Film
Cake: Live in San Francisco
Cake at their peak, performing in San Francisco in 2004. It's a tight, energetic concert film that captures the band at their most confident—witty banter between songs, meticulous arrangements, and that distinctive deadpan humor that made them singular. For fans of the band and anyone curious about nineties alternative rock captured live.
If you liked this
Stop Making Sense1984
Talking Heads live, directed by Jonathan Demme. A masterclass in concert filmmaking that treats the live performance as cinema, not documentation. Electrifying and formally inventive.
But It's a very specific kind of energy and precision. If you prefer raw, loose rock performances, this might feel overly controlled.
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster2004
A band at a crossroads, filmed over two years as they write and record. It's part concert film, part therapy session—unflinching about the cost of being in a legendary group.
But Three and a half hours, and significant portions are deeply unglamorous. You're watching real conflict, not a greatest hits showcase.
The Last Waltz1978
The Band's final concert, directed by Scorsese. A love letter to classic Americana and rock history, with real guests, real stakes, and stunning cinematography. Utterly essential.
But It's a film about endings and melancholy. The mood is reflective rather than celebratory, and some viewers find it slow.
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The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Pennies from Heaven1981
Both use specific songs and arrangements as character statements. Cake's deadpan wit and precision mirrors the show's refusal to sentimentalize its own sadness.
A British miniseries that uses music—forties standards and swing records—as emotional and narrative language. Devastating, tender, and utterly original about how songs live in memory and grief.
But It's bleak and sexually explicit in ways that shocked 1981. The pacing is slow; it's cinema, not entertainment.
More like this (7)
Woodstock1970
The definitive festival documentary. Iconic performances, genuine counterculture energy, and a film that shaped how we see live music on screen forever. A historical landmark.
But Nearly four hours, and the editing (clever for 1970) can feel dated. Some performances are brief, and the print quality varies.
Gimme Shelter1970
The Rolling Stones at Altamont. A darker, rawer concert film that becomes a true-crime narrative. Kinetic and disturbing—how rock history went wrong in one afternoon.
But The Altamont violence is not sensationalized but it's present. Heavy film, not a celebration. Some prints can be hard to track down.
Dig!2004
The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dandy Warhols documentary captures two bands and two visions of success over a decade. Chaotic, funny, and oddly moving about art and ambition.
But One band member's behavior becomes exhausting and difficult. The lo-fi aesthetic isn't for everyone, and neither is the abrasive music.
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same1976
Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden, 1973. Intercutting with fantasy sequences, it's a wild, audacious concert film that prioritizes spectacle and mythology.
But The fantasy bits haven't aged well and can feel indulgent. Some performances are shorter than the mythology suggests they were.
U2: Rattle and Hum1988
U2 on the Joshua Tree tour, mixing concert footage with behind-the-scenes material and studio sessions. A band at absolute peak commercial and creative confidence.
But It's unabashedly eighties in its visual style and earnestness. U2's spiritual seeking can feel self-important to some.
Shine a Light2008
The Rolling Stones with Scorsese directing. Two legendary forces combining for a stylish, energetic document of one of the greatest rock bands still performing.
But It's essentially a Stones greatest hits film. If you don't already love the band, this won't convert you.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil2008
Both capture bands working at a level of technical mastery and creative commitment that exists outside mainstream success or failure—the work itself is the point.
A Canadian heavy metal band still trying to make it after thirty years. A documentary that's funny, heartbreaking, and genuinely interested in why people make art that doesn't make them famous.
But It's earnest and unglamorous. If you need your rock documentary subjects to be winners, this will feel like watching struggle.
People
Cast
- CakeThemselves
- John McCreaSelf
- Vince DiFioreSelf
- Xan McCurdySelf
- Todd RoperSelf
Directing
- Bart LiptonDirector
Writing
- CakeWriter