Here is the thing about Cheekface: they call themselves “America’s Local Band,” and if you have caught them live before, you know immediately why that fits. They play rooms, not arenas. They talk-sing about therapy bills, the slow grind of late capitalism, and what it feels like to boycott everything only to find nothing got better. Somehow it all goes down like a party.
The Los Angeles trio — Greg Katz on vocals, Amanda “Mandy” Tannen on bass, and Mark “Echo” Edwards on drums — hits the Showcase Lounge at Higher Ground on Monday, September 21, with Apes of the State opening. Doors at 7:00 PM, show at 7:30 PM. All ages.
The timing is good: Cheekface’s sixth album, Podium, drops July 28, 2026, making this a release-tour stop with fresh material in the set. Lead singles “Hostile Street” and “Black Site” set the tone — the band describes “Black Site” as a “hooky indictment of CIA black sites and the weaponization of music as a tool to annoy or coerce detainees,” which tells you everything you need to know about where their sense of humor lives. Cowbell, surfy guitar, jittery new-wave bass, Katz talking at you like someone who is very funny about his own despair. Their fan base — the “Cheek Freaks” — booked this the moment it went on sale. If you are not yet one of them, this is a strong entry point.
Higher Ground has been the anchor of Burlington’s live music scene for years, and the Showcase Lounge is a focused, close room — exactly the kind of space that suits a band whose whole move is building a crowd into a singalong by the last chorus. South Burlington sits right on the edge of Burlington proper, easy to navigate once you are off the highway.
From the North Country region, this one is absolutely in range. Albany is roughly two hours out; Syracuse is closer to four and a half. September timing works in your favor — before the leaves fully peak, so the Vermont stretch stays clear and fast.
Tickets are on sale now. Use the link below to grab yours before the room fills up.