Rainbow City Park: Exclusive Interview with Lights Off about new release and tour!

Interview by: Jewel Fiorillo

Rainbow City Park has been together since 2022. Take us back to the beginning. How did everyone meet, and what made you decide to start making music together?

We all met online about 5 years ago through various avenues like social media, Craig’s list, and a band member connections site. We had a lot in common with some of our major influences like Phoebe Bridgers, Pinegrove, Third Eye Blind, and others. We all aligned with our goals for a music project, and we all seemed to get along pretty well. -C

Where did the name Rainbow City Park come from? Was it an immediate yes from everyone, or were there some terrible rejected band names first?

Our band name originates from a playground in Davis, California. It’s a notorious spot known for the community coming together to build the structure. There were quite a few names that were being thrown around prior to our first show and this so happened to be the one that stuck. -D

Photo by: Avery McPherson

When you think about the band you were in 2022 versus the band you are now, what feels the most different?

So much has changed in our band since 2022. Our genre has definitely leaned more towards faster-paced alt rock in comparison to the mid-tempo dream pop we made prior. While we had members that have previously been in bands and have toured around, our band was so green in 2022. Seeing the difference in how we present our live set has been rewarding and the biggest difference I see within us these days. -D

What does each member bring to the band creatively that the others probably couldn't replicate?

Ryan’s experience in Irish folk tunes and metal music brings a fresh mindset when developing drum parts for an alt rock band. Jake’s love for punk and pop punk music has really started to drive our bass parts, which brings a new aspect of momentum to our tunes. Nick’s tone and ability to incorporate dreamy arpeggiated patterns and lead lines fills out the atmosphere of our tunes and reminds me of my favorite parts of bands like Radiohead and Turnover. Chris’ ability to write the most “singable” lead lines will never cease to amaze me. -D

Dani is great at coming up with vocal hooks and stacking harmonies! Is so cool hearing her work her magic in the studio -C

Your new single “What’s The Use” is about grieving a relationship that never actually got the chance to begin. Why did that specific kind of loss feel worth writing about?

Sometimes I wonder if I even have a choice. I utilize songwriting as a way to reflect on situations in my own life. I also feel like this experience is not one-in-a-million and that most times people reminisce on the question of “what could have been”.  -D

Danielle, you originally wrote the song as a stripped down singer songwriter track. Do you remember the first time you played that early version for the rest of the band?

I sure do! It was the first song I played after not seeing the guys for about a month and a half.. I remember Nick specifically being really stoked on the tune and it was so intuitive for him to jump in and sing along. It is always really energizing when a good idea flows into the rehearsal space and we all see potential in it. -D

For the rest of the band, what did you hear in Danielle’s original version that made you realize you could turn it into something bigger?

Dani has always had a knack for making killer singer songwriter songs, and we often like to experiment with trying to see how they’d sound in a different style. We did the same thing with our song Broken Record where we tried to make Dani’s folk song a punk song and it ended up taking on a life of its own. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I think we’re really excited about both versions of What’s The Use. - C

How much did “What’s The Use” change once everyone started putting their own fingerprints on it?

The energy of this tune has gone up immensely. We brought the tempo up, added the “Chris effect” with his riff, and added two new verses. -D

There’s an interesting contrast in making an almost anthemic song about something as frustrating as an unfinished relationship. Did that happen naturally, or was it something you intentionally leaned into?

The tune felt more desperate in its original state, the idea of it becoming “anthemic” is purely a result of the tune being in the hands of the rest of the guys. They sure have a way of putting that stamp on our songs. -D

Is it harder to move on from something that ended or something that never happened enough to give you a real ending?

Personally, I’ve had more trouble moving past “what could have been” over “what has been”. When there are missing pieces to a relationship, my brain will fill those pieces with beautiful ideas that never ended up coming to be. Delusion makes it harder. -D

“What’s The Use” is your first release since Fruitless. Did you feel any pressure deciding what song should be the first thing people heard from Rainbow City Park after that project?

I think our band is more excited at the idea of putting anything out, at this point. There was a bit of a writing lull that our band faced after our EP, which was a true labor of love and one of the best musical experiences we had ever shared. The fact that we have tunes that we are sitting on and waiting to release makes us antsy. I don’t think that there was pressure in deciding to go with What’s The Use first, it made the most sense to all of us. -D

What did you intentionally want to do differently after Fruitless?

