Despite the pop-up storm that hit last night, Caamp still delivered a warm and uplifting show to Hoosiers.
Caamp, the Central-Ohio born indie folk powerhouse, returned to the Circle City as part of their 2026 North American tour. Following the release of their fifth studio album, “Copper Changes Color,” the band’s encore tour featured a stop at Everwise Amphitheatre at White River State Park on Aug. 26.
Formed in Upper Arlington, Ohio in 2015, Caamp is an indie folk/Americana band known for their sonically rich and textured, campfire-esque melodies. Led by lead singer and frontman Taylor Meier and vocalist, guitarist and banjo player Evan Westfall, Caamp expanded over the years to include bassist Matt Vinson, keyboardist Joseph Kavalec and drummer Nicholas Falk.
It was an eventful night all around, despite the unhurried, laid-back vibes. The Brook & The Bluff opened for Caamp, taking the stage right when the worst of the storm passed through downtown Indianapolis. Still, the band played to an enthusiastic, albeit kind of wet, crowd. Admittedly, I’m not familiar with The Brook & The Bluff and I only caught about two songs of their set as I waited out most of the storm in my car from the Victory Field lot. But hey, the two songs I heard have since been added to my playlist.
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Caamp took the stage a few minutes shy of 8:30 p.m., opening with “Come With Me Now” off their 2022 studio album “Lavender Days” before launching into “Lavender Girl” from the same album.
“What’s up Indy?” Meier said after the first two songs. “Thanks for waiting out the rain for us; it’s gonna be a good night.”
And it was. Caamp delivered a quick and smooth 90-minute set after the rain cleared up and the sun came out for a bit accompanied by a rainbow. This is my first time seeing Caamp live, and I was a bit surprised at how diverse in age the band’s fans were — in a good way, I promise.
Have you ever heard the saying “I am a mosaic of everyone I’ve ever loved?” Well, Caamp is part of my mosaic. I was introduced to this band by a close friend in college — at THE Ohio State University to be specific — which just so happens to be one of the band’s old stomping grounds. Anyway, Caamp was her favorite artist, and after two years of friendship, they became one of mine too.
All that to say, it’s cool to see how one artist’s music can continue to resonate with so many different types of people years later. This was, by far, the most chill and relaxed concert I’ve ever been to. The set on stage was pretty simple, centering the 6-piece band in front of a plain white backdrop that reflected different colored lighting with bouquets of flowers scattered around the stage.
The set list included a blend of deep cuts, fan favorites and hit singles alike, including “Peach Fuzz,” “No Sleep” and “Wolf Song” off of Caamp’s 2019 album “By and By” alongside “Brush” and “Millions” from their latest album “Copper Changes Color” and of course the ever popular “26,” which features Westfall’s unmistakable banjo plucking solo in the beginning.
“It’s good to be here. It’s been a long time Indy,” Meier addressed the crowd later in the night, referencing the band’s previous show at the Egyptian Room in 2021.
Between the five of them, and the additional touring musician who joined the band onstage last night, Caamp rotates through more than half a dozen instruments throughout the show — including acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, bass guitar, upright bass, piano and harmonica.
After “No Sleep,” the band introduced the next song as “Apple Tree Blooms,” which is one of my all-time favorites.
“This one goes out to President Obama,” Meier said — which confused me until I looked it up and discovered “Apple Tree Blooms” was featured on Obama’s summer playlist in July 2022. The more you know, I guess.
After a sick cover of Jake Bugg’s “Two Fingers,” Caamp returned to the “Boys” EP with “Going to the Country” and then, surprising myself and nearly everyone else in the venue, invited Joseph Settine, the frontman of The Brook & The Bluff, to join them onstage for “By and By.”
For the encore, Meier came back to the stage alone to perform a gentle and nostalgic rendition of the acoustic song “Strawberries” — another one of my favorites — followed by the band reuniting for “All the Debts I Owe” and wishing concertgoers goodnight, closing with “Mockingbird Song” off their debut album “Caamp.”
For more information about Caamp, upcoming music or tour dates, visit caamptheband.com.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
