MUSIC

Verizon Wireless Theater  presents Cake. 

Cake  is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California which has had several hits throughout the 1990s and 2000s from six albums.  Cake was formed in 1991 by vocalist/songwriter John McCrea, guitarist Greg Brown, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, bassist Shon Meckfessel and drummer Frank French. Shon Meckfessel soon left and was replaced by Gabe Nelson. In 1993, the band released its debut single, "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle." Although self-released, the single managed to hit number 31 on the US Modern Rock Tracks. After the moderate radio success of their first single, Cake released their debut album entitled Motorcade of Generosity. Eventually, Cake signed a deal with Capricorn records, who in turn released the album nationally. Some time after this deal Gabe Nelson and Frank French left the band.

In 1996, Cake released their second album, Fashion Nugget. The album produced the radio gem "The Distance," which "dominated alternative radio that fall". The next single released from Fashion Nugget was a cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".  Later Victor Damiani was replaced by Gabe Nelson when he rejoined the band.

Cake released their third studio album, Prolonging the Magic, in 1998. This album contained the hit single "Never There" which reached number 1 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks.  In 2001 Cake released their fourth full-length album entitled Comfort Eagle. This was Cake's first release under Columbia records. The lead single "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" was a major hit on alternative radio stations, climbing to number 7 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks.  Cake's fifth album, Pressure Chief, was released on October 5, 2004. It contained the moderately successful singles "No Phone" and a cover of the Bread song "The Guitar Man."

Cake released a compilation, B-Sides and Rarities, in October 2007. It features covers of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," Barry White's "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up," Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night," and Piero Umiliani's "Mahna Mahna," as well as live versions of Cake songs "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" and "It's Coming Down". Rarities is the band's first album on its own label, Upbeat Records.

The band has announced that two new albums are in the works: Live at the Crystal Palace, the band's first live album; and a new studio album, originally due in fall 2008, but later announced to be early 2009 at the band's Earthfest 2008 performance. John McCrea describes the studio album's sound as "very different" from previous Cake records, also indicating that he will be playing piano much more than usual. Both will be released on Upbeat Records.

In 2008 the band removed their studio (Upbeat Studio) from dependence on Sacramento, California's power grid by installing a system of solar panels. The band subsequently announced that their upcoming studio album will be "recorded using 100% solar energy."

Although Cake's music is often classified as alternative rock or indie rock, it combines multiple musical genres, such as funk, ska, rockabilly, pop, jazz, rap, and country. Cake's music features droll lyrics rife with word play and syncopation, catchy distorted guitar riffs (courtesy of guitarist Greg Brown until 1998, and bass player Victor Damiani until 1997), prominent use of a Moog, and a solo trumpet (played by Vince DiFiore).

The laconic and rap-like style in which lead vocalist/guitarist John McCrea brings the lyrics is sometimes called sprechgesang. Cake's approach to arrangement, composition, and instrumentation has been compared to Soul Coughing, They Might Be Giants, Talking Heads, The Cars, Camper Van Beethoven, and Lou Reed.