Apes of the State presale codes

Cheekface is a Los Angeles trio known for talk-sung, witty indie rock built on tight grooves and plainspoken humor.

Deadpan wit over warm grooves

They came up through DIY rooms and keep the setup lean, so the words and bounce carry the night. Special guest Apes Of The State brings acoustic folk-punk storytelling that pairs well with the band's clipped jokes and communal feel.

Setlist hunches, crowd habits

Expect a brisk run at Dry Heat/Nice Town, Emotional Rent Control, Therapy Island, and Featured Singer, each built for a fast chorus and a tidy exit. The crowd mixes zine-makers, office folks, and punk veterans with first-timers, all quick to clap on twos and fours and yell short replies on cue. Call-and-response breaks happen a lot, often a one-word punch that lands in rhythm and turns the room into a percussion section. Two quiet notes: singer Greg Katz also runs the indie label New Professor, and early singles leaned on quick sessions to preserve the talk-first pulse. Note that any setlist picks and staging details here are informed guesses based on recent shows, not a promise.

The Cheekface Scene, Up Close

The scene leans DIY and welcoming, with thrifted tees, hand-lettered signs, and tote bags that look risograph-ready.

Quick chants, big grins

Fans trade lyric buttons, compare notebooks, and laugh at lines they know are coming. Chant hits arrive in short bursts, often a single word or clipped reply everyone lands together. Merch favors blunt slogans and bright fonts you can read from the back, plus a small stack of records. Hair and jackets nod to late-2000s blog rock, but the mood is more practical joy than nostalgia.

Afterglow that lingers

Between songs the banter stays dry and brief, and the room feels like a club meeting where the minutes are inside the choruses. After the last note, people linger to swap favorite lines rather than chase photos, and it feels quietly intentional.

How Cheekface Plays It Live

Vocals sit dry and forward, with Greg speaking-singing right on the beat so every punchline scans.

Tight parts, bigger bounce

Amanda's harmonies lift key lines, giving the deadpan a glow while keeping the edge. Guitars stay clean with tight downstrokes, and the bass leans on catchy figures that make the words dance. Live, they often tick tempos up a notch and trim intros so the first lyric hits fast. A neat move shows up when the guitar drops for a verse and bass plus rim clicks hold the pulse, which pulls the room closer.

Simple lights, sharp cues

They sometimes stretch a breakdown to let a chant breathe, then snap back with a sharp count-in to keep structure firm. Lights are basic but bold, mostly solid color washes that mirror the stop-start feel. Expect Apes Of The State to favor brisk acoustic strums and tight harmonies, priming the main set with story-first energy.

Kindred Spirits for Cheekface

Fans of Parquet Courts will hear the dry talk-sing and nervy, danceable grooves with clipped guitar pulses.

Neighboring sounds, shared rooms

Courtney Barnett listeners connect with the plain-language lines that still twist by the last word. Jeff Rosenstock crowds match the communal shout-alongs and punk-speed flashes that somehow stay friendly. If you enjoy They Might Be Giants, the smart-dumb humor and tidy melodies that sneak up on you hit a similar pleasure center.

Why it overlaps

All of these artists put words up front, love brisk songs that end early, and run shows that feel like a fast conversation turning into a chorus.