If you close your eyes while listening to Dave Zollo’s music, you might start to imagine yourself in a dark, secluded bar somewhere in the South. Just the right haze of smoke permeates the air as the neon beer signs illuminate the faces of the rapt viewers tapping their feet along with the pulse of Zollo’s brand of piano roots rock.

If you were to open your eyes Friday night, you would most likely find yourself in a place much like you imagined — only it’s not smoky and this isn’t the South. It’s Iowa. The setting is no less intimate and the crowd is no less attentive. But in this case, the venue is the Memorial Union’s smoke-free concert club, the Maintenance Shop.

Zollo, owner of Iowa City record label Trailer Records and accomplished singer-songwriter, stopped by the Shop for another appearance in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Barefoot as always, Zollo took the stage a little while after the scheduled start, but no one seemed to mind or even notice. The line for the bar extended halfway through the room almost right up until show time. Appropriate, because music like this is best served with a brew or two. Something about the fermented wheat makes the hips shake and head nod that much easier.

The set started off with a usual show-closer, “The Morning Is A Long Way From Home,” the title track from the record of the same name.

“It’s a pleasure for me tonight to play this lovely venue. It’s a rare opportunity for me,” Zollo said just before launching into the soulful ballad “I am a Diamond Anyway.”

Zollo exaggerated a bit when he said playing the Shop is a rare privilege. As it stands, the man is a bit of a regular. Whether it’s one of his own shows or another from one of his Trailer cohorts, Zollo’s is a familiar and welcome face in this town, despite his Iowa City origins.

Fostering good will and brotherhood between Iowa City and Ames is our purpose, Zollo said. His mention of the Cyclones’ bowl game destination caused a bit of a stir among the audience, as someone shouted out, “Let’s not talk about it.”

Zollo pleased and then teased his faithful devotees when he said, “Tonight we’re going to play a number of things we don’t always have an opportunity to play. This, however, isn’t one of them.” He then launched into another bluesy rocker from his expansive catalog.

Zollo’s repertoire also included a few covers. Early in the set, he and backing band the Body Electric ran through a rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Let it Bleed.” They also played “Poor Backslider” from labelmate and Iowa legend Greg Brown.

“If he finds out I’ve been using this song on stage the past couple nights, he’s gonna kick my butt,” Zollo said of the song the folk singer co-wrote for the “Easy Street” record.

Like any good label head, Zollo makes sure to announce the name of almost every song and the accompanying album. He also makes sure to drop the names of the other acts on the imprint, including Bo Ramsey and BeJae Fleming, who was in attendance and had the title track from “Big Night” dedicated to her.

Just about halfway through the set, the Body Electric took a break and Zollo continued on in their absence, playing a few cuts solo and being sure to take requests from the crowd. A couple titles were thrown out, including “Elizabeth Smiles,” a song used toward the end of the set.

As Zollo and company began to exit the stage, the crowd of about 125 began to applaud, hoot and holler. About half stood in appreciation, demanding his return to the stage.

The quartet came back to the stage for a four-song encore that appropriately included the song, “You’re Gonna Get What You Wanted.” And it was true — anyone who came out to see David Zollo Friday night got what they came for.