Snapshots: Cake Defy Aporkalypse, Rock Stubbs BBQ

The more paranoid amongst us might eschew large gatherings of people during this time of Porcine Panic, but not Cake. John McCrea, lead singer of the Sacramento alt-country rock band Cake, had his bases covered when he took the oppressively humid stage last night rocking a sensible surgical mask.

The bone-dry humor wasn't lost on the multitude of die-hard fans in attendance, who enjoyed back-to-back sets that spanned the band's entire discography. Seemingly played off-the-cuff by audience and band member request, the sets were tight and full of the antics and flourishes that elicited nostalgia for the mid 90s alt-rock zenith that long-time Cake fans can remember as clearly as Crystal Pepsi.

Punctuated by Vince Di Fiore's mariachi trumpet outburst, classics like "Sad Songs and Waltzes" and "Italian Leather Sofa" felt robust and polished after years on the road. At one point during the intermission, McCrea took the mic to give away a small tree to any audience member who could accurately guess its variety (it was a Satsuma Orange). The moment, like the evening's set, was classic Cake: a quirky exchange that hinted at deeper issues underneath, namely frontman John McCrea's longtime environmental activism (the band recently converted their Sacramento studio to 100% solar power). Fans can look for a new disc by the alt-rock outfit sometime this year.

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