Name: Cake

Genre: Rock

Formed: 1991

At the Webster Theatre: 05/28/2009

Show Info: Doors: 7:00pm | Buy Tickets

Origin: Sacremento, California

Website: cakemusic.com

Myspace Page: /cake

Genre’s are always so hard to define. Hours of my life are spent deciding which genre a band fits into and why. Of course most people aren’t quite as anal as me about it but there are still those enigma bands, living between the lines and making music that a wide variety of people enjoy. The ultimate example of this is the band Cake.

It is hard to believe it now, but Cake was started 17 years ago in Sacramento, California. Since then, they have gone onto release six albums, each producing a mix of hit singles and great deep tracks for the true fans. My first memories of Cake were in high school when our band director was talking casually about her favorite band of all time (she happened to be a trumpet player). The band was of course Cake and I quickly went home and downloaded my first song, it was “Sheep Go to Heaven.”

I was hooked. Although I never became a true fan, downloading album after album, I generated a pretty solid playlist of Cake songs. I always had a problem categorizing the music and I think that’s what makes them so great. They describe themselves as ‘country folk,’ I see it as rock meets ska meets funk, many others see them as hip-hop meets punk.

Anyone can form their own opinion about what genre these legendary rockers fit into, but it is important to understand what this group has meant to music. Over the past few years their name has been thrust back into the mainstream by two separate entities. First is their 2007 release of “B-Sides and Rarities.” The album contained some previously released material but also some unheard songs such as an awesome cover of Black Sabbaths “War Pigs.”

The second branch of the tree fell during the prime time hour on televisions across the country. One of NBC’s new hit shows, “Chuck,” features “Long Skirt, Short Jacket,” as it’s theme song. Resonating with the shows audience, the name Cake is suddenly thrust back into the front of peoples minds.Currently working in their own, solar powered studio they are putting the finishing touches on their sixth studio album which is still without a name. “We try to encourage environmental responsibility: we have a carpool page for listeners who drive to shows, we give away a tree at every show, and we do a lot of linking to items about the environment and public policies that relate to it,” said lead singer John McCrea.

As you can see, this band goes well beyond playing ads about saving the environment in between sets at concerts, they take the fight to the people. We are all looking forward to Cake passing through Hartford on the upcoming tour in support of their forthcoming album. The show will undoubtably be sold out so be sure to get your tickets soon, see you there!