The Capitals
Gig Seeker Pro

The Capitals

| SELF

| SELF
Band Rock Pop

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Uppercase All The Way"

Feb 10 2005
By: Jason Lewis

The Capitals may not be a big band, but they sure act like it.

Preview:
THE CAPITALS
Thursday, February 10
Canmore Hotel
Friday, February 11
Broken City

Cutline: Whitehorse or bust – Vancouver’s The Capitals are well-schooled in indie pop, but they don’t let that limit their ambition

A lot of bands talk big. Hell, a lot of them even act big. But one look at the Billboard music charts confirms that, usually, there are only 200 bands that are big.

In truth, the best most bands can hope for is a show or two here and there and the chance to record an album that they can sell at those shows. For the Vancouver outfit known as The Capitals, the fact that the odds are stacked against them isn’t slowing them down much.

"If you are going to try and do it as a musician, why not aim right for the top?" says the band’s vocalist-guitarist Patrick Jacobson. "If we’re going to be out there we might as well try to be the biggest band in the world. There is no point in setting your goals in being the next Sloan or the next Posies. Not as a slight on them – I think they are fantastic bands – but if we got to that status then you have already achieved your goal…. We always have to set our goals to be unattainable or seemingly unattainable so that we are always striving for the next step."

Originally named Casey and Finnegan, The Capitals christened themselves with a pseudo-Simpsons reference after confused audiences started showing up expecting a folk duo. This infectious rock outfit may have had a rocky start after forming in 2001, but for the last two years they have been moving steadily forward. Their first show was with Vancouver hipsters Girl Nobody. Their second show saw them share the stage with Canadian indie darlings Stars.

"We became very determined at that point and decided that we had a legit shot at doing this," says Jacobson. "So we started pushing really hard and now we have a CD out." And unlike so many others, The Captials’ debut album, Broadcast One, wasn’t cobbled together from basement recordings and midnight studio sessions. Instead, the band received high-profile help in the form of producer Kevin Kane from The Grapes of Wrath and engineer Stephen Drake from the Odds.

Kane had been showing an increased interest in the Vancouver scene and started producing a few bands that he liked, most notably Zumpano and The Salteens. According to Jacobson, The Capitals approached Kane at one of his solo shows in Vancouver and he became enthusiastic after hearing the demos. He even started attending the band’s practices, helping them arrange songs before they hit the studio. By the time they were ready to record in the spring of 2004, they were all on the same page, and since Drake (who has mixed such high-profile albums as Trouble at the Henhouse for The Tragically Hip and Trusted by Millions for 54-40) was friends with Kane, it was an easy addition to the mix.

Even with these heavy hitters, Jacobson says that it wasn’t a case of big names trying to overshadow the little band. "They really gave us an opportunity to do what we wanted in the studio," he says. "It sounds like The Capitals. It doesn’t sound like Kevin Kane. It doesn’t sound like Steven Drake, although they’ve certainly had their influence on the record. It’s definitely distinctly The Capitals’ sound."

To be fair, The Capitals’ sound is a perfect fit for Kane and Drake. Kane says that the band sounds like Sloan covering Oasis, but to rely on that description buries the band with a whole host of other Beatles wannabes. The pop hook is there, to be sure, but there is a contemporary edge to the jangly melodies and slippery riffs. Whether it is the mid-tempo rocker "Fine" or the Seattle-tinged British invasion grind of "Circle Game," The Capitals are clearly knowledgeable students in the school of rock.

With the album finished, the band is now in the position of having to make the record work for them. Every struggling musician has an album. The question at that point becomes what do you do with it? Although Kane and Drake are both committed to a second album with The Capitals, those promises will be for nothing if the debut doesn’t succeed. Touring is an obvious step, but where most bands would try to play a few dates on the prairies and then test the waters out east, The Capitals have already signed up for a gruelling tour schedule. After the requisite western swing they have a series of shows that, in all honesty, looks like a typographical error on their website. From February 13 to March 9 they will be playing The Capital Hotel in Whitehorse. You wanna hear the kicker? This isn’t the first time they played have there.

"We played up in Whitehorse in the summer," says Jacobson. "It was one of those gigs where we figured, let’s just take the gig, because it will be one of those interesting experiences. We’ll be playing somewhere we have never played before and just imagine how tight the band is going to sound when we come out of this."

While other bands might scoff at three weeks north of 60, The Capitals are playing it smart. The time they spend as a working band gets them one step closer to being the band they want to be.

"There’s not a lot that we end up spending money on, so it’s great," says Jacobson. "When we come back we actually have enough money to fund another tour or go back in the studio and record some more stuff or get some Capitals T-shirts made."

With their second three-week stint in the Yukon, The Capitals are taking the pay-to-play obstacle that most young bands face and turning it upside down. Jacobson admits that they are required to play open jams and covers, but they are lucky enough to do it on their own terms. And, like a band that is aiming for the top, The Capitals aren’t without a list of demands.

