MANILA, Philippines - January next year, get ready for the American indie pop duo, Capital Cities, as it graces Ayala Malls center stage.
The Los Angeles indie electro unit first came together as a duo of composers/songwriters Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian. The two met on craigslist in 2008 and worked as jingle writers until they formed the band in 2010.
The duo released the digital singles Safe And Sound, Patience Got Us Nowhere Fast and I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo, among others, which were compiled on a self-released EP. Merchant and Simonian were eventually joined by bassist Manny Quintero, trumpeter Spencer Ludwig, guitarist Nick Merwin and drummer Channing Holmes. The band’s debut album, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, was released June 4, 2013, via Capitol Records in partnership with Lazy Hooks.
Hailed as an ode to humanity, harmony and a call to be more optimistic, Safe and Sound, gained a lot of Internet exposure, earning them the spot to top the Billboard chart for Alternative and the German singles chart in 2013.
They also sold out their tickets for the New York leg of their Dancing with Strangers tour two months in advance. The music video of Safe and Sound has also been nominated for Best in Art Direction and won the Best in Visual Effects at the MTV’s 2013 Video Music Awards, held last Aug. 25. Recently, their latest single Kangaroo Court has also topped the US Alternative Songs list, proving that their songs had caught the ear of millions of fans worldwide.
Catch Capital Cities at the following dates: Jan. 11, 2014, 4 p.m. at the Alabang Town Center Activity Center and 7 p.m., Glorietta Activity Center; Jan. 12, 3 p.m., Marquee Mall Activity Center and 7 p.m., Trinoma Activity Center.