Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles play Sept. 13 at Churchill School in Baker City.

BAKER CITY — Matt Hopper’s stories span 25 years of concerts and albums and bandmates, but there is one constant through it all: Music.

“I love what I do,” he said Aug. 28, just after he arrived in Washington after driving south from Alaska for his current tour.

Hopper’s dad gifted him a guitar when he was in high school, and he founded The Roman Candles in 1999 while attending college in Anchorage, Alaska.

They hit the road to play shows around the state — and even played for a prom in Seward, Alaska.

“Anywhere you can get on the road system,” he said.

He handled his own marketing by creating handmade posters, and promoting shows through radio and newspapers.

They released their first record in 2001.

“I’m very proud of it — it holds up after all these years,” he said.

He changed the band name to Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles, and his bandmates rotate depending on if he’s playing shows in Alaska or the lower 48.

Over the years, more than 120 musicians have played with the band.

“People come and go. I’m the mainstay,” he said. “It’s been a really interesting life.”

He tours both solo and with a band — and he’s coming to Baker City with a full band for a concert on Friday, Sept. 13 at Churchill School.

“If the Roman Candles are with me, you’re getting a rock show,” he said.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the school, 3451 Broadway St. (enter through the 16th Street parking lot). Tickets are $15 in advance at churchillbaker.com or $20 at the door. Admission is free for ages 15 and younger who attend with a paid adult.

Hopper came south from Alaska to Seattle, and then Los Angeles where he worked on his solo songs. He’s also landed in Boise and Portland. In 2019, the band went on a national tour that included a show at Churchill School.

Then, on March 14, 2020, he was in New Mexico.

“This COVID thing was bubbling up. Nobody knew what to think,” he said.

He ended up staying there for four months, then went back to Alaska to work for a flooring company and then at a restaurant in Anchorage.

“COVID forced me to try something new,” he said.

That job ended in June 2024, and now he’s back on the road.

“I’m really happy to be back,” he said.