costa’s mind, he was an unforgettable addition to the band. His smooth glass sliding added a new level of intricacy to each of Costa’s songs but never stole the spotlight as his riffs and slides blended beautifully with Costa’s sound.
The band managed to keep their tunes in the range between soulful James Taylor slow-dances and head-boppin’ Eric Hutchinson jams. While they stayed pretty true to this feel, they briefly arranged into a Mumford and Sons inspired semi-circle where Kardong busted out the banjo and Costa got a chance to play his twelve-string guitar for “Good Times”—a song which perfectly sums up a Matt Costa show.
Photo by Olivia Duff
