Cake, Sacramento’s alt-rock hometown heroes, returning for two Channel 24 shows
Sacramento alternative rockers Cake return to the capital city in March for a pair of homecoming dates at midtown’s Channel 24.
Presale tickets for the March 21 and 22 shows at the venue, 1800 24th St., in Sacramento, go on sale 10 a.m. Thursday. General sales begin 10 a.m. Friday. Both shows are all-ages.
The performances mark Cake’s first Sacramento appearance since Sept. 11, 2019, when they played the Golden 1 Center during a co-headlining tour with Ben Folds. That concert ended a near-decade hiatus from hometown shows.
Formed in 1991, Cake rose to prominence in the 1990s as a response to grunge with its ironic sensibilities and insistent groove fueling signature hits “The Distance,” (1996) and “Short Skirt, Long Jacket” (2001).
Their last full-length studio album, “Showroom of Compassion,” was independently released in 2011 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album was hailed by The New Yorker for its “deadpan brilliance.”
In recent years, Cake has previewed new music, including the unreleased track “Billionaire in Space,” performed during a 2024 appearance on Texas Public Radio’s “Live From the Freight Elevator.” Frontman John McCrea described the work as a satirical critique of space tourism. The band has yet to release a new studio album, though McCrea told NPR affiliate KMUW in 2024 he hoped a project would be completed soon.
“We like to keep our fans confused,” guitarist Xan McCurdy said during the public radio session, alluding to the band’s unpredictable release schedule and live arrangements.
Proceeds from the March show will benefit Nevada City public radio station KVMR-FM and Capital Public Radio to help ensure their continued operation and programming amid federal cuts to public broadcasting.
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