band and cursing Murphy's Law run amok, I have at last witnessed the Unlimited
Sunshine that is a Cake concert. Yay!
Forgive my giggling girlitude about the matter, but there's just something so uplifting and
happy-making about Cake.
How do they invariably manage to make me feel so good? Maybe it's their quirky,
winking lyrics. (I offer up "Satan is my motor, feel my motor purr," as evidence.) Maybe
it's their Mexicali funk-tinged alt-pop, that sounded so different from anything else the 90s
pumped out. Possibly it's that unmistakable rockabilly guitar with its ballsy, low end
fullness that anchors the lightheartedness. Very likely it's that signature trumpet that makes
every Cake tune immediately identifiable. Most definitely it's the "aw yeah, aw no, alright"
that punctuates nearly every tune. I can't get enough of those. I find myself 'aw yeah, aw
no, alright'ing for days after listening to Cake, and it never ceases to make me smile.
The one thing missing from my adoration was the ability to say, "Aw yeah, I've seen 'em
live." And now I can gladly say that Cake live up to all my expectations live. No wonder
they've dubbed their annual trek the Unlimited Sunshine Tour. They spin sunlight. Sample
some of these live moments, and let the sun shine in on your long winter's nap.
This year's trek celebrates the release of their new album, "B-Sides and Rarities." Anyone
who had one of those, "Is that... could it be..." moments hearing the opening notes to
Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" would be well advised to pick up a copy of the new disc.
(See what I said about it at Spinner.com.)
Also along for the ride were one of my most favorite live bands: The Brazilian Girls.
Sabina and Co. were their New York arty, gorgeous selves. But alas, it wasn't exactly
the right pairing of sounds for a tour. Brazilian Girls are the epitome of nighttime New
York. They are not happy-go-lucky, sunshiney, nor goofy. What they are is sexy,
sophisticated, and sultry with a sly, European lunacy. It's like adding a single trip-hop
band to an all alt-folk lineup. And I think it backfired.
The Brazilians tried their darnedest, but they never won over the Terminal 5 crowd. And
their energy flagged as a result, which simply served to perpetuate the problem.
Alas, the 12th just wasn't their night. Therefore, I choose to remember their free show at
Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park a summer or two ago, where they proved they really can
be sunshine-friendly in an outdoor summertime setting. Or their triumphant turn last New
Years Eve atIrving Plaza. Or their hot as hellfire show in the CA desert last Spring at
Coachella.
Check out one of my faves from Coachella and see why I love them so...
MORE CAKE LIVE
--See Photos: Cake live at Terminal 5 in NY
--Watch Video: Cake live at Terminal 5 in NY
--Get Tickets: See Cake live in concert
MORE BRAZILIAN GIRLS LIVE
--See Photos: Brazilian Girls live at Terminal 5, Coachella, New Years Eve at Irving
--Watch Video: Brazilian Girls live at Terminal 5 and Coachella
--Watch Video: Brazilian Girls New Years Eve show live at Irving Plaza
--Get Tickets: See Brazilian Girls New Years Eve in San Francisco
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