For a band like Cake, managing to make a name and series of hits for yourself in the 90's and sustaining your success for nearly three decades has been no easy task. The California band, which turned 20 this year have been the gems of college campuses, a cult legion of dedicated fans and amusing to critics. Yet, as they have managed all of these accolades through the years, their biggest achievement has come earlier this year when they released their sixth album, Showroom of Compassion on their own and having it debut number one on the Billboard charts. It was the band's first number one record and they did it on their own. "We want to thank all of you who still buy actual music and making us a number one band, we were scared as hell releasing this on our own," singer John McCrea said half-way during the band's Live on Letterman set.
The band dropped by the famed Ed Sullivan theater for an intimate and exciting performance for the fantastic Live on Letterman web series. For fans it was a great way to see the band they have come to love through the years. For the band it was a moment and performance they would treasure, because it was not a famous publicist or label that got them on that famous stage, it was their hard work and dedication. Performing a majority of Showroom of Compassion during the band's near hour long set, was a thrill to some fans and got the casual listener curious. McCrea would constantly tease the audience, "ok! One more new song!" after already playing a chunk of their latest material, Cake just kept serving fresh music before going out for a mini greatest hits set. As McCrea would deliver his dry and dark humor over the mic and armed with his vibraslap instrument he jumped into the audience and really got everyone going. With the songs "Never There," "Short Shirt, Long Jacket" and their biggest single "The Distance," Cake were in fine form and left the crowd wanting seconds.