Live Review: Hippo Campus - O2 Shepherd's Bush, London 04/12/2024
Hippo Campus are a band that have been around now, for eleven years, and still find ways to thrill. Their crowd has grown up with them for over a decade and it shows; a packed out 02 Sheperd’s Bush patiently waits for them to come on stage; turning out in droves against a chilly November night in West London. For fans of bands like Pond the band from Saint Paul, Minnesota, draw largely from UK influences despite hailing from the states, tracking a similar path to bigger names like The Killers in the indie rock scene. Lead Jake Luppen comes on stage; and a few songs into the act, seems relieved to be able to speak English again after an Asian tour. He’s energetic, lively, and drives up the crowd – who for all the cold seem super up for it – after all, it’s the first time they’ve played in the UK since 2022 – and have shown up with the latest evolution of their fourth LP.
There was only one support act but Swim Deep, Birmingham’s finest, kept the crowd entertained. They played Great Escape in Brighton, a festival for the hottest new sound that has seen names like Little Simz in the past emerge from there and were thoroughly entertaining on the night – you’d think they were the hottest new sound rather than having eleven years to their name – their grungy style is a delight – headed by frontman Austin Williams. Their four albums – When the Heaven Are We, Mothers, Emerald Classics and There’s a Big Star Outside give them a variety to choose from – their latest album has one particular highlight – Glitter. “I want the world beneath my feet
I couldn't run much faster, All noises glitter in my head”, sings, and the production from Bill Ryder-Jones demonstrates an influence from the talented folk songwriter. Williams, in his album promotion, claimed that there was unfinished business, and that he had a duty to his fans and to whatever Swim Deep was. Based on this set – and there were a lot of overlap with fans of Swim Deep and Hippo Campus; with much of the fanbase turning up early – the fans are in good hands. King City went down a right treat – and the funky summer playlist vibes that Swim Deep brought to the table made sure the feel good factor continued into December. Christmas when? There’s A Big Star Outside lends to that raw, cinematic feeling.
Hippo Campus took to the stage at just past 9 and played a full set, almost stretching to the 11pm curfew, showing the raw energy of a band that like Swim Deep, could’ve been half their lifespan. Bad Dream Baby opened and it didn’t take long for them to get to my favourite track off the new album, Flood, the catchy, boppy Paranoid, their heart in the right place for the solo record. “everything and everyone’s out to get me, nobody is helping and nobody should let me be,” the chorus chants – an honest depiction of a reflection in the mirror. Tooth Fairy, likewise, is fresh and exciting – had the tall order of following Everything At Once in its single release but it looks like their latest offering is well and truly in effect by this point in time – a process of letting go of fear showcases a band recognising their current form and embracing it across the entire tour.
Set-list favourite, Yippie Ki-Yay, followed the storming of Everything At Once and the perfect pairing of the midpoint gave the crowd the energy that they needed – the rather simple lyrics of Way it Goes (“we’re weird but lord knows we’re trying”) earlier showcased the bands’ ability to entertain – a singalong sees the entirety of Shepard’s Bush in loud, energetic voice. It’s a band that recognise the need to embrace life and energy as it is in their form – playful, uplifting and joyful. It’s a band that knows how to have fun and Hippo Campus make it evident in their songs. The struggle to live with, run from or fight your problems is paramount over the set-list and the general theme of their Flood Tour – it’s the band showing who they are – and why they’ve won the hearts of such a passionate fanbase.
The stage production, with Jake Luppen in full force as a confident showman, is mute and relatively low-key, there’s no need for a lightshow and nor should they be, with Nathan Stocker, guitarist, winning over the crowd from the moment he sets foot on stage. It’s an opportunity to ultimately, at the end of the day, see rarely played hits, South, Forget It, Poems and Buttercup wrap up the music with the encore bringing the house down. With a band that has many of their fans in rampant adulation it’s clear to see them reward the effort they’ve put in to come here on a Wednesday night – and it works. Luppen is a showman, and he has the crowd dancing to his strings – there’s still time for Bambi, of course; and if you’re a fan of indie-rock you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check them out – their musical evolution over a decade has been fascinating to watch in real time, and this feels at once a culmination that leaves the band with#something more to say – I’ll be sure to be back for their next tour; whenever that is – hopefully fans won’t have to wait as long for them to return to the UK.
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
Photography by Sam Strutt
