The Unlimited Sunshine Tour--the brainchild of Cake [ tickets ] frontman John McCrea--is based on the premise that a concert lineup can be as eclectic and exciting as a great mix tape. And like most mix tapes, Sunday's show at The Avalon in Los Angeles was at times inspiring, but not nearly as appealing as its creator had hoped.

While last year's Unlimited Sunshine tour featured buzz bands like The Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse, this year's edition sported the more eclectic lineup of Cheap Trick [ tickets ], The Detroit Cobras [ tickets ], Charlie Louvin [ tickets ] and The Hackensaw Boys [ tickets ], plus the return of Cake.

The Hackensaw Boys, a cool eight-piece bluegrass band from Charlottesville, VA; Charlie Louvin, one half of legendary country duo The Louvin Brothers; and punk rockabilly act The Detroit Cobras were all relatively unknown by Sunday's Cheap Trick-and-Cake crowd. Still, each act offered a lively performance that generated the kind of audience buzz that would make a bee jealous.

Oddly, rock-radio staple Cheap Trick opened its set with a short, plodding acoustic set. Things started rough for the band as lead singer Robin Zander, wearing a Bolero-style hat, struggled to find his voice early. Closing the acoustic set, Cheap Trick invited the Hackensaw Boys and Charlie Louvin out to perform on the band's "California Man."

Once the dubious acoustic set ended, guitarist Rick Nielsen acknowledged, "Ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, we are Cheap Trick," to which a supportive crowd responded emphatically. On "If You Want My Love" the band sounded like The Beatles on steroids, which was the way Cheap Trick sounded in their late '70s heyday. With "My Obsession" Zander finally ditched the hat to reveal his famous long blonde locks. Then came the hits.

"I Want You to Want Me" featured a big arena-rock-worthy bridge complete with hand clapping and Nielsen's guitar heroics. "Dream Police," saw midgets throwing confetti on the guitarist during his over-the-top solo. (Yes, midgets.) When Nielsen pulled out his infamous 5-neck guitar for set-highlight "Surrender" the crowd went berserk. The finale, "Scent of a Woman," was loud and epic, reminiscent of another early Cheap Trick influence, The Who.

Despite hitting the stage at 10:45 p.m.--after a wait of nearly 30 minutes--headliner Cake didn't disappoint. Opening with "Stickshifts and Safetybelts," the show had sing-along appeal from the start. "Comfort Eagle," "Sheep Go to Heaven," and "Haze of Love" were each solid and tight, proving that this most ironic of bands has some serious chops to back up all that good humor.

On the hit, "Frank Sinatra," guitarist Xan McCurdy dragged thick minor notes along to the song's insidious groove. Particularly impressive was Vince Di Fiore's lively trumpet. Later, a cover of Buck Owens' "Excuse Me, I Think I've Got a Heartache" had McCurdy throwing down some impressive twang while McCrea, unable to commit the song's lyrics to memory, relied on a crib sheet to help him along. Charlie Louvin then joined the band for the Louvin Brothers' "Your Love is Real."

A hurried "Never There," came next, with "I Will Survive" close behind. Introducing the last song, McCrea deadpanned, "this is a very sad song, as opposed to a sporting event anthem." Still, "The Distance" remains the coolest song about racecar drivers ever.

After incessant chants of "we want Cake," the group returned with "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," wherein McCrea, who had the audience in stitches all night long, became the master of audience manipulation. Introducing "the element of competition," he roused the crowd into a good game of left-side-of-the-room vs. right-side-of-the-room. Cake closed with "Jolene," which included yet another sing-along, and a fine piece of jam work by the entire band.

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