It's Caamp!

On May 18th, just fifteen minutes after nine, the band Caamp took the stage at the Factory. The Factory is a newly constructed venue in the heart of Chesterfield, MO. In its multiple levels, there were no spots or seats left empty. Even if you hadn’t looked around, you could hear the excitement bursting from fans throughout the venue. This particular show was Caamp’s second on their 2023 tour consisting of their five members, Taylor Meier, Evan Westfall, Matt Vinson, Joseph Kavalec, and Henry Reds. Just one of their many supporting bands on their tour, The Boa Boys, started off the night with their own “three-piece groove rock band from Louisville, KY” as they note in their Instagram bio. If anything, they were the perfect opening band to liven up a thursday night crowd as they got everyone moving quickly with their upbeat tunes.

Before Caamp came on, multiple waves of cheering emerged from different places on the barricade. The anticipation of the audience was too much to keep inside leading up to the band’s final arrival. As they took the stage, smiles and screams beamed up towards the band. Their sunset inspired stage set the tone for the rest of the set. They opened with their song “Huckleberry Love” which starts off with a guitar intro that feels like it’s smoothly leading into something life-changing while also making the audience feel welcomed in their temporary abode of sound. Even though the crowd was packed in, multiple groups broke out into their own dance rings, telling of what impact Caamp has. From their song “By and By” from their album By and By, they sing “...aren’t you a lifeforce” which perfectly encapsulates both the energy of the band and their audience. Both parties seemed to be connected, swaying and hopping to the joyful sounds of Caamp. Throughout the set they played multiple songs from their aluboms, Boys, By and By, Lavender Days, and Caamp. Though they come from different years, ranging from 2016 to 2022, they still manage to flow together causing their audience to move through different waves of sound, carrying the same soulful tones.

The crowd, full of all different ages, most definitely appreciated their short cover of “Your Love” by The Outfield. Their lead singer, Taylor Meier, sounded almost exactly like the original band and many people raised their drink in the air as their calling to the connection to the old rock song. As they end their main set with “Going to the Country” off of Boys, the crowd was once again left with high hopes that the band would set foot on the stage. Even after playing 19 songs, it’s clear the audience wasn’t ready to leave, not at least without hearing three more songs. And luckily, their hopes were granted and met with their songs “Sure of”, “26” and “All the Debts I Owe”. Hopefully, as “All the Debts I Owe” promises, Caamp will be back someday to visit St.Louis again!

If you haven’t already, give any one of their albums or singles a listen as their set list is balanced with their older and newer songs. The tour continues on till August with plenty of dates to attend. As Taylor also noted during the show, “it’s been a pleasure” seeing Caamp connect with their audience and create a wonderful environment for live music.

---

Listen to Caamp now!