Rose City Band w/ Lee Baggett at Mississippi Studios

Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 08:00 pm UTC-08:00

Mississippi Studios | Portland

Mississippi Studios
Publisher/HostMississippi Studios
Rose City Band w\/ Lee Baggett at Mississippi Studios
Advertisement
TICKETS :🎟 truewest.info/RCB2025
On Sale Now!
This Event is 21+

----------------------------------------
Rose City Band’s music is sun-kissed timeless country rock whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our consciousness. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson, the music of Rose City Band is rooted in his love of private press records of the mid to late 70’s. The band, in addition to Johnson, features pedal steel guitarist Barry Walker, keyboardist Paul Hasenberg and drummer John Jeffrey who enmesh a keen sense of rhythmic drive and melody with gentler, sumptuous atmospheres. Sol Y Sombra digs its heels into insatiable grooves, its parade of catchy songs conjuring a sunset drive through an open desert, both a celebration of a sojourn and a reach for the warmth of home.

The contrasts of Sol Y Sombra, the musical equivalent of bright stars in a night sky, are to Johnson an inevitability. “With Rose City Band, I’m generally trying to make uplifting music, good time music,” says Johnson. “This time I couldn’t avoid the shadow being more of a presence. There’s no getting away from it. The shadow is always there. So, I left it in.” Like many genre-breaking private press albums, the melancholia-infused Sol Y Sombra’s contrasts equally enhance moments of joy and movement whilst elevating the music with its honesty and intimacy. Nuanced performances and interplay between players unfurl like desert flowers splashing color onto an arid landscape. The ensemble’s buoyant moments still glide with ease, but there is room to revel in respite of the shade of a dark cloud. For Johnson, the album finds places where the conscious meets the unconscious, the songs emanating the more mercurial and curious aspects of their sonic dream world, using darker hues to paint the panorama around them.

Throughout his prolific career with Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo and now Rose City Band, Johnson’s music has consistently centered around exploration and discovery. Sol Y Sombra imbues his penchant for space and resplendent tonality with a denser amalgam of his influences. Johnson tactfully incorporates new elements with deftness and fluidity, while holding the band’s center intact. “One of my takeaways from making this record is that I spent a lot of energy trying to do things a little different but ended up back where I started in many ways,” notes Johnson. “And that’s OK.” Through a delicate balance of the somber and the serene, of subtle evolutions and familiar sounds, Sol Y Sombra makes for a holistically joyous experience, finding solace in both sun and shade.
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Mississippi Studios, 3937 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227-1162, United States,Portland, Oregon

Tickets

Sharing is Caring:

More Events in Portland

Dig Day \u2014 Rocky Point
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 09:30 am Dig Day — Rocky Point

Rocky Point Central Trailhead

Family Paint Party
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 03:00 pm Family Paint Party

The People's Courts

2025 WALLA WALLA WINE ON TOUR - Portland Grand Tasting
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 04:00 pm 2025 WALLA WALLA WINE ON TOUR - Portland Grand Tasting

The Redd On Salmon

Kitty Craft in Portland
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 06:00 pm Kitty Craft in Portland

Star Theater

Gavin Adcock
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 06:30 pm Gavin Adcock

Crystal Ballroom

Portland Stumps: A Monthly Indie Film Shorts Showcase
Sun, 23 Feb, 2025 at 07:30 pm Portland Stumps: A Monthly Indie Film Shorts Showcase

Alberta Abbey

Oregon IFT Suppliers Night 2025: Supplier Registration
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 04:00 pm Oregon IFT Suppliers Night 2025: Supplier Registration

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland, Northeast Multnomah Street, Portland, OR, USA

Phantogram in Portland
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 07:00 pm Phantogram in Portland

Roseland Theater

Theory of a Deadman in Portland
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 07:00 pm Theory of a Deadman in Portland

Revolution Hall

Ayron Jones in Portland
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 07:00 pm Ayron Jones in Portland

Revolution Hall

Jeremie Albino
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 08:00 pm Jeremie Albino

Phantogram
Mon, 24 Feb, 2025 at 08:00 pm Phantogram

Roseland Theater

Portland is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Portland Events