Now it can be told: Nickel Creek came to Roanoke for the Weiner Stand hot dogs and Texas Tavern cheesy westerns.

At least that’s the way the band’s Chris Thile explained the gateway from a New York-induced mental quagmire that began at 6:45 a.m. Monday.

The Hot Dog King’s "two with" may have solved Thile’s clarity problems, though who knows how he’ll feel after his promised late-night Texas Tavern stop. More importantly, let’s hope the rapt, sold-out Jefferson Center audience inspired all three members of Nickel Creek to keep coming back to Roanoke. They might not be together — the band will take an indefinite hiatus after this tour — but they’ll have no problems on their own.

On Monday night at the Jeff’s Shaftman Hall, they sounded like a band that’s not sick of itself yet. Maybe they subscribe to the “leave them wanting more” theory of showmanship. Whether it was a loping drone, a chops-busting reel, an Appalachian stomp, odd-time newgrass or Zappa-esque freak jazz, they were fluid and note-perfect on instruments and multipart harmonies. And their solos were stellar — do Thile and Sean Watkins butter their picks before a show?

The pop-rock inspired “This Side” featured guitarist Sean Watkins’ world-weary vocal about that bitter friend, truth. “Scotch and Chocolate” was a bluegrass-fusion of Scots-Irish fiddle and mandolin over odd times it would take lots of counting to figure. And the encore, Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow is a Long Time,” was sung with beauty by violinist Sara Watkins.

Other highlights: Band sideman Mark Schatz stepped away from his upright bass to dance it up on a loud, wooden plank — feet are such great percussion instruments. And the band’s version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” showed once again that good players can take a decent song by a crappy artist and turn it into genius, equal parts hot song and comedy gold.

Sara Watkins and Thile came off like a hipper version of Sonny and Cher, bantering between songs and cutting each other like the musical, if not biological, siblings they've become. The comedy spilled over into the band's songs, particularly on Thile's breakup plea, "If you're going to leave me, set me up with one of your friends."

Given the band's sense of humor, it was fitting to see a comedian open the show. Dave "Gruber" Allen has been in lots of movies and TV shows. He played guidance counselor Jeff Rosso on the lamented "Freaks and Geeks," and is the Naked Trucker on "The Naked Trucker and T-Bones" show. Here, he played another character: Todd Carlin, who will soon be seen in the movie "Largo," according to imdb.com. That movie, inspired by a favorite Nickel Creek haunt, the Los Angeles dinner, music and comedy club Largo, will also feature the band.

"Carlin" came onstage to hot, piped-in '70s jazz/funk — Deodato's electric version of the classical "Also Sprach Zarathustra." He played air bass and piano before launching into his jazz-comedy riffs.

The classical composer Richard Wagner was an anti-Semite, he said. He was also a vegetarian. "Even talented animal lovers can be hate-filled douche bags," he said.

"Carlin" traced back Roanoke's etymology, noting that it springs from an Algonquian word for Wampum, or currency. For a town name, that's a better result than if the source had been Hawaii. Otherwise, we could be living in "Pukanoke."

"You don't need that at this point in your career," he told the laughing audience.

Late in Nickel Creek's show, Allen came back out to join the band for a cover of The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." He sang backup and did a couple of Jackson 5 dance steps with the band as Sara Watkins sang lead. Again, you've got your soul, and you've got your comedy.

Whether Thile and the Watkins siblings will ultimately enjoy great solo success is impossible to tell. The music gods are capricious and stupid sometimes. But there's no doubt they'll all write and perform quality music in years to come. This show left no doubt.