In the college town of Edwardsville, bars aren’t hard to find. But one bar and grill has rapidly risen above the rest and become a hot spot because of a dynamic one-man band.

Laurie’s Place in Edwardsville has grown in popularity in recent months after recruiting Matt Livasy, who performs from 9:30 p.m. to about 1:30 a.m. every Thursday.

“Our business has increased by 80 percent since he started playing here,” said Laurie Chavez, owner and operator of Laurie’s Place. “He’s such a great guy, always nice, and an amazing musician.”

Livasy has been drawing an overwhelming crowd to the bar since he began playing there about eight months ago.

“The intricacy of his music is amazing,” said Sarah Morrison, 22, who attends Livasy’s show nearly every week. “He starts with one bass line and interweaves it with other beats. It’s very unique.”

The 23-year-old musician graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville last spring with a psychology degree and a minor in music. Livasy planned to put music on hold after graduation. But with school behind him, he’s still strumming his guitar for the masses.

“Now that I’m done with school, I’m kind of in limbo,” Livasy said. “This is my job; how cool is that?”

Playing guitar, saxophone and piano since middle school, Livasy uses an array of instruments with his music ranging from the harmonica to a tambourine.

“I mowed a bunch of lawns and saved up for my first acoustic guitar in junior high,” Livasy said. “I wanted to put the rhythms I had in my head on a beat. I love creating a feeling with my music.”

With his gigs becoming more frequent since word of mouth has spread, Livasy still remembers his first show.

“I thought I had three hours of music to play to fill my time slot, but 45 minutes passed and I was done,” Livasy said. “I just started making up songs to fill the time. Then this guy walked to the stage and handed me a note that said ‘you suck so bad it hurts.’ I apologized to him after the show; it was a lesson learned.”

Obviously, Livasy has revamped his sets over the years to never leave a crowd disappointed. Monica Alsup, 22, tries to never miss one of Livasy’s shows, even if it means traveling.

“He gives off a great atmosphere and plays great music,” Alsup said. “I never came to Laurie’s before Matt played, and I’ve only missed four of his shows (at Laurie’s). Everyone shows up for Matt.”

Livasy creates his music on stage, with no pre-recorded material, by looping his beats. He records a bass line live, then loops it into a track. He then plays and records again over that bass line, which accounts for the complex beats in his songs.

With musical influences such as Keller Williams and Sublime, Livasy said the only reason he still plays music is his friends’ and family’s support.

“My friends are so awesome, and my parents try to make it to most of my shows. That’s what gives me the drive to keep going with this,” Livasy said.

To see his shows or learn more about Livasy’s music, visit his Web site at www.mattlivasy.com. His four CDs are on sale at The Grind in Edwardsville.