SR: Franz Nicolay @ The House Cafe 1/18/09

[Admin]

The Major General tour began it's midwest wind down last night in DeKalb, Illinois, a college town with a population 39,018. DeKalb, is home to among other things, the Northern Illinois University Huskies...and Cindy Crawford.

The House Cafe, according to it's website, is a family bistro and a live entertainment venue located in downtown Dekalb, Illnois. We have yummy food & drinks, and great bands featured throughout the week. The House is the perfect place to gather, network and be inspired.

It's a central meeting place for those interested in music, and well, coffee for those attending NIU, as well as those living in the area.

After two inspired sets by openers King Kong Kitty and Wolf Nation (who LOVED Franz's stache, the man of the evening took the stage.

In a true intimate coffee shop setting, Mr. Nicolay played an eclectic set of cuts off of his newest release, starting with "There Will Be Violins", a new interpretation of the Hold Steady b-side "Two Handed Handshake", an inspired version of the rarity "This World Is An Open Door", and then capping off the night with the classic "Moon River" (where a partial video is included in the pictures below).

Good times, coffee, beer and cookies were had by all.

It was a great night and a wonderful way to end a rock and roll weekend.

Photos are here:

gallery.me.com/brendanhilliard#100434&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=26

Setlist:

There Will Be Violins
For My Next Trick I'll Need A Volunteer (Warren Zevon)
Dead Sailors
Do We Not Live In Dreams?
Jeff Penalty
Hey Dad!
Cease-Fire, Or, Mrs. Norman Maine
This World Is An Open Door
Two-Handed Handshake
Trains (World Inferno Friendship Society)
Moon River (Henry Mancini)

[lilhan]

two-handed handshake and moon river?!
and you had cookies!
jealous face.

[Evan]

The show was really phenomenal. All three acts were a lot of fun (watch out for Wolf Nation, they've only played about five shows so far, but they're definitely a force to be reckoned with), Franz was unbelievably affable despite being pass-out tired, and Kim and Brendan held a great storytelling session for those of us who missed the Unified Scene brunch on Friday. Broadway, you got some crazy shit to tell man...

Jan 19, 2009 10:30:38 GMT -5 Admin said:

The Major General tour began it's midwest wind down last night in DeKalb, Illinois, a college town with a population 39,018. DeKalb, is home to among other things, the Northern Illinois University Huskies...and Cindy Crawford.

Don't forget, we're the birthplace of American barbed wire!

[anniehall]

i feel i should point out that Trains is a song that was probably a franz/jack collab, and an Inferno b-side, but he can do as he wants with it.

[kim]

Jan 19, 2009 11:44:06 GMT -5 Evan said:

Don't forget, we're the birthplace of American barbed wire!

As opposed to Canadian or European or African barbed wire?

Top three Franz quotes of the night, as per my notes in the set list I wrote down:

"This is a song about ghosts and real estate. And it's a tango. As all songs about ghosts and real estate must be." (about "Dead Sailors")

"One of these days, I'm going to cut off my mustache. My career will be over. And I'll have to go back to being a cab driver." (fn then proceeded to tell how Don Rickles called him a cab driver.)

"I may be a cartoon character, but I'm not a Muppet. Yet."

Overall a good show, nice venue, and an excellent evening. I'm sorry I couldn't get the first verse of Moon River, but I didn't realize what was happening until midway through it. The rest of it should suffice. I'd also like to take credit for about half the pictures Brendan posted. Let's assume I took all the good ones.

[misterselby]

Not a Muppet yet?

Has he seen Lew Zealand? www.youtube.com/watch?v=wArQTetzqgA