Hippo Campus…Like, the Band, Right? A Preview of Hippo Campus at Neumos

[Photo Credit: Alice Baxley]

It seems as if it were just yesterday that I would be with some friends at a local Minneapolis coffee shop, restaurant, or music venue, and all of a sudden be in close proximity to a member of Hippo Campus. Hippo Campus are Minnesota-prided gems that aren’t shy from being spotted all over the Twin Cities. Most recently, I ran into them at a really small music venue over winter break supporting the local music scene.

Hippo Campus is a four-piece indie-alternative band out of St. Paul, Minnesota. The band consists of frontman Jake Luppen, guitarist Nathan Stocker, drummer Whistler Allen, and bassist Zach Sutton. The band formed in 2013 and have been on the rise ever since. I remember watching Hippo Campus in the winter of 2014 with a friend at a venue smaller than Chop Suey, and less than a year later watching them sell out Minneapolis’ iconic First Avenue in the winter of 2015, all without ever releasing a full length album. This year, though, the band is releasing their debut album, Landmark, via Grand Jury Records on February 24^th, 2017.

With high-energy live performances and two highly-spirited LPs, Bashful Creatures and South, attendees are in for a night of dancing and singing their hearts out. This will be my sixth time seeing these Minnesota beauties, but my first time seeing them live outside of Minnesota. I’m excited to see how the crowd perceives them compared to when I am seeing them live in Minneapolis. One thing about seeing Hippo Campus is the overall sound. There’s a part in “Suicide Saturday” where the guitar riffs cut off, and all that’s left is the beat of the drum that allows all their voices to fill the entire venue. It is the epitome of magic.

Openers Magic City Hippies is a Florida-based, self-proclaimed “indie-funk” band that mixes hip hop beats with funk and pop. I had never heard of them before, but their songs “Bull Ride” and “Limestone” resonated with me, and reminded me of summer days out in the sun.

You can catch Hippo Campus and Magic City Hippies at Neumos on Friday, February 24^th. The event is all ages, with doors open at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.

CELENE KOLLER | Cold like Minnesota jk it’s like 50 degrees there rn | KXSU Music Reporter