06.23.23 – By Julia Gacek and McKenna Klaphake

Minneapolis Lens had the opportunity to chat with Nathan Stocker, guitarist of Hippo Campus, ahead of their show at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, MN. Team members, Julia and McKenna got to hear first hand from Nathan about closing out their tour, new music, and all of his favorite parts of coming back home to Minnesota. 

Julia: I actually flew out to Colorado for the opening of your tour at Red Rocks. It was just an incredible show at such a cool venue. How does it feel to have opened the tour at such an historic venue and then wrap up that same tour in your home state of Minnesota?

Nathan: The whole tour was pretty surreal, Red Rocks especially. To have started off the whole thing in such a special place was surreal, in one word. Usually you develop a groove by the middle of a tour, but we didn’t have that opportunity before playing perhaps the biggest show of our lives at Red Rocks. It was nerve racking to kind of see what happened and getting a grasp on how to do this again. It is always really odd on whatever tour you’re heading into. Putting aside all your personal baggage and focusing on making the show feel right, was crazy. It was a crazy tour and a crazy opening show. We are just stoked to be able to wrap it all up back here in Duluth. 

McKenna: You guys tend to sneak some older songs into your set list among your new projects. What has been your favorite song to perform on this tour?

Nathan: It gets harder and harder, and I don’t think we were prepared for that early in our career. To get to this point where we have a bit of a library to pick from is really difficult. You just can’t make everybody happy, it’s the worst part. You are gonna piss somebody off, it’s just inevitable, but you have to embrace that and roll with it. I think there is an interesting thing with the new songs off of Wasteland, on this tour. I guess my favorite song right now is “Yippie Ki Yay.” It’s really a fun song. I kind of get butterflies everytime I play that, which is probably just a fear of messing it up. It is a really demanding piece, so just really embracing that has been really fun on this tour. We also started playing the song “Probably” which is a really slow tempo, acoustic type track, and that has been really special, too. It just has been fun to play the new songs, and get to see how the crowd reacts to them.

Julia: On the same note of tour, you guys have been putting out music and touring for so long. Has there been a favorite part of touring or releasing music that really sticks out for you as a band?

Nathan: Every show is an opportunity to update where you’re at and connect with the fans. We’re always shooting for a moment that means something to you as well as trying to make the ticket price worth it, haha. I think the unity that is achieved when you’re on the road with your friends and you’re tired, working off of a few hours of sleep and way too much coffee, is super special. It is obviously a lot of fun, and there’s that unity that is achieved between the band, friends, and amazing crew that we are lucky enough to work with. It forms this community and comradery that connects us in this sort of familial energy because we are all in the same boat. For me, to thrive off that energy and connect with fans about songs or life off stage is the cherry on top. I know that experience meant so much to me growing up.

McKenna: Going back to the idea that you guys have been doing this for a long time now, what is something that you know now, or have learned, that you wish you knew when you were first starting out as a band? 

Nathan: That is a great question. Ten years is a long time, in the grand scheme of things I know it’s not, but it feels like a long time to have been doing this. I would tell myself to not make mountains out of mole hills, before deciding what you wanna do to be a good human first, and that not trying is worse than failure. I like thinking back about the early days of the band, where we were kind of just riding this wave and new experiences. I would try to emphasize empathy, communication, maybe drink a little bit less, and take better care of yourself. 

Julia: I know you are all Midwest/Minnesota people. When you return home to Minnesota for shows, aside from the actual concerts themselves, we are curious for a little insight on what you look forward to doing when you come back home to Minnesota.

Nathan: I usually b-line it to a grocery store or co-op. Try to get some fruit and fiber, maybe a couple of eggs. Just try to prep for the slow down. It is so easy to get caught up in the mindset of “I’m done with the tour, I’m back home, and I’m just ready to crush it.” But, it’s like yo, you are going to need to slow down. Nobody else here has been on tour with you, so just take it easy and allow yourself to just chill. So that being said, I really try to just get some home cooking done, not go out too much. When I do go out I like to go to this place called Marigold, shoutout Marigold. I don’t drink anymore, and they have a ton of good alcohol subs. It’s become a little refuge for me. I spend a lot of time just at home, getting back to work writing songs, my mental health, my partner, and just home life.

McKenna: Part of what Minneapolis Lens is about and what we are writing for is dedicated to promoting and covering both larger and smaller acts playing around the city. Minneapolis has such an amazing music scene. Who are some smaller or lesser known musicians/artists both on the local and national scene that you enjoy or draw inspiration from? 

Nathan: Well, this weekend we are playing with Miloe and Why Not and those cats have been in the homie circle for a while now. They have become some of our best friends, and seeing their trajectory has been pretty spectacular. We are really looking forward to that and having an all Minnesota roster set up for this weekend. On a more national scale, there is so much out there. One of my favorite records right now is Infinite Spring by Superviolet. It was produced by Zac Little of Saintseneca and it just checks all the boxes for me. It is a perfect record. Another record by Ssaliva called I’m the One with No Soul just blew my mind. 

McKenna: Your new EP, Wasteland has this country influence to it, so can you tell us about what that process looked like in this shift for the new EP?

Nathan: The concept was that we were put in this position where we had to come up with something, be unified about it, and commit to it. I think within the country aspect of the EP, we were striving to paint it in a way that was a bit more meta than it comes across as. Specifically with the song “Yippie Ki Yay,” talking about feeling like we are faking it or phonies. We developed this narrative where we were cowboys but we were fake cowboys. We had never dawned cowboy boots before, we had never roped a steer, and all these things that suddenly have become trendy. The inspiration was that we were put in this position where we were dawned with this hat we wouldn’t normally have had to wear. We wanted a sort of country flavored production or delivery of the songs, but obviously there’s no fiddle, and we aren’t a country band. It’s some sort of country-type music but by a bunch of Minnesotans. 

Mckenna: Coming off of the new EP, Wasteland and wrapping up tour, we are curious if you know what’s next for Hippo Campus?

Nathan: We are taking this summer easy. We are going to be writing next month. We have been working on a new album for the last two years or so. This EP was kind of born out of it. We are trying to just widdle down from 100 songs. We’re just figuring it out day by day, trying to write and record this new album. Hopefully we can get some more plans underway to get on the road soon and share this life experience together with everyone we love. 

Julia: Leading into tomorrow, there is a very large chance of rain at showtime up in Duluth. I know your fans are diehard when it comes to seeing the shows. Rain, heat, snow, they show up, ready to see you guys. We are just wondering if you all have the same mindset, or how it looks for you when maybe the elements start getting in the way of shows?

Nathan: Yeah, as long as everyone is safe. I think more and more with Hippo Campus shows I just feel lucky that they happen. I feel like we are always dealt a weather card every now and then. As long as everyone is safe and considerate of each other, I feel like we can make anything happen, rain or shine. Lightning, I guess that’s the toughy. God willing though the show must and will go on. I know I am not going to shy away from a little rain. 

Julia: Well, thank you so much for hopping on [zoom] to meet with us. We really appreciate it. We are looking forward to the show and will be driving up tomorrow. McKenna is reviewing the show and I am taking photos, so we are very excited. 

Nathan: Sweet! I am excited to see y’all and safe travels. We will see you up in Duluth. Cheers.

McKenna: Yes, thank you! 

Following this interview, Minneapolis Lens covered Hippo Campus’ show at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth on Saturday, June 24th. You can take a look at our photo gallery and read the show review here.

You can also check out a review of Hippo Campus’ latest EP, Wasteland here and listen to it anywhere that you get your music.