Matt Costa
Crescent Ballroom
Phoenix, Ariz.
March 15

The auspicious opening of Matt Costa’s show at the Cresecnt Ballroom included what was the World’s Shortest Soundcheck clocking in at a trim thirty seconds. Indeed, the temporal theme was at play right from those opening moments as Costa led his quartet with guitar, harmonica and vocals and an early-60s Bob Dylan troubadour persona that defies a specific era. Like many artists in tune with one’s muse, Costa appears to stand outside his generation with the confident ability to blend several timelines into his own creative perspective.

It was this ethereal and complex attitude that fueled Costa’s performance as he was able to not only lead his quartet, but command his audience with a self-assured stage presence. “Ophelia” served early on as a rollicking bittersweet tale, while cementing Costa’s knack for witty lyrics and memorable tunes. In between songs, Costa found himself easily sliding into off-the-cuff humorous remarks, while never losing his sophisticated poise: “If you go to Texas, make sure you know the two step,” the musician warned with a chuckle.

Elsewhere and everywhere, despite all the distractions – technical, or otherwise – Costa and his band found a remarkably organic yet direct way to build a well-rounded, seamlessly segued-set, blending sharp comments with equally tight-but-loose songcraft. The group delivered rolling thunder bursts of seismic audio energy that suddenly shifting downwards into wistful, gentle ballads. And, then, almost effortlessly, the scene would veer into an early 21st century post-jaded vibe – candid, touching, and very real.

Costa is often self-effacing, as is his band, which only helps to cement their confidence. It is a dichotomy that worked well in Phoenix, as Costa was able to remove that invisible yet somehow tangible fourth wall between the stage and the audience. Actually, the atmosphere took on the attributes of a town hall meeting in the desert, images of perfect sunsets fading into the magical horizon, especially when Costa led the way through a memorable take on “Good Times,” the calm storm within the song echoing the pending heat wave that always seems just right around the corner, while perfectly illuminating the musical arc of Costa – elsewhere and everywhere.