The Levitt Pavilion at the Steel Stacks in Bethlehem, PA, is already a monument to industrial chic, a sprawling field set against the dramatic rust-colored silhouette of a defunct steel mill. On a crisp Sunday night, it was the perfect stage for the band Cake, masters of dry wit and angular brilliance, to prove that their uniquely sardonic brand of rock is more essential now than ever.
As dusk settled, lead singer John McCrea strolled onto the stage with his trademark, anti-rock-star swagger, less a god of thunder and more a wry narrator stepping out for a smoke break. They opened with “Frank Sinatra,” instantly locking the crowd into that taut, minimalist groove that is the band’s calling card. It was a clinic in controlled tension, a vibe that carried perfectly through the cynical folk-rock of “Sheep Go to Heaven” and the gearhead joy of “Stick Shifts and Safety Belts.”
The first set peaked with the band’s iconic cover of Osvaldo Farrés’ “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps,” a delightful showcase for Vince DiFiore’s trumpet, which functions less as a solo instrument and more as a second lead vocalist. DiFiore’s fills are the perfect foil to McCrea’s languid, half-sung, half-spoken delivery. The band returned after a short break, diving into the deeper cuts. “Billionaire in Space” was given a fresh, driving energy, but it was the one-two punch of “Never There” and the set closer, “Short Skirt/Long Jacket,” that found the crowd singing along to the iconic refrain: “I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket!” It was less a concert and more a collective, deadpan-cool communal sigh of recognition.
At the closer, of course, was “The Distance.” It's a song that has been soundtracking car trips, late nights, and last ditch efforts for nearly thirty years, yet here it felt utterly alive. McCrea delivered the tale of a driver pushing past his limits as a triumphant statement of perseverance, perfectly encapsulated by DiFiore's soaring final trumpet blast. Cake doesn't just play the hits; they hold a mirror up to the mundane absurdity of modern life, and on this cool Pennsylvania night, the view was glorious. Long live the kings of deadpan.
Set List:
Frank Sinatra
Sheep Go to Heaven
Stick shifts and Safety belts
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Osvaldo Farrés cover)
Long Time
Comanche
Sick of You
Set 2:
Billionaire in Space
Love You Madly
Pentagram
Jolene
Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle
Meanwhile, Rick James...
Never There
Short Skirt/Long Jacket
Encore:
War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)
The Distance
Next Stops on Tour:
12/08/25, Madison, WI
12/10/25, Chicago, IL
Review and Photography by: Craig Eidell