"We weren’t interested in going up there and playing ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ or ‘Freebird.’ We’ve strayed away from all that and let them know that … we don’t really know ‘Brown Eyed Girl.’ We do the covers that we want to do." - FFWD - Calgary, Alberta


"Broadcast News"


Feb 10 2005
By: Phil Duperron

The Capitals are looking for prime airtime with guitar-driven Broadcast One


With the release of Broadcast One, the Capitals are ready to take their hard-edged pop music out of Vancouver and onto the road. And even though it’s their first disc, it comes with quite a pedigree: recorded this spring with producer Kevin Kane of the Grapes of Wrath and mixed by ex-Odds frontman Stephen Drake at the prestigious Greenhouse Studios, Broadcast One perfectly captures the band’s jangly guitar-driven sound. Guitarist/singer Patrick Jacobson says Kane half-jokingly described the album as “Sloan covering Oasis,” which is as good a description of its contents as any. “That sort of pigeonholes us a little bit,” he says, “but it’s definitely guitar-oriented power pop, with a bit of a harder rock edge.”

It’s hard not to refer back to college and indie rock of the ’90s when describing the Capitals, but when they began recording, they were coming at it with an ear to a much different era. “We went into it really listening to a lot of ’70s rock,” Jacobson says. “I guess it’s kind of interesting, because most of those bands that came out in the ’90s were probably listening to ’70s rock growing up as well. But that was really what we were shooting for, so it’s strange that we sort of came to the same endpoint as a lot of those ’90s bands.”

Although they couldn’t afford to record the album using analog equipment (and with the recent demise of Quantegy Inc., the last source of the precious quarter-inch tape used in the process, very few will be able to in the future), they did mix the record down to tape for an old-school rock sound. “We really wanted it to have an analog sound,” Jacobson says. “It’s the only way to get that sound—you know that really natural, airy-room sound? It really gives it a very full tone: the bass and drums especially came through that way. I wouldn’t say that analog is necessarily better, but it’s got a different sound and if you really want to try to recreate those great old records, that’s kinda the way you gotta go.”

The Capitals put out Broadcast One independently, but decent numbers and positive response from the Vancouver media have inspired A&R reps from a few labels to give it a second glance. The band also hooked up with Vancouver’s Boompa Records to pitch their songs to TV and movie producers, landing some interesting tie-ins for a band made up of five young guys. “It’s kinda cool,” Jacobson says. “One of our songs was picked up by [Showtime’s lesbian soap opera] The L Word. They picked our song ‘The Other Girl,’ strangely enough. Somebody heard the song and they really liked it and wanted to use it and we’re not gonna stop ’em.”

The Capitals may have cut their teeth in the big city, slowly fighting their way up through Vancouver’s crowded scene, but Jacobson says smaller centres like Canmore and Lethbridge are just as receptive to their music, if not more so. After all, people tend to pay more attention to you when you’re one of only a few acts coming through town and the crowds are full of diehard music fans instead of people who just happen to be in the bar. With this in mind, the Capitals will fly from Edmonton to Whitehorse for the Sourdough Rendezvous Festival, a massive arts and music party held every year in the last week of February. “They actually close down some of the government offices and stuff for half a week and they have this giant drinking festival,” Jacobson says. “I guess it’s part of their way of keeping their spirits up in the middle of the winter. They gotta do something to keep people happy.” V

The Capitals
With Black Market Inc. and Billy the Kid • Seedy’s • Sat, Feb 12 - Vue Weekly - Edmonton, Alberta


"Recordings: The Capitals"


Aug 26 2004
By: gregory adams

The Capitals (Independent)

An on-line bio for Vancouver's the Capitals suggests that the four-piece is "Hailing a finer era of music...re-introducing [listeners] to what good music used to be." The album's 10 tracks do evoke music's not-so-distant past, but often jump styles a bit too awkwardly. Opener "Circle Game" brings to mind the Gin Blossoms, while "Someday" comes off as a close cousin of Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train". With its catchy hooks and sunny background vocals, the band shows that it has a solid foundation in the lighter side of rock. However, listeners expecting jangly guitars throughout will be thrown off by the dark, violin-tinged ballad "Fall Into Your Dreams", and even more so by the synthesizer-driven, Weezeresque power pop of "Had the Chance". The Capitals do provide familiar melodies, but that's just it--they're a bit too familiar. Essentially, the band has produced a 10-song sampler of '90s rock: a little melody, a little aggressiveness, and a little trendy keyboard. The Capitals would benefit from sticking to one style, preferably similar to the LA's jangle-rock classic "There She Goes", which they come close to matching. - The Georgia Straight - Vancouver, British Columbia


"The Capitals - Broadcast One"


