Matt Nathanson knows the difference between zip-up hoodies and pull-over hoodies.

Just ask him.

“Zip-ups are the type that emo and punk kids tend to wear,” said Nathanson, talking about what type he plans on ordering when it comes time to design them. “It’s the Abercrombie kids that like the pull-overs.”

Nathanson is sitting on a small hill next to a parking lot behind a stage where Ambulance, Ltd is currently playing a 45-minute set in Evanston, IL at Northwestern University’s Dillo Day. Although the meaning of Dillo Day is never truly explained to this journalist (it has something to do with an armadillo, I think), that doesn’t stop students from flocking to a field located on Lake Michigan and tossing around a Frisbee or kicking around a blowup beach ball while listening to live music, all for free.

Evanston is the type of town where senior citizen men mow their lawn every Sunday, as if on schedule, while their wives work in the nearby garden. It’s the type of town where apartment complexes resemble castles and one building begins to look like the next to the untrained eye. It’s the type of town where an outsider would have no clue that a college even exists in the Chicago North side neighborhood. It’s a town of hookups, breakups and a place to get easily lost at four in the morning (trust me, I know).

Taking the stage in the wake of punk rockers Acceptance and alternative art rock act Ambulance, Ltd and before the garage duo the Black Keys and the multi-colored hair of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic is Boston born and current San Francisco resident Matt Nathanson, who, armed with just a 12-string guitar and some pent up frustration, showcases his energetic and comical stage presence while interjecting sing-a-longs and even goes as far as to mock audience members.

“I’m in my thirties,” Nathanson said before his performance while tuning up his guitar. “I don’t need to take shit from 17 and 18-year-olds.”

By now Nathanson is used to it. He spent the summer of 2004 opening up for acoustic college rockers O.A.R., and faced down hecklers almost every night of the tour. While most fans come to see what the night has to offer with opening acts, some just wanted to hear “Crazy Game of Poker,” and the need to wait caused some to turn irate and toss objects at Nathanson. He was quick to respond with words of his own and would go as far as calling out audience members.

“I almost got killed in Colorado on that tour,” Nathanson said. “I didn’t know the guy was a Marine when I jumped off stage.”

Despite one or two fans who weren’t feeling Nathanson’s style and a girl with a bad red hair dye job screaming “yeah” ala Little John after every song, the crowd at Dillo Day is receptive to Nathanson’s songs and stories. When he plays “Detroit Waves,” a song from his upcoming, untitled album, the crowd becomes silent, as Nathanson gets a little darker in the minor keyed song.

And this is what Nathanson is focusing all his time on right now.

New songs. A new album. A new record label.

After releasing four full length albums and a five-song EP on his own and touring as his own tour manager for a number of years, Nathanson signed with Universal Records in 2002 and went on to release his 2003 album “Beneath These Fireworks” to the delight of fans and critics, though that’s where the help from Universal stopped.

Even though he was selling out shows the likes of the House of Blues in Chicago, radio play was minimal. Fans were buying records because of word-of-mouth grass roots actions taken by his reps and fans passing live recordings on to their friends, not because of airplay and music videos. In fact, Nathanson has yet to even make a music video. Instead, Universal released footage from a show and ran it on-line. That was the extent of the video aspect for the male singer-songwriter.

Eventually, Nathanson called it quits with Universal.

“It was like when you’re dating someone where both of you know that it’s not going to work out,” Nathanson said. “I was lucky enough to back out of Universal without any bad blood.”

Several days before his Dillo Day performance, Nathanson spent time in Chicago writing songs with Survivor member Jim Peterik and came out fully refreshed.

“Coming into this weekend, I was really worried about the new album,” Nathanson said. “But after working with Jim, I’m ready to get back into the record.”

So far the new album, which according to Nathanson will be released at the end of summer or early fall, is comprised of all new songs and will be promoted with a full band tour from September to Thanksgiving. While “Beneath These Fireworks” featured 13 songs, five of the songs are from previous sessions that were reworked for Nathanson’s major label debut. Nathanson said he has only thought about reworking two songs, though he’s still unsure if he’ll follow through with his intentions.

“I’ve always thought that ‘Princess’ never really saw the light of day,” Nathanson said about the snare-backed song from his 2002 EP, “When Everything Meant Everything.”

“Answering Machine,” the song that ends just about every show in true sing-a-long form with the audience taking of the chorus and Nathanson holding the second part, is a song that many have told him to rework and re-release. More than likely the song would become the first single and a radio staple if received well.

“I’ve always thought that ‘Answering Machine’ was an awkward song,” Nathanson said. “I play it at every show because I want to. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that song.”

And this is where Matt Nathanson begins to show his true colors.

“I never do anything that I don’t want to do,” Nathanson said. “I never say anything that I don’t mean.”

It’s true that he doesn’t care who he plays with. He’s shared the stage with artists ranging from John Doe of X to John Mayer. He’s opened for Ryan Cabrera and doesn’t mind the fact that the spiky-haired Howie Day look-alike became popular because of a television show.

“The way I see it, it’s a way to get out in front of a crowd that may have no idea who I am,” Nathanson said. “I just view it as another show.”

Nathanson has been around for as while as well. His first album, “Please,” was released the same year the Dave Matthews Band came onto the musical scene and a year after U2 revolutionized the musical world with “Achtung Baby.” He may not have the power to sell out arenas like big rock bands, but he can create a following from city to city. He remembers names and faces at the snap of a finger and devotes time to each and every fan whenever possible. He’s an approachable artist that won’t refuse an autograph or picture request and signs various body parts for the hell of it.

Nathanson may be in his early thirties, but he’s a kid at heart. When he farts after our interview, he tells me to move because I’m sitting down-wind of the smell. When Acceptance leave the venue in their Winnebago towing a trailer, Nathanson cracks a smile and says “have fun with that in the winter.” With his take-no-prisoners attitude, Nathanson can take the stage and tell right away what kind of night it will be.

“By the end of the second song, I can tell if I’m going to have a good show or a bad show,” Nathanson said. “If it’s a bad show, it’s a Bon Jovi kind of night.”

Twenty minutes before his scheduled set time, Nathanson begins to write the setlist. He jots down “Answering Machine” at the bottom and then jumps to the top of the page and begins writing song titles.

“I hate writing setlists this close to show time,” he said. “Someone rattle off some songs I’ve written.”

Funny thing is, he’s serious.

He blanks on song titles and even forgets how the lyrics to “Bent” begin later in the show, though segues the song flawlessly into “Such Great Heights” by the Postal Service. He can play any song after hearing it and, in a fit of musical passion, calls out chords to himself while playing. Before his set, he plays along to “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers, which is being played by a deejay in between sets, and the first verse and chorus to a Sammy Hagar song.

“I really don’t want to go out there today,” Nathanson said while looking at the stage. I mention there really aren’t too many people out there. “Well, that makes it a little better,” he said with a smile.

Over the course of his hour set, Nathanson wins the crowd over with his brutally honest songs, a Prince sing-a-long and stories and jokes ranging from masturbation and pubic hair to dating a girl that, in turn, is dating everyone else. After his set, fans flock from the stage to his merch table and wait for Nathanson to come out and sign autographs and take pictures with the sweaty singer. He takes his time with his fans before running to catch a 9:30 flight back home.

At the end of his day, as the sun is setting and the nearby tide picks up a bit, Nathanson zips up his hoodie that he took off in the middle of his set. He’s heading back home and in less than a month, he’ll have a live album recorded over a three night stint in Bryn Mawr, PA under his belt. Now it’s time to look ahead to the new album and new songs. Nathanson knows, that no matter what happens in life, that everything will be alright.