One of the first things lead Hippo Campus singer Jake Luppen had to say to the audience at their recent and intimate Atlantis set was how happy they are to be in such a small space with fans.

“We haven’t played these rooms since we were 21, so it’s so good to be back! We love seeing y’alls faces,” he said early in the set at The Atlantis in DC.

The indie rock band from Minnesota played a sold-out gig promoting their newest record, Flood, as part of a limited string of small shows before a full tour next year. The group consists of members Jake Luppen (vocals, guitar), Nathan Stocker (guitar, vocals), DeCarlo Jackson (trumpet, vocals), and Zach Sutton (bass).

They gained popularity years ago for their catchy melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and energetic live performances. Flood, the new album, followed their EP, Waseland, which was released in 2023.

Stream Flood by Hippo Campus on Spotify:

On Sept. 25, the first part of the set consisted of the entirety of Flood, followed by a handful of from their other records and EPs. These included “Where to Now,” “Bad Dream Baby,” “Doubt,” “Baseball,” “Poems,” “Opportunistic,” and “Buttercup.” 

They capped the night off with “Violet” as an encore.

Like all shows at the 450-cap venue, at The Atlantis, in silence you can hear a pin drop. At one point of the show, when Luppen thanked everyone for supporting them for 10 years, a fan joked “10 more years!” to which everyone not only heard, but echoed.

And Luppen heard the fan loud and clear and made them a deal — if the crowd supports them for another 10, they’ll keep playing songs and making music for another decade.

Here are some photos of Hippo Campus performing at The Atlantis on Sept. 25, 2024. All pictures by Sami Pye.