Jake Luppen jumping on stage as Hippo Campus performs live at the Ogden Theatre. photo courtesy of Brittany O’Brien
Recently I attended a concert by indie-rock band Hippo Campus, leaving fans like me in tears after their breathtaking show at the Ogden Theater while on their Bambi tour.
It was a cold Saturday night. My sister, our friends, and I all headed down to the end of a seemingly infinite line to enter the the Ogden Theater. People young and old were waiting in the frigid winter air in hopes of getting good spots inside the venue. Everyone was there to see the incredible indie rock band Hippo Campus perform live. Comprised of five multi-talented musicians, the band had sold out their one night show. My companions and I were as eager as the rest of the jittering crowd – we all could not wait to get inside. The doors opened at eight and slowly people poured into the beloved Denver venue, stopping only to buy cute Bambi merchandise or some cold beverages. We got in relatively early, and pretty soon we found ourselves at the very front of the crowd, so close in fact, that we could reach out and touch the stage if we dared.
Hippo Campus was formed in 2013 when four high school students met at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. Jake Luppen (vocals/guitar), Nathan Stocker (guitar/vocals), Zach Sutton (bass), and Whistler Isaiah Allen (drums/vocals) were all looking for new ways to create and produce music, so they joined together. Recently, DeCarlo Jackson, another Saint Paul Conservatory student and friend, has joined the group and played with them on trumpet and secondary drums. For a little bit of context, according to Jake Luppen, the name Hippo Campus was just the “least-worst band name we could think of” and was suggested by guitarist Nathan Stocker when he saw the word in a psychology textbook he was reading for class. The name comes from the seahorse-shaped part of the brain that processes long and short-term memory which is called the hippocampus. The album the tour is named after, Bambi, is the band’s second full length album. However, they have previously released a myriad of successful EPs. With quirky guitar riffs, fresh drum beats, and creative lyricism, the band’s first EP, Bashful Creatures, debuted their unique take on music. Filled with heavy indie, British, pop, and rock influences, it helped give the band their start and earned them many fans early on in their career. Since then, Hippo Campus has released three other EPs, a bunch of beautiful singles, and an earlier full length album titled Landmark. Their latest project, the album Bambi, was a huge success. It landed them their first headlining tour and grew their fanbase significantly. The album is chock-full of their interesting melodies and inventive beats, their inspiring and deep lyrics, and a soft airy vibe that keeps me pressing repeat on every song.
At nine, the opening band, Now, Now, stepped on stage to warm up the crowd before the main act. The Minnesota band had the crowd nodding and bouncing along to songs like AZ and School Friends. Lead singer Cacie Dalager was sporting an almost traffic cone inspired look with her bright orange tee and equally fluorescent orange hair. As she skipped across the stage in some basic Timberland boots, she continuously got down on her knees to sing to the crowd, immersing people like my sister in the act. Dalager’s melodic voice accompanied by soothing synth and guitar were not stirring up much of a buzz at first, but by the end of the set the crowd was jumping up and down and singing along to their choruses. I can confidently say my friends and I have all been successfully converted into die-hard Now, Now fans.
Finally, the house lights dimmed, and five pairs of footsteps could be heard beyond the murmuring of the crowd. Once everything was seemingly silent, the lights flashed on and the cheery synth intro to the signature song Bambi came on. The crowd went wild. The musicians on stage danced energetically along to their beloved songs. During the show, Jake’s voice was sometimes drowned out by the sound of fans singing along to every word. Zach frequently sashayed his hips across stage as fans screamed wildly, my sister in particular. As Whistler pounded on the drums, the whole venue bounced along to the erratic, bipolar beat of Bubbles. There were moments where the lights dimmed, and a hush fell over the whole venue as Jake gently serenaded the crowd during songs like Monsoon. During one song, Nathan locked eyes with me and winked as he picked out an intricate and light solo on his guitar. I practically died on the spot: the show was incredible. “They’re so incredibly young but are still able to capture an audience and have an amazing stage presence,” said my sister and freshman Spartan, Meghan Maloof. “They have an amazing energy and you can really feel the connection between the members.” From the lights, to the music, to the energy that each band member brought to the stage, the entire concert was real life magic. With performances like that, Hippo Campus will not be an unknown name for long.
As the set came to a close, the boys took a bow and headed off stage. However, the crowd fervently chanting “encore!” over and over again had them coming right back out. Finishing with one of their sweetest and most signature songs, Buttercup, the band left fans in tears. After they headed off stage for the last time, the house lights came up, and the spell Hippo Campus had cast on the crowd was finally broken. With throats sore from singing and screaming, people slowly meandered out of the venue. Girls were crying, boys were chattering to each other about how great the show was, and the buzz of leftover adrenaline still permeated throughout the building.
As a frequent concert goer and avid music listener, I cannot recommend Hippo Campus enough to people. My friend Mary, a junior at TJ, went with me to the show and said: “It was such an amazing concert, and they are honestly even better live, if that’s even possible.” Their live show was astounding and it is clear that those boys give their all to their music. The band truly cares about creating good music and connecting with their fans while remaining true to their genuine selves. Every album and EP of theirs is a treasure trove of songs to make you cry, make you dance, make you feel understood, or as though the whole world is at peace. While their indie rock sound is not for everyone, it is something absolutely unique and fresh. From their heartfelt songs to their breathtaking performance, Hippo Campus has quite quickly and easily become one of the best bands around.
