An open letter to The Hold Steady: Hire a keyboard player!

It was great to see you guys the other night at the Cat's Cradle.  I really enjoyed the show, as did the others in my group.  The audience was into it, you guys seemed to be into it, and Craig Finn, man, you were working the house.

I can't help, though, but miss Franz Nicolay's keyboards on a lot of the music.  I understand Nicolay had his own good reasons for leaving, and I respect that.

The music, though, cries out for keyboards.

Let's start with what has to be perhaps your most perfect song, the magnificent "Stuck Between Stations."



I missed the piano so much when you played this one.

I felt the same way when you gave us this absolutely fabulous tune, "Sequestered In Memphis."



Yes, you performed them both well, but wow, how much better they would have been with someone laying down those piano tracks.

Think about it.  That's all I'm asking.  Think about it.