Feb 2005
By: Bruce Brodeen

About The Capitals - Broadcast One

Simply, one of the best indie power pop albums of the freshly minted new year! Recorded this spring with producer Kevin Kane of the Grapes of Wrath and mixed by ex-Odds frontman Stephen Drake, Broadcast One perfectly captures the bands jangly guitar-driven sound and reminds us not only of the Odds, but other such faves as Not Lame's own True Love, Ike (The Caufields), The Andersons and, most thankfully, lots of Sloan. It's a scorcher of a power pop album! There's layers of sweet, brash and crunchy guitars, slippery riffs and heavy smatterings of hot, arousing hooks. Basically, Sugar coated power pop slammed into a wall of guitar (with some janglings carefully planted throughout)-- and tasty mounds of brash, filler-free guitar, at that. "Fat and thick, the guitar is upfront as The Capitals make a joyful noise. They offer good songs and a beguiling demeanour with subtle Beatles references, and a zeal for experimentation."-The Province. One helluva strong debut. Extremely Highly Recommended! - Not Lame Recording Company - Fort Collins, Colorado


"The Capitals - Throwing Passes"


By: Andy Scheffler

Dig the ol' classic rock? Then listen to this. Big, hooky riffs, splashy cymbals, driving guitars, and poppy vocals make this a surefire danceable tune. Maybe at home in a Brit night, maybe at home in a mod night, get your toe-tapping shoes on and go ask that nice girl over there for a swing around the floor... Vancouver-based group (so they say...), with their own website perhaps on the horizon. - CordMag - Vancouver, British Columbia


"Quickspins: Capsule reviews of this week's new CDs"


Jan 25 2005
By Tom Harrison

THE CAPITALS
Broadcast One
(Independant)

Fat and thick, the guitar is
upfront as The Capitals
make a joyful noise. They
offer good songs and a
beguiling demeanour with
subtle Beatles references,
and a zeal for experimenta-
tion.
B+ - The Province - Vancouver, British Columbia


"Quick Spins: Capsule reviews of this week's new CDs"


May 11 2004
By: Stuart Derdeyn

THE CAPITALS: The Cap-
itals (Indie)

This group plays the
Showroom on Saturday. If
its live show is half as
tight as this debut, expect
to see more of it. Versed
in classic '80s power-pop
style - the Squeeze-ish
"Someday" is a likely
single - songwriter
Patrick Jacobson shows
real promise. ***/5
-S.D.
- The Province - Vancouver, British Columbia


Discography

'Broadcast One' - Released on January 29th, 2005
Recorded @ Profile Studios in Vancouver, BC, by chon
Produced by Kevin Kane
Mixed by Steven Drake @ Greenhouse Studios
Mastered by Jamie Sitar @ Suite Sound Labs

'Someday' EP (Casey & Finnegan) - Released in 2002
Recorded @ Mesh Studios in Burnaby, BC.
Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by pil

Photos

Bio

Sugar coated power pop slammed into a wall of guitar - that's The Capitals. Charged with memorable guitar riffs and eloquent harmonies, The Capitals is one of the most exciting new rock and roll bands to emerge from Vancouver. Passionate live shows and a stunning debut album have quickly garnered the group praise from both press and radio and they have amassed a large following of their own. Produced by Kevin Kane (The Grapes of Wrath, Zumpano, The Salteens) and mixed by Steven Drake (Odds, Tragically Hip, 5440), The Capitals new album Broadcast One is bound to ensure The Capitals a lasting place in the ever evolving Canadian music scene.

The Capitals were formed in 2001 when long-time friends Robert Watt, Andrew Fuller and Nathan Barrett met Patrick Jacobson at the music store where he worked. They became fast friends and began to write and perform their own original material as Casey & Finnegan. Their first public performance was at Vancouver’s The Railway Club on December 12th, 2001. Although their songs were well received, Barrett only stayed with the band for six shows and Casey & Finnegan was put on hiatus almost as quickly as they had appeared.

In late 2002, band members Patrick Jacobson and Robert Watt entered Mesh Studios in Burnaby, BC to record a 4-song ‘EP’. Jeff Schultz engineered the project and Daniel Adair (Nickelback, 3 Doors Down) played drums. Although the recordings were released as a Casey & Finnegan CD, the band didn’t really exist at the time. Jacobson and Watt played a handful of acoustic gigs during the better part of 2003 and even hired a group of studio musicians for a pair of full-band shows.

Andrew Fuller rejoined the band in August, 2003 and drummer, Jonathan Bonikowsky, was added to the roster. Feeling like a new band, the Casey & Finnegan name was dropped and the band was reborn as The Capitals. Full of confidence, The Capitals employed a pair of Canadian music icons to help create its debut album in early 2004. Award winning producer, Kevin Kane (The Grapes of Wrath, Zumpano, The Salteens), was chosen to produce and Juno award winner, Steven Drake (Odds, Tragically Hip, 5440), was selected to mix. The band spent two weeks recording at Profile Studios in Vancouver, BC and six days mixing at Greenhouse Studios in Burnaby, BC. The results are the ten songs that make up ‘Broadcast One’, The Capitals’ debut album.

With the release of ‘Broadcast One’ in 2005 and several successful tours under its hat, The Capitals has established itself as a major player in western Canada's indie music scene. The songs have received radio airplay, the band has appeared on live television, the album has been well received by music critics and fans alike and The Capitals has become a popular live act in western Canada.