Capital Cities Live at Austin Rox at Empire Automotive SXSW 2013

There’s a reason the Roxy is one of LA’s hottest venues: they have a knack for finding stellar emerging talent. Roxy owner Nic Adler brought that same discerning taste to Austin for Austin Rox, a nighttime takeover of Empire Automotive. One of the bands to dominate the evening was Capital Cities, an 80’s-loving power-pop group straight from the City of Angels. Armed with synths, trumpet, and some sweet dance moves, the men got the nostalgic party started with a bouncy cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U”. They performed catchy original tracks like “I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo” and “Safe and Sound”, and they even threw in a crowd-pleasing cover of “Stayin’ Alive” for good measure. It was a festive and charmingly over-the-top moment in Adler’s amazing showcase.