Concert Review: Caamp

On a summer night in the Flats in Cleveland, you might expect to hear a concert at Jacobs Pavilion, even on the opposite side of the Cuyahoga River. But when a band plays a home state show (the only one on their tour) and hasn’t been in town since 2021, you hear every word to every song, the loudest cheers, and the sound of people having the night of their lives. Thursday evening provided exactly that atmosphere, as Ohio natives, Caamp, graced the stage in honor of the release of their latest album, ‘Copper Changes Color,’ which dropped only six days before the show.

If you talk with someone who went to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, around 2013, they likely heard Caamp play before the band even had a name. Just like everyone in Akron allegedly knows Lebron James or caught a Black Keys concert at the Lime Spider, many who attended OU a decade ago have a Caamp story.

Frontman Taylor Meier began playing in coffee shops while he was a student there, and his childhood friend Evan Westfall joined in soon after. As they continued to perform, the band added Matt Vinson on bass, Nicholas Falk on drums, and Joseph Kavalec on keys, and the rest is history! Ohioans take pride in things that originate in the Buckeye State, and the band’s show in Cleveland proved that they take a ton of pride in Caamp’s Ohio ties!

Caamp canceled their 2023 tour dates. They self-reported that it was to take care of their mental health. Meier and Westfall have discussed the importance of therapy for navigating challenges and improving mental well-being.

The band’s triumphant return kicked off with “Millions” from the new album, before quickly throwing it back to “Vagabond” from their 2016 self-titled debut album. Opening the show with these songs felt like the perfect way to showcase how far this band has come and how magical it was to hear fans sing along with the same enthusiasm, no matter the era.

A unique feature of the show that some fans may have overlooked was the stage’s unique layout. A riser with small carpeted stairs allowed the drummer and keyboard to be slightly elevated, and the dark carpet gave the atmosphere of a 70s-inspired basement. A small bar cart, complete with various bottles, glasses, and books, sat in the corner. A small pillow that looked like a cat even sat perched on the top step. The entire setup felt like a cool basement, evoking a great homage to the small-town shows the band played in their early days. If one closed their eyes and could drown out the loud crowd, one might have thought they were back at a coffee shop gig in Athens, or in a living room, hearing the band play together in an intimate space, just like the band’s days of yesteryear.

Of course, a home state show had to get some fun surprises. The band debuted one of their new songs, “Ohio’s Ugly,” live for the first time. Despite the song having been out for less than a week, fans sang along to the line, “Ohio’s Ugly / Baby, it’s all fields,” as the band grinned at the irony while standing on stage in one of Cleveland’s most gorgeous venues.

Other favorites of the night included “Lavender Girl” and “Snowshoes” from the 2022 album ‘Lavender Days’ and “See the World” from the 2016 self-titled album.

Meier took the stage solo for “Wolf Song” and part of “Somewhere” with only a little help from a saxophonist. The connection between the audience and Meier was undeniable.

Despite an extensive discography, the band also included some fun cover songs in the setlist. Meier took to the drums to cover Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream,” and opening band Gardener joined Caamp on stage to celebrate their final show on tour by covering “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” by Creedence Clearwater Revival during the encore. Even though these songs fall beyond the typical genre of Caamp, the band covered them with enthusiasm and joy that made me want to hear them cover songs from all genres, if for no other reason than to see how much fun they have.

The band closed the song’s encore with “By and By,” before saying goodnight (for real this time).

Caamp brought some Midwest friends with them to open up the show and get the audience ready for a memorable evening. Fellow Ohioans, Gardener kicked things off, and Chicago natives WHITNEY brought an amazing indie sound to the stage.

Anyone looking for some Ohio-grown talent was met with an amazing night of music!