may 27, 2025 - columbus, ohio

Hippo Campus is no stranger to longevity. The band officially formed in 2013 after the core members Jake Luppen (lead vocals/guitar), Nathan Stocker (lead guitar/vocals), Zach Sutton (bass/vocals), and Whistler Isaiah Allen (drums/vocals) met at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. And they’ve been on a steady incline with their exploratory sound and impact ever since, even adding a new member on horns (DeCarlo Jackson) in 2017 to expand their net even further sonically. In the twelve years they’ve been a band they’ve released four studio albums and been touring for almost ten, cementing themselves as dedicated frontrunners in the arena of indie. Now culminating into their most recent release and subsequent tour, Flood, that graced Columbus, Ohio this past Tuesday.

The night kicked off with an energetic noise-pop set from Hotline TNT, to which Hippo Campus followed shortly there after to a buzzing crowd. They took the stage at Kemba! Live with “Madman” from their album of the hour, Flood. Their signature poppy guitar riffs fill the room as the lust-forward lyrics of the song follow from Luppen — “told me that you love me, and I said it right back / got a little shiver, now I can’t relax / gonna jump your bones like a madman”.

Then followed “Paranoid” and “Tooth Fairy”, continuing to deliver on their tour namesake and drowning the crowd in their signature indie rock magic. And this magic has been injected into their sound since the very beginning, which is something that the rest of the show at Kemba! Live effortlessly showcased. From “South” off of their second EP, to “Buttercup” from their first album, to “Bambi” from their second — the audience was gifted with a journey through the band’s discography with no stone left unturned. From longtime fans to first time listeners, there was something for everyone in their jam-packed setlist.

This ability to serve any given indie music lover in a single sitting is a talent, and one that speaks to the topic of their longevity. On one hand they’re genre-bending indie and country through songs like “Corduroy” with Stocker serenading harmonica notes through the mic, and “Yippie Ki Yay” with lyrics like “shot my horse in the opening scene / been chased for the last three weeks / I move quick, got a bounty on me”. While on the other, they’re breaking out the vocal synthesizer to give an exuberant and out there rendition of “Sex Tape”. “Thank God for all the Christian mothers / I’ve been busy sweating under the covers of lovers / I’da been you if I wasn't another / hot shot with the camera is filming my sex tape”, the lyrics rang out from the aptly named song as Luppen switched pitches almost every other lyric — adding a fun and trippy take on the already tongue-in-cheek tone of the song. And to think these sonic experiences were weaved into the fabric of the same show is mind-boggling, but Hippo Campus was able to deliver that and more on stage. It’s obvious the group has been on a trend of making music that genuinely excites them since their inception, and now four studio albums in, this trend has continued to deliver new and exciting takes on the sound of the band, keeping them on stage and creating with honesty and grit.

The night ended with “Boys” off of their third studio album LP3, rounding the night out with an electrifying performance dipped in red. The lyrics, detailing the feelings of dread that come with being hungover from a night out, fell perfectly against the piercing guitar solos that Stocker delivered — rounding out the sonic journey of the show with their traditional indie rock sound.

If you aren’t able to catch one of the last few shows of the Flood Tour this month, Hippo Campus is heading back on the road this summer opening for The Lumineers — so make sure to catch them at a show or spin their latest album Flood out now on all streaming platforms.