MANCHESTER, NH – It is an idyllic summer evening at the outdoor tiki bar at KC’s Rib Shack in Manchester. The sun is starting to set, and a light breeze cuts through the packed crowd on a Tuesday evening as Nate Comp and Paul Costley take the stage, as they do every Tuesday evening—with rare exceptions—and as they’ve done on Tuesday evenings in various locations for the past 15 years.
Comp, a veritable guitar virtuoso, and Costley, another venerable musician who bangs on the bongos and blows on the harp, are featuring John DeGange of the band Last Kid Picked tonight from 7-8 p.m. then the stage belongs to any musician who signs up for the open mic from 8-10 p.m.
A few hours earlier, news broke that rock and roll icon Ozzy Osbourne had passed away at age 76, and there is a general sense in the audience that some kind of tribute must be brewing, but DeGange goes in another direction, beginning his set with Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.”
Despite not having rehearsed—Comp and Costley said they never rehearse with their feature performers before the shows on Tuesday nights—the trio plays in lock step as if they’ve been jamming together for decades.
While Costley and Comp have been playing together, in various bands, for decades and can almost anticipate each other’s next note, they also encourage the musicians to step outside of their comfort zones and take chances with songs that they wouldn’t otherwise play.
“I try to encourage people to do stuff they don’t normally do with their regular bands,” said Comp, a Manchester Memorial High School alumni. “When we do this, all bets are off. The musicians get to stretch out and show a different dimension of themselves. When everyone is out of their comfort zone, that is where the best art is created, right on the edge of that.”
Costley said it is the variety and experimentation that makes the shows so much fun for him. “I look forward to Tuesdays every week because everyone is different,” he said. “Sometimes we fall on our faces but, generally, we get it right.”
The open mic shows started at The Derryfield Country Club in 2010, when Comp and Costley were playing in a trio with local legend Josh Logan. The trio would play a set then accompany other musicians in the open mic.
Over the years, they have changed venues, moving from the Derryfield to Murphy’s Taproom to The Wild Rover, until settling in at KC’s Ribshack approximately five years ago. However, the idea of rotating feature musicians came after Logan moved away from New Hampshire.
“We both know the musicians we like because we’ve been playing for so long,” said Costley. “We try to bring in different people who bring different sounds and different crowds. We’re here to make everyone sound good.”
Comp said that playing with sundry musicians has also helped him grow as an artist. “It has broadened my horizons because it introduces me to music I probably wouldn’t normally play, which is really beneficial for my teaching job,” he said. “It exposes me to all kinds of music.”
But both men agree that one of the most gratifying parts of hosting the open mic and playing with so many different musicians each week is watching young musicians mature and take off on their own.
“The most rewarding thing is seeing the kids grow up,” said Costley, who started a booking agency called NotSo Costley Productions in 1978, which is now owned by Manchester-native Demetri Papanicolau. “They came here as kids, and now they’re out playing full-time.”
Some of the bigger names who have shared the stage with Comp and Costley include Lisa Guyer, Charlie Farren, Brian Maes, Sharon Jones, Ken Clark, Chris Lester, Chad Lamarsh, Brooks Hubbard, Kamryn Richard and Erika Van Pelt.
The teaching and mentoring young musicians brings particular joy for Comp who aside from playing five or six nights a week, has been a full time guitar teacher for over 30 years and recently started an online community with fellow guitar instructor Byron Marks called Dymecast, which focuses on guitar education.
“I consider Nate to be one of the best guitar players in this area, but he really shines when he teaches. When Nate teaches, he is really in his mode,” Costley said.
But, ultimately, the secret to their longevity is their genuine appreciation for each other as musicians and their impermeable friendship. “More than anything, we’re friends, and I’m fortunate to get to play with Nate and have a good time,” said Costley.
Comp added that it is also both men’s aversion to drama that keeps things moving forward.
“Paul and I are both severely allergic to band drama,” Comp said. “But even if there wasn’t any music involved, we’d still want to hang out with each other.”
There is also the simple fact that Comp and Costley both expressed a love for what they do.
“When you’re really enjoying yourself doing this job, it does not feel like work. I almost feel guilty getting paid at the end of the night,” said Comp. “Artistically, this is so amazing and rewarding.”
While Comp teases a number of Black Sabbath riffs throughout DeGange’s set, it isn’t until the end that the trio finally pays tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with a soulful and special rendition of the late-musician’s solo hit “Mama, I’m Coming Home” that gets the crowd—some who are emotional and teary-eyed—singing along.
“There are at least one or two moments each week where something organically just happens, and it’s magic,” said Comp.
Magic, indeed.