God is clearly not a fan of the band Cake.
Just as people started arriving at Summer Stage in Central Park for the band’s outdoor show, the sky opened up and down came a torrential downpour. It was cold, nasty rain and it pretty much dampened the mood tremendously (pun intended…). I didn’t even have a ticket so I sat outside the gate and watched from afar, half happy to see Cake for free and half miserable from the weather. But hey, I figured the sacrifice in comfort was worth the music.
They played two sets separated by a half hour of waiting around in discomfort. The first set was mediocre and they really didn’t play any of their big songs. I guess they figured they would hold out for the hits until everyone was truly uncomfortable and ready to leave.
The second set was brutal. At one point lead singer John McCrea, apparently completely unaware of the crowd’s low comfort levels, started rambling on with political rhetoric for about 15 minutes. I think that’s when people started giving up on the show.
They ended the show on a high note, playing ‘Never There’ to an anxious and wet crowd. Directly after that song, the several hundred in attendance began filing out as fast as they could.
Next time, I hope McCrae reads the audience better and sticks to the music, the only reason his fans were braving the weather to begin with.