Capital Cities have a whole bunch of on-stage antics that make
them unique, from choreographed dancing during certain songs, to matching old
school racing jackets, to the funked out trumpet playing of Spencer Ludwig, and their witty banter with the audience. They
performed one song complete with a choreographed line dance for the audience, soliciting
the crowd to dance to the Capital Cities Shuffle (it goes something like right,
clap, left, clap, spin and try not to hurt yourself.) Wednesday nights set also included the Siriusxm
favorite “Kangaroo Court” and a whole bunch of new material from their upcoming debut. Capital Cities will
next be in Detroit in August for the Mo Pop Festival at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre.
Opener’s, Australia’s Gold Fields, are on their way to big
things. Their blend of new wave, cow bell and electro-rock really got
the crowd moving. They played tracks from their debut album, Black Sun, including “Dark Again” and “Happy
Boy”. I would compare them to New Order, The Rapture, or other synth and
percussion heavy bands. There was certainly no lack of dance-inspired beats during their quick, yet satisfying set. The sets highlight for me was their
cover of Underworld’s “Born Slippy”, made popular from the 1996 film Trainspotting.