There is no better way to celebrate Pie and Beer Day than a Caamp concert. On Thursday night, the American folk band took the stage at Granary Live in Salt Lake City, delivering a performance that made sweating through your shirt completely worth it.
Fans of all ages braved the scorching Utah heat, lining up early in hopes of snagging a spot close to the stage. Sporting Chacos, jorts, and bandanas, the crowd sought shade and sat down on the venue ground to avoid the heat as much as possible.
Chicago-based band Whitney kicked off the evening with their signature blend of soul-infused folk rock. With clear 70’s influences, their smooth sound had the audience grooving from the start.
Lead vocalist and drummer Julien Ehrlich had a quirky charm, drawing laughs from the audience with his goofy banter in between songs. The band’s set featured some of their hits, along with a newly released track and several unreleased songs. Toward the end of their performance, the members of Caamp joined Whitney on stage to raise a toast before stepping off, letting Whitney finish their set.
After 30 minutes of waiting in anticipation, the audience went wild as Caamp emerged onto the stage, diving straight into their newest album Copper Changes Color with the hit “Millions.” The crowd danced along as the guitar picked up, cheering whenever the band jammed together.
Their show also featured songs from older EPs and albums including Boys, By and By, Lavender Days, Somewhere, and their self-titled record Caamp.
Upbeat crowd favorites appeared to be “26” and “No Sleep,” with Caamp fans jumping and dancing along enthusiastically as frontman Taylor Meier approached the front of the stage, feeding off of their energy.
Slower tunes were also part of the mix as Meiers took a seat at the front of the stage for the acoustic track “Shade.” Fans at the barricade had the best view in the house, eagerly singing along and capturing the moment on their phones.
The singer joined his bandmates, sitting on the steps of the stage for “Wolf Song,” before standing to kick off one of the night’s many standout covers.
As the opening notes of Oasis’s “Live Forever” played, the audience erupted with cheers. The energy only escalated from there with a rendition of Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream.”
And just when it seemed the night couldn’t get any wilder, the crowd went absolutely wild as Backseat Lover’s own KJ Ward, introduced by Taylor as a “monumental creature in this community”, joined him on stage for a stunning acoustic cover of Fleetwood Mac’s classic “Landslide.”
Despite the heat and several technical difficulties, the band played an amazing show.
“This is truly f—king amazing. You’re bringing smiles to my face,” Meiers said.
Caamp closed out their set with a few more fan favorites, including one of their biggest hits, “All the Debts I Owe.” Taylor watched in awe as the crowd sang along to every word.