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Katie Von Schleicher: Tiny Desk Concert

By Elle Mannion
Published January 29, 2024 at 5:01 AM EST

I didn't fact-check this, but I'm pretty sure this is the first Tiny Desk concert that mentions Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Between performing her lush indie-rock songs, Katie Von Schleicher mentions that she made a Dwayne Johnson zine for her latest record: "I'd like him to be my best friend, if you know him..." she says. There's a wry charm to Von Schleicher's exquisite songwriting, often underscoring its sincerity but never cheapening its quality.

Along with her mighty eight-piece band, Von Schleicher opens the set with "Montagnard People," which is also the opening track on her 2023 album, A Little Touch of Schleicher in the Night (yes, that's a nod to Harry Nilsson's A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night). "Honestly, my tight five needs work / To get past hurts, I'm alive," she sings over swinging strings and saxophones, "Watching movies at night / only Dwayne Johnson helps me take that ride."

She and the band pack the biggest punch on the upbeat "Caged Sleep" before grooving through "Cranked." For the final song, "Texas," Von Schleicher takes to the piano; she starts slowly, then the sounds of the band swell to a cinematic crescendo — perhaps one that could soundtrack the next best Dwayne Johnson movie.

SET LIST

  • "Montagnard People" 
  • "Caged Sleep" 
  • "Cranked" 
  • "Texas" 

MUSICIANS

  • Katie Von Schleicher: vocals, guitar, piano
  • Halsey Harkins: vocals, synthesizer
  • Stephen Becker: guitar
  • Nick Jost: bass
  • Sean Mullins: drums
  • Nate Mendelsohn: alto saxophone
  • Gabe Birnbaum: baritone saxophone
  • Ginger Dolden: violin
  • Pete Lanctot: viola

TINY DESK TEAM

  • Producers: Elle Mannion, Bob Boilen
  • Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
  • Audio Technical Director: Josh Rogosin
  • Series Producer: Bobby Carter
  • Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Catie Dull, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
  • Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
  • Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
  • Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
  • Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
  • Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
  • VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
  • Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

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