Rose City Band at Strange Brew
Headfirst Editor's Pick

"Sell out warning! Hazy country rock dreams will come true with Wooden Shjips / Moon Duo journeyman Ripley Johnson. Rose City Band’s gorgeous pedal steel, soothing harmonica and soft drumming mix the hushed, anthemic beauty of Mazzy Star or Yo La Tengo with the freewheeling cosmic pastoral of the Grateful Dead."

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A gig held at Strange Brew on Saturday 17th May. The event starts at 19:00.


Rose City Band • www.instagram.com/rosecityband
Support TBA.
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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.

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.
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14+ event (14-17s must be accompanied by an adult, ratio 1:1).
Presented by DM Generation.
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DM events • www.linktr.ee/dm.online

Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio

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