TORONTO - If you ever saw Madonna's 1991 documentary Truth Or Dare, actor Kevin Costner meets her backstage and describes her performance as "neat."
After he leaves, Madonna then pretends to stick her finger down her throat as if to gag at his description.
She has since apologized for the action, but having seen Costner perform Tuesday night at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre, maybe the material girl was onto something.
Costner and his six-piece supporting band dubbed Modern West sure know how to play roots rock and Americana music, but throughout the course of 14-song, 90-minute set, one definitely got the impression there was an underlying reason for his current North American tour.
And wouldn't you know it, there is. Costner and his crew play a fictitious Willie Nelson cover band called The Half Nelsons in the upcoming film Swing Vote.
Fortunately, the 53-year-old actor and director made sure fans were aware that he was indeed a film star with a lengthy and ridiculous 10-minute ego-boosting intro that showcased all his films both good (The Untouchables, Dances With Wolves) and bad (Waterworld). From there, the cinematic music continued as Costner, a man of the people, entered from a back door behind the audience and shook hands as he made his way to the stage.
"Wow! Great to be in your beautiful city," he said prior to opening with the energetic Red River, a decent cover from '90s Midwestern rock band The BoDeans. Costner managed to strum the guitar and sing lead when not waving to the crowd as a cameraman captured the proceedings.
The six-piece band were quite strong and seasoned musicians, particularly fiddler Bobby Yang who repeatedly stole the show with some dazzling work on several cuts such as Saturday Night and Rain. Costner often made a point of pointing at Yang when not waving or asking fans if they were having a good time.
After the mid-tempo Find That Girl, the actor announced they would premiere two new songs on this night. "But until then just keep bopping, alright?" he said to the few dozen packed near the front of the stage.
For the most part, Costner was content to sing lead quite raspy at times while his backing band picked up the slack. Costner was mildly better during the slower numbers like Down In Nogales and Sun It Will Rise, the latter bringing to mind something in the vein of John Mellencamp.
One of the more entertaining moments came during Fabulous as four ladies took to the stage and danced around as Costner played the role of roots rocker.
Dressed in jeans and brown dress shirt, the actor managed to be okay on Johnny Stole A Cadillac and Five Minutes From America. His Clark Kent-like stance and outstretched hands to mimic flight for the tune Superman 14 proved to be a winner with the crowd.
Running through all of Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man, Costner and Modern West left only to return for the encore Hey Man What About You.
"We'll see you at the movies," he said, once again reinforcing the fact that Kevin Costner is an actor.
If only he realized that two hours prior.
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