This show is part of Cake’s 2011 tour. For select cities they are playing a small club show in addition to a show at a larger capacity venue. Lucky for Portland, we get a show at the approximately 400-ish person capacity Doug Fir Lounge. The Doug Fir Lounge is one of the best rooms in Portland and was packed. Fans were notified of the show by Cake’s mail list and all tickets were will call only.
“We are Cake and we are here to serve you.”
Setlist:
Sad Songs And Waltzes (Willie Nelson cover)
Opera Singer
Long Time
Mustache Man (Wasted)
Bound Away
Arco Arena
Sheep Go To Heaven
Comanche
Rock ‘N Roll Lifestyle
Sick Of You
Federal Funding
Stickshifts And Safetybelts
Wheels
Satan Is My Motor
Shadow Stabbing
(Tree Give Away)
Love You Madly
Ruby Sees All
Haze Of Morning
Never there
—-
Short Skirt/Long Jacket
The Distance
A night of 1)great music, 2)stage banter, 3)vibra-slapping, 4)crowd participation, and 5)the tree giveaway.
1)See the setlist. This performance was a treat. Approximately two hour set packed with new songs, deeper cuts, and old favorites alike. Set time ~ 8:30-10:30 pm with a 10 minute break. As usual, the setlist was off the cuff.
2)John McCrea on the new album.
We released the new album on our own independent label. They said we would be squashed like a bug, but we’re doing fine. Thanks to you who still actually purchase music.
On being on the road.
More like being a travelling salesmen than anything. Isn’t that right Xan?
Xan: nods vigorously.
3)Vibra-slapping.
Crowd was vibra slapped into clapping, dancing, and having a great time. It is a small room and Cake was not going to be satisfied with a limp dick crowd.
If you touch it, it stops. See? And you ruin my thing.
4)Crowd participation.
Favorite moment of the night was the crowd singing “Sheep Go To Heaven”. Like many of my favorite songs, the lyrics can be as shallow or deep as you want to make them.
The sing-a-long to “Sick Of You” had the room unequally divided. The vocal minority rocked the “I wanna fly away” lyric at the end of the song. The vocal minority was the part of the room that turned to things like “marijuana” and “video games” according to John McCrea. Given the cheers, McCrea had it pegged.
5.
Amy won the tree with a guess of cedar.
Don’t guess apple tree. The conservative members of the audience already think this is a hippie thing, and if you prolong it you will just infuriate them.
The crowd was mostly older. Fun for a different vibe. Into the show. The chant of “one more song” after the encore looked like it had a chance but died out. Lights up….back to the real world with a little different outlook.
