Hippo Campus at The Anthem
Go To This Because We Asked So Nicely – A Concert Preview
By Alexandra Henriques
Photo Credits: Sarah Burns
On Friday, January 31st, alternative indie-rock band Hippo Campus, with support from musician and social media star Petey, will perform at The Anthem to honor Hippo Campus’ fourth studio album, Flood. The tour, which began in North America with a series of small venue dates, traveled to Asia for tour dates in November and December before returning this month to Washington, D.C. Flood, released in September of 2024, received critical acclaim.
Hippo Campus, consisting of Jake Luppen, Nathan Stocker, Zach Sutton, Whistler Allen, and DeCarlo Jackson, was formed in 2013 at Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts in Minnesota. They released their first EP, Tarzan Rejects, the same year. While the EP is not available for streaming, most songs, such as “Little Grace” and “South,” have been reworked and re-released under newer EPs. The band released their first full-length studio album, Landmark, in 2017 and has since produced three more albums, including Flood, and countless EPs and singles. Flood marks Hippo Campus’ first album with Psychic Hotline. The album tells the transformative story of the band’s work and lives as they navigate getting older and finding a sound that they are proud of.
Opening for Hippo Campus is Petey, an indie-rock artist with pop-punk and Midwestern influence. While he has been making music since 2012, he was only signed to the record label Terrible in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down. He took to making short comedy videos on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, meaning his live performances are full of musical genius and stand-up comedy. Petey’s songs have garnered millions of streams on Spotify, and he has over 100,000 monthly listeners on the platform.
The 5 W’s (and a few H’s)
Who: Hippo Campus with support from Petey
What: Alternative, indie-rock band touring for their newest album, Flood.
Where: The Anthem, 901 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024
When: Friday, January 31st, doors at 6:30 p.m. and show at 8 p.m.
Why: Enjoy upbeat indie-rock music and Hippo Campus’ discography highlighting new and older hits.
How you might know them: Their song “Buttercup” has over 130 million streams on Spotify, and they were named as one of NPR’s favorite new artists of 2017.
How to go: Tickets are between $45-$75 on Ticketmaster.
You can listen to Hippo Campus anywhere you stream music, including Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and YouTube.
