Alaska State Fair 2026 · Concert
CAKE
Sacramento indie rock — 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket' at the 2026 Alaska State Fair
Date
Aug 27, 2026
Genre
Indie Rock / Alternative
Home
Sacramento, CA
Active since
1991
CAKE is a Sacramento, California rock band formed in 1991, known for John McCrea's deadpan vocals, trumpet flourishes, and a dry, sardonic songwriting style that set them apart from the alt-rock crowd. Their 1996 breakthrough 'Fashion Nugget' and the single 'The Distance' made them MTV staples; 2001's 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket' became one of the most recognized indie-rock songs of the era. They remain one of the most distinctive live acts in American rock.
The sound
CAKE blends rock, country, funk, and hip-hop influences into something entirely their own — dry vocals over guitar, bass, and trumpet, often with wry, hyper-specific lyrics about cars, relationships, and modern life. Nothing sounds quite like them.
The catalog
'The Distance,' 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket,' 'Comfort Eagle,' 'I Will Survive' (their famous cover), 'Meanwhile Rick James' — CAKE has a dozen songs that immediately register. Their sets are reliably crowd-pleasing without being predictable.
Live reputation
CAKE shows are warm and participatory — McCrea often lectures the crowd (gently) between songs, hands out seeds, and runs genuinely fun crowd-interaction bits. It's irreverent and inclusive.
Pro tip
Know 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket' and 'The Distance' — those are the singalong moments. CAKE shows reward knowing the deep cuts too.
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