I think it was less of a “what can we do differently” and more of a “how can we keep this going?” mentality. It truly felt like we unlocked something in our sound with the release of Fruitless that we wanted to continue writing with, so we wanted to ride that out while it still felt right. -D

You’ve said you want the lyrics and production to take listeners on the same sonic journey. What’s a moment in “What’s The Use” where the instruments are telling part of the story that the lyrics aren't?

One of my favorite examples of this in What’s The Use would have to be the second half of the second verse. Lyrically, the whole tune has a “this relationship isn’t a good idea” undertone. This part of the tune goes into the anxiety that surrounds it. What if I fall for someone and say the wrong thing? It reflects on how my brain has this tendency to say more than what’s necessary and how it might be better if I just keep it shut this time. -D

When you're working on a song together, are you the kind of band that can finish something quickly, or does everyone obsess over the tiny details before deciding it’s finished?

Gosh, it really depends. Sometimes a song will work itself out in the matter of 1-2 writing sessions. Other times, we’ll have a tune in the rotation for a year or more before we land on an arrangement that we feel content in. With three guitars, there is a level of detail that can’t go unconsidered. Being too busy is  an easy mistake to make. -D

You’ve played alongside Japanese Breakfast, Royel Otis, Wild Child, and The National Parks. Has there been an artist you've shared a stage with who changed the way you thought about performing?

The amount of production that goes into those sets is something that my attention is always drawn to. Unconventional stage plots, additional tracks being relayed to the musicians on stage through in-ear monitoring, the lighting team, the sound team… the concept of making your live set a truly entertaining experience for the audience is something I heavily value. -D

When you're opening for an established artist, you can end up in front of a crowd that knows nothing about you. How do you approach winning over a room that didn't necessarily come there to see Rainbow City Park?

We put our best foot forward, try to have the best show we can, and cross our fingers that our music touches the folks that came out to support the main act. -D

You’re heading into a West Coast tour following the release. What’s something about touring as an indie band that people don't really see from the outside?

The daily debate of whether to run the risk of grabbing that hot dog from the gas station, or holding out for the chance of seeing a vegetable that day. -D

You’re coming up in Northern California’s indie scene. How has that community influenced Rainbow City Park and the band you’ve become?

I feel an immense amount of luck to have grown up in Northern California and to be so close to so many large cities known to be creative hubs (Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles). The Sacramento scene is truly something special and our community has an undeniable way of supporting one another. It’s because of the established bands in our scene in Sacramento and SF who gave us a chance to play that invited the first opportunities to put our music into more ears. -D

Four years into the band, what’s something you've already accomplished that the 2022 version of Rainbow City Park would have completely lost their minds over?

I think we are all really proud of the Fruitless EP and it is something we’ll always have to look back on those special times we spent together at the studio in Marin County. -C

“What’s The Use” is being introduced as the beginning of a new chapter for Rainbow City Park. What do you hope this next era looks and sounds like for the band? We’re sitting on a few other tunes that really range a bit dynamically and we’re excited to continue to expand our sound beyond what we’ve done in the past. -C

Lets get to hearing about tour!

You’re kicking off a West Coast run right after “What’s The Use” drops. How does it feel getting to take a brand new song immediately on the road and experience people hearing it live?

I’m excited that the audience can finally take this tune home with them. We’ve intertwined What’s The Use into our live set over the last few months and it’s been received in a really cool way. It’s always a bit scary to present a new tune in the set, especially if it’s not released yet, but we are honored that we have listeners looking forward to what’s next for the band. -D

You’ll be hitting San Francisco, Reno, Sacramento, Modesto, Chico, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo. Which stop are you most excited for and why?

Sacramento and Chico always have a very special place in my heart. These cities have seen us from the beginning and have supported us from the very beginning. These cities feel like home due to the audience being so incredible. I always get a bit giddy thinking about playing there. -D

You’ll be sharing several dates with Bloodsugar and Comfort Club. What are you looking forward to most about getting to tour and share stages with them?

Great people and great music. The best combination. -D

How do you want the live version of “What’s The Use” to feel different from what listeners hear on the recorded version?

As a band, we’ve all agreed that we want our live versions to feel as similar to the recorded versions as possible. Being able to translate that recorded energy to our live set is always the goal. -D

For someone coming to see Rainbow City Park for the first time on this tour, what can they expect from your live show?

Lots of hair. Moving all the time. -D