Cake at Topeka Performing Arts Center, Topeka KS (2026-06-27)

T-Town finally got its ‘just desserts’–

After decades of playing nearby Lawrence and Kansas City, it was the capital city’s turn to experience the unique eclecticism of Sacramento band, Cake, who made a downtown stop at the Topeka Performing Arts Center.

“An Evening with Cake” was a comprehensive two-set musical buffet (with a pair of full sets, who needs an opener!?) in celebration of over three decades of music, and a handful of new songs released, ahead of a planned full-length, which would be their first studio album since 2011’s Showroom of Compassion.

The band’s history in the area has spanned the decades as well- from their initial (1995) local appearance at The Bottleneck in Lawrence (we probably have that ticket stub around somewhere) to a return a few months later to play the KU Campus, upgrading to the larger Granada on the following tour, a memorable 2008 Wakarusa Festival outdoor headlining set, and so on, but it was finally Topeka’s turn.

Many of the very vocal crowd had traveled (from Lawrence/KC and beyond), making for a respectably close to full house, and all but a few that heeded the pre-show advisory to put away any devices and refrain from any photo or video. This policy (which we’ve seen with more and more acts, from Ghost to A Perfect Circle, Jack White, Paul Simon and more), encouraged further immersion into their performance and meant everyone was more engaged.

As lights when down, the hilarious intro music was the over-the-top and so-bad-it’s-good “Theme from Rocky IV” (the actual film will coincidentally screen outdoors a few blocks away, for free next Friday night) and effects went up with a spinning disco ball, bubble machines, and left and right inflatable dancing tube men with ‘Open’ displayed vertically on each, framing a serene forest and lakeside scenic backdrop. There were no setlists in sight, signaling this would be as spontaneous and fresh to the band, as it would be to the excitable crowd.

The opening “Sad Songs and Waltzes” set the themes of minimalistic jams peppered by horn and jagged riff guitar solos, frontman John McCrea’s deadpan speak/singing and dry wit comments and observations, and ultimately a band that has remained musically tight and distinctive, despite some non-regularity with the usual record/tour/record/tour grind of similar bands.

Xan McCurdy‘s succinct but effective guitar continues to be the foundation of the band’s signature sound, while the rhythm section expertly held down precise beats so exactly that it appeared effortless, despite the complexities. Vince DiFiore‘s trumpet lines were immediately identifiable as the punctuation points that added depth and an extra swing to help make the band’s songs so recognizable. And as shown with the rowdiness of the crowd around us, we can attest that McCrea’s regular use of his vibraslap also doubled as a audience drinking game, to take a swig every time it was heard.

“Sheep Go to Heaven” was the first loud sing-along of the night, one of many, and a first set surprise was the inclusion of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle”, their breakout first single once they signed to Capricorn Records, and a song the band has excluded from their repertoire for years.

2011’s “Sick of You” was a thinly veiled shot at the current administration (even if only on their environmental policies) and would end the first set before a planned intermission.

To begin the second set and as is the band’s custom, a tree was given away but with the disclaimer that the recipient be a true caretaker, post semi-regular growth updates, and help ensure its continued life in their neighborhood. When McCrea asked the crowd to guess what kind of tree he had, a hand near stage right front, shot up quickly and correctly guessed a black pearl redbud.

Musically, the second set started out with deeper cuts including “Mr. Mastodon Farm” from their 1994 debut and their cover of 1947 Cuban classic, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps”, which remains a crowd favorite, and is a version that the band has truly made their own.

As the set continued, more radio hits were played, encouraging the crowd (who needed none) to sing louder and cheer harder, including on “Never There” which even included the crowd singing the secondary “hey” and “ho” second vocal verse lines, in addition to the choruses. Like the 40’s Latin song, so has the band made the Gloria Gaynor disco classic their own, with plenty of vibraslap moments to keep the drinkers happy.

“War Pigs” was another unlikely cover that began the encore (again inspired by the current administration) and especially had the older audience members singing every word of the heavy metal standard. “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” was perhaps the loudest sing-along of the night (the song still gets semi-regular rotation on local radio) proving it to be one of their biggest anthems and a modern alt-rock classic.

1996’s major hit, “The Distance” would end the evening on a high note, a song McCrea has described as “about success and failure, and failure of success” from their Fashion Nugget LP, which doesn’t sound like exactly the right topic for a radio smash, but its impressive riffs, Fiore’s trumpet, and McCrea’s unfettered delivery make the song compelling and irresistible.

So, as we wait for a promised new full-length, this 2026 An Evening with… Tour from Cake is not a cash grab nostalgia trip, but a renewed revisit of three decades of their blend of alternative rock, country, funk, mariachi influences, jazz phrasing, and social commentary. This musical gumbo makes them unique and undeniable, and the shows act as a teaser (via the new songs), of what’s still left in the tank as they continue to ‘go the distance.’

Mostly sweet, a little salty, Topeka got its much anticipated ‘just desserts’ from Cake.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRANDON CLASEN

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National / International act coming through the Midwest / Kansas City area? Please email details to johnc@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time to be considered for Show Preview and Show Coverage consideration.