Old Girlfriends, Pink Floyd & Chris Capaldi

On August 1, I sat at the bar in a sold-out Blue Room (Cranston live music venue) and noticed the comfort, joy, and heartache Chris Capaldi’s music can bring to a space. This was the record release show for Capaldi’s 4-song EP Smaller Fires. It was apparent that each song was crafted with story and arrangement in mind. The band playing on the album includes Angela Soffe on vocals, Tom Swafford on violin, Gillian Gallagher on viola, Emily Baroody on cello, and Kyle Kegerreis on the double bass (on record release night, musician Peri DeLorenzo of The Whelks sat in on the violin). I had a chance to ask Chris some questions post-show. I learned that part of this RI musician’s creative process is influenced by his wanting to paint a picture of a particular mood for the audience, which – as I took it all in, felt so very relatable. By saying things like “Let’s tune!” or, “This song is heartbreaking – I’m not gonna lie…” playing soulfully – he authentically drew us in.

Mayté Antelo-Ovando (Motif): Four songs on the new album! How did you choose? How long did the process take?

Chris Capaldi: I started thinking about writing for the strings about a year ago. I then collected some songs I was working on and began honing in on which would work well with a string quartet instrumentation. The next step was for me to work out writing arrangements and workshopping things with the group. We landed in the studio in early spring with engineer Michael Samos and tracked all the strings together in one room live.

MAO: Amazing! I noticed during the show that you played songs inspired by high school girlfriends, Pink Floyd, and Wild Horses. I loved the lyrics, “Who’s gonna ride your wild horses? Who’s gonna take the place of me?” How would you say inspiration comes to you?

CC: It can come from so many places, and often, I’m inspired by a particular chord progression or sound I’m hearing in my head. Lyrically, I draw on personal or life experiences and what words I feel can paint the mood of the music. I’m also just a huge music fan, so I am constantly discovering and listening to new music from a multitude of genres that inspire me. So yes, everything from old girlfriends to Pink Floyd, haha.

MAO: The music you play, with acoustic guitar, piano, and classical strings crafted some beautiful moments during the show. How do you feel after your album release?

CC: I felt great about my album release show. It was really special to get to play the songs live and share them with so many people. I loved releasing the songs into the wild, so to speak. I’m also looking forward to hearing what some of these songs sound like with different instrumentation formats. I am working on songs and other material in a more traditional rock band setting.

MAO: Any upcoming shows?

CC: I’m a school teacher (music teacher at The Wheeler School), so once the year starts, I don’t find as much time to play out, but I certainly hope to squeeze in a few gigs during the coming school year. •

To catch a Chris Capaldi show when the time comes, get real-time updates by following him on Instagram @chriscapaldimusic, and take a listen to his repertoire on Bandcamp chriscapaldi. bandcamp.com and on all major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube).