Hippo Campus at the House of Blues

Eager fans ranging from pre-teens to millenials  lined up around the block of Downtown San Diego ready to hear the fresh indie rock band, Hippo Campus, perform at the House of Blues on Jan. 25.

To start the night off, alternative pop/alternative rock band, Sure Sure, opened up by entertaining the audience with lighthearted tunes. Their feel good songs such as “Friends”, “Fat Lady”, “Koreatown”, and “This Must Be The Place” immediately captured the fans’ attentions as they bopped their heads to each blissful beat they played. With soothing vocals/keys from Chris Beachy, the multitude of instruments played by Michael Coleman and Charlie Glick, plus Kevin Farzad’s rocking drum and guitar riffs, the four man band livened up the crowd. After Sure Sure’s grand performance, the main act finally came out on stage. 

Jake Luppen, guitarist and main vocalist  of Hippo Campus, greeted the crowd with a “Hello, San Diego” that issued forth  an immediate cacophony of excited screams and “I love you’s (from female and male fans alike). The songs  the band performed ranged from slow and somber ballads  like “Monsoon,” “Warm Glow,” and “Poems,” to alternative songs like “Way It Goes” to rockin’ beats like “Little Grace” and “Baseball”.

 

Throughout the show, there was nothing but a joyous atmosphere, an energized crowd, and songs that radiated passion and portrayed Hippo Campus’ undeniable raw  talent.

The band’s partnership with Planned Parenthood coincided with this tour, and the boys finished their gig with a memento to the movement by performing their final song and fan favorite, “Buttercup.” The song’s famous lyrics “I’ll be fine on my own, she said” shows the band’s  strong support for  independent parental decisions.

 

“Hippo Campus stands with Planned Parenthood’s belief that it’s a fundamental right of every person to manage their own fertility regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, income, marital status, or race,” singer Jake Luppen told broadwayworld.com. “We’ve seen first hand the support they’ve given to the young women in our lives. In such dark and confusing times, we believe Planned Parenthood is making a positive change in the world and we stand with them.”

As the crowd yearned for one last song after the band thanked the crowd and left the stage, shouts of “One more song” rang out. After what seemed like a thousand chants, the boys appeared again to perform another crowd-pleaser,  “Violet,” to conclude what seemed to be the greatest show to grace a San Diego stage.