Few events in Portland, Oregon feel like as much of a holiday tradition as Jerry Joseph’s annual New Year’s Eve run. Typically taking place at two venues over four nights, the run finds this venerable rocker and his band the Jackmormons giving the Rose City a running party during a time when concerts slow down. It’s also a chance for Joseph to shred his way through a catalogue of music that now stretches nearly four decades. For serious diehards, this run is a destination event on par with other jam-friendly outfits that hold court for multiple NYE shows around the country. On Sunday, December 28th, at the Star Theater, Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons blasted their way through the second of four shows.

As is tradition, each night of the NYE run opens with a local band. On Sunday, Rakes took the stage for an impressive set that saw them grooving their way through old songs and new. Lead singer Chelsea Glasgow was front and center, wailing out lyrics like a cross between Grace Slick and Donna Jean Godchaux, often in harmony with guitarist Andy Foster. On songs like “Get Low,” “Low Road,” “Never Let Them Forget,” and “Dig Deep,” Rakes locked into a sound that was rollicking, soulful, and exuberant with vibrant harmonies, a swinging groove, and effortlessly tight playing. We even saw an appearance from a 12-string guitar, giving one tune the jangly shimmering flair of Sixties psych-rock.

Hitting the stage nearly an hour later, Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons got straight down to business with a moody, powerful, and sprawling “And In The End It Will Burn You Up” that saw Joseph laying down an eloquent yet shreddy guitar solo. The first three songs were among the longest of the night, each clocking in at well over ten minutes, and also saw the band locked in on some of their best moments. “Second Skin” balanced a dubby beat with grungy rock and roll triumphs. Resembling a tatted biker version of Peter Gabriel, Joseph held little back as he steered into the breezy but hard-charging “The Eyes” that gave way into plenty of Led Zeppelin-style fury and rolled straight into their chugging, ass-driven take on Rod Stewart’s “Every Picture Tells A Story Don’t It.”

Throughout this portion of the show, Joseph and his band played with the sort of wandering intensity of a summer storm that hits unexpectedly and doesn’t let up other than a few brief moments of calm. By the time they hit the raw and honest roots rocker “Baby You’re The Man Who Would Be King,” the crowd was in full dance mode. “Changing Of The Guard” followed with its easygoing and hopeful rock sound, complemented by spicy guitar work, while “Election Day” and “Milk” followed in a similar vein with driving, steady momentum. “American Standard” contrasted with its intimate folk power and group harmonies, making for one of the more sentimental moments of the night.

Closing out with an absolutely massive “Power Out” that saw the band leaning back into the reggae sounds from earlier in the set as they worked in “Get Down Moses,” they kept those eerie vibes riding high into a chunky, dubbed out “Rock It With I.” Joseph and his band held nothing back for the entirety of their lengthy set. Taking one final bow, the band had reached the halfway point of this beloved tradition with another rousing, electrified performance.