Capital Cities

With a backstory that could only be written in Los Angeles, Capital Cities is bursting on the scene with a breakout single, “Safe and Sound” and debut album, In A Tidal Wave of Mystery. But unlike most of the new breed of electro/pop whiz kids, it’s the live show that is this band’s bread and butter.

And make no mistake – Capital Cities isn’t just two guys with laptops or a producer twiddling knobs.  Principal members Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian may have met on Craigslist and become a jingle-writing team, but they’ve created a band that lives and breathes in the live space, complete with a trumpet player.

Photo: Waioli Shannon

“What’s special about these guys is that the live show is just so unique,” agent Adam Brill of APA told Pollstar. “That’s what drove me to work with them from Day 1. You have a full band but also a live trumpet player that doesn’t just stand in a horn section per se, but moves around almost like a rock star.

“It allows it to be an energetic in-your-face show instead of two guys who sit and play guitar, another guy plays bass, there’s a horn player and that’s that. It’s a very interactive, very energetic party atmosphere.”

And that kind of atmosphere is just what fans are getting as Capital Cities is currently co-headling a tour with Fitz And The Tantrums. Brill says that with the increased exposure, his phone is ringing off the hook.

Photo: Jake Hagopian

“It’s such a fun, energetic atmosphere that if you put them in a college or college festival, the kids will go wild,” Brill said. “The more people have seen them, the more phone calls come in. It’s people are reacting to the live show – radio’s been great, but it’s people reacting to the live show more than anything else.”

Brill and Capital Cities look forward to going after major festival plays and college opportunities in 2014, as well as a high-profile support slot.