Review: Hippo Campus in Minneapolis
LOCAL LEGENDS HIPPO CAMPUS made their long-awaited return to the First Avenue mainroom this past Thursday to celebrate the release of their new album, Flood. Though the original show date scheduled for Flood-release-eve was postponed due to illness, First Avenue was still packed wall-to-wall with dedicated longtime fans, friends, and family. It truly felt like a homecoming celebration.
Over the past decade, Hippo Campus has made quite a name for itself in the indie scene. From recently closing out a stage at Lollapalooza, to nearly selling out their 2023 tour, the group has cemented its legacy as one of the cornerstones of the indie genre. It wasn’t always this way for these local legends, however. If you asked around Minneapolis, you would be sure to hear stories of a time when Hippo Campus was just like the hundreds of other bands trying to make their mark on the Minneapolis music scene. Since moving to the area, I’ve heard tales of Hippo Campus playing everything from high school gyms, to backyards, to the infamous 7th Street Entry. If you’re active in the music community, you might even run into members Jake Luppen or DeCarlo Jackson at local shows. Though they’ve grown significantly since their backyard days, the support they’ve received from their local community over the years has not been not lost on them, as they always seem to come back whenever they get the chance.
Fortunately for us, the release of Flood was that chance. Flood returns listeners to Hippo Campus’s roots, offering a mellow indie sound that is much closer to their 2017 album, Landmark, than it is to the more electronic, upbeat sound that the band has grown into in recent years. The thirteen-track album is a beautiful listen from start to finish, featuring everything from catchy riffs to emotion-packed lyrics. If you were a fan of Hippo Campus back in the day, it is definitely worth a listen as it provides a modern spin on a trip down memory lane.
Throughout their set, Hippo Campus played their entire new album, as well as a few tracks from the vault. Though I enjoyed hearing Flood, I have to say that my favorite part of the evening was the return of a rare classic, “The Halocline”, to finish out the evening. Looking out into the crowd, I saw hundreds of fans with tears streaming down their faces screaming the lyrics, “This is our home”, alongside the band over and over and over again. There was truly no better way to end such a momentous homecoming.
If you didn’t get the chance to catch one of Hippo Campus’s intimate shows since the release of Flood last month, they will be back in full swing this spring with a set of international tour dates. You can find a stop near you here. Don’t miss them!
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