Have your Cake and eat it too
San Francisco band overtakes Inner Harbor
Kayleigh Gelles
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: Life
Concert Review
Pier Six Concert Pavilion
Oct. 2, 2008
Boats weren't the only thing on the water in the Inner Harbor on a chilly fall night. San Francisco rockers Cake played the season-closing show for the Pier Six Concert Pavilion on Thursday, overtaking the Baltimore pier with an apple tree, a disco ball, politics and miscellaneous instruments.
Taking the outdoor stage around 9:30 p.m., cynical front-man John McCrea paced across the stage with his vibraslap in hand.
For those unaware of what a vibraslap is exactly; it is a percussion instrument made of wire and wood. When the instrument is slapped against something (i.e. McCrea's hand or hip), metal teeth inside of the wood block rattle giving Cake their signature sound.
The tiny pavilion was lit up with a disco ball hanging above center stage during the opening cover of Johnny Cash's "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town."
Covers were a common theme of the night, but an abundance of songs were played from all of band's albums as well.
Cake played an hour and a half long, 17 song set. Crowd favorites included "Frank Sinatra," "Comfort Eagle," and "Never There."
Between the music, there was also a tree giveaway. Being the eco-friends that they are, during every show Cake gives a tree to the fan that can guess the species. The fan then has to promise to plant the tree in a safe green place and take pictures with it while the tree grows and send them to the band. Baltimore's green ended up being a granny smith apple tree.
As if there weren't enough surprises, the band's three biggest hits were saved for not one, but two encores. The first featured "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" and "The Distance."
Following encore number one, the crowd did not budge. Rather, there were chants of "Cake! Cake! Cake!" as the foursome took the stage once again to close the show with their rendition of "I Will Survive."
Pier Six Concert Pavilion
Oct. 2, 2008
Boats weren't the only thing on the water in the Inner Harbor on a chilly fall night. San Francisco rockers Cake played the season-closing show for the Pier Six Concert Pavilion on Thursday, overtaking the Baltimore pier with an apple tree, a disco ball, politics and miscellaneous instruments.
Taking the outdoor stage around 9:30 p.m., cynical front-man John McCrea paced across the stage with his vibraslap in hand.
For those unaware of what a vibraslap is exactly; it is a percussion instrument made of wire and wood. When the instrument is slapped against something (i.e. McCrea's hand or hip), metal teeth inside of the wood block rattle giving Cake their signature sound.
The tiny pavilion was lit up with a disco ball hanging above center stage during the opening cover of Johnny Cash's "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town."
Covers were a common theme of the night, but an abundance of songs were played from all of band's albums as well.
Cake played an hour and a half long, 17 song set. Crowd favorites included "Frank Sinatra," "Comfort Eagle," and "Never There."
Between the music, there was also a tree giveaway. Being the eco-friends that they are, during every show Cake gives a tree to the fan that can guess the species. The fan then has to promise to plant the tree in a safe green place and take pictures with it while the tree grows and send them to the band. Baltimore's green ended up being a granny smith apple tree.
As if there weren't enough surprises, the band's three biggest hits were saved for not one, but two encores. The first featured "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" and "The Distance."
Following encore number one, the crowd did not budge. Rather, there were chants of "Cake! Cake! Cake!" as the foursome took the stage once again to close the show with their rendition of "I Will Survive."
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