TORONTO - To cap off his Canadian tour in support of his new album In Field & Town, singer-songwriter Hayden played to a sold-out crowd at Toronto's Danforth Music Hall who were extremely attentive.

Well, almost all of them.

In fact, the performer's set list almost served as a forerunner for two drunken hecklers and the ensuing events for the first hour and change, finally culminating in security escorting them out while the aptly timed Lonely Security Guard was delivered.

Regardless of the jeers from the two obnoxious oddballs seated nearby, Hayden's performance made the predominantly college-aged crowd endure it rather easily beginning with I Should Have Been Watching You. Wearing a dark vest, dark jeans and a harmonica occasionally strapped around his neck, Hayden went straight into Home By Saturday without any hiccups.

While most of his songs are well under three minutes, the musician's rather rudimentary, melodic and simplistic style draws listeners in, somewhat like fellow Canadian songsmith Ron Sexsmith but with traces of heavyweights like Dylan and Springsteen. This was the case during the tender vignette Stem as he strummed away on his acoustic guitar and later on during More Than Alive, one of the few optimistic songs Hayden said he wrote over the last few years.

"I just finished doing a lot of interviews and basically every article talks about how depressing my music is," Hayden said early on prior to Don't Get Down. "When I read them it makes me depressed, it's a vicious circle."

However he was quick to reply to the early catcalls. "If you want to say something stupid, go to the washroom and text-message it to yourself," he quipped to applause.

With no supporting cast aside from a trumpet player who made a few appearances during the show, Hayden split his time between guitar and a piano to his right. The sparse, minimal Damn This Feeling worked well as did Bad As They Seem and Wide Eyes which had a slight lounge-y hue to it.

After playing a number whose melody "would drive people insane" because of its catchiness, the performer resembled a folksy version of deadpan comedian Steven Wright when describing his wardrobe. "I was feeling good about my show outfit until I saw There Will Be Blood," Hayden said to laughs. "I look like Daniel Day-Lewis' slow brother."

He shouldn't give up his day job though as songs such as Woody and Killbear, both from 2004's Elk-Lake Serenade, mixed roots with folk as he swayed while playing the latter. At the same time he also managed to rock out as much as one can on acoustic guitar during Trees Lounge and especially on one of his biggest hits Dynamite Walls.

After thanking the crowd for coming out, Hayden returned for the encore consisting of Weight Of The World and the delightful Where And When. But once again he closed things out with more humor during Carried Away which had a false start. Describing himself as "rhythmically challenged," Hayden pleaded with the audience to clap in time, otherwise he would mess things up. Fortunately both parties lived up to the task.