Caamp, the indie-folk band that got its start playing coffee shops around Ohio University before climbing to the top of Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay chart, headlines a sold-out show at the Schottenstein Center on Saturday, August 29. But hours before Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall take the main stage, five Central Ohio acts will get their own moment in the spotlight at a free tailgate party just outside the arena doors.
The tailgate, hosted on the Schottenstein Center's East Plaza, is organized by the nonprofit Music Columbus in partnership with Caamp and venue operator Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Unlike the concert itself, which is sold out, the outdoor event requires no ticket and is open to the public. Published start times for the plaza event have varied slightly across promotional materials, with some listing 2 p.m. and others citing 3 p.m., though the Dispatch reports the lineup runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Doors to the arena open at 6 p.m. ahead of Caamp's 7 p.m. set, the Dispatch reports, with opening acts Arcy Drive and the Sam Fribush Organ Trio also on the bill inside. Outside, the tailgate lineup spans genres: rock jam band Spitcurl opens at 3 p.m., followed by indie folk act Ramblewood, country-folk performer Moe Reen, hip-hop and electronic artist KMB in rotating sets, and indie rock and Americana group Gardener closing out the afternoon at 5:15 p.m., per the Dispatch's rundown of the schedule.
A Homecoming Rooted in Athens Coffee Shops
Caamp's path to a sold-out arena started far from the big stage. Meier and Westfall, both Upper Arlington High School alumni, began performing together at coffee shops in Athens while attending Ohio University in 2013, according to background reported by The Bluegrass Situation. The duo released a self-titled debut album in 2016 and expanded into a full indie-folk group after their song “Ohio” found viral streaming success.
The band's climb up the charts followed. Its 2019 single “Peach Fuzz” and 2022's “Believe” both reached No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay chart, while the 2019 album *By and By* topped the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, per entity background compiled by Mom+Pop Music. Caamp released its third studio album, *Lavender Days*, in June 2022 under that same label.
The Venue Behind the Sellout
Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center opened on Ohio State University's campus in November 1998 and remains the largest arena by seating capacity in the Big Ten Conference, holding up to 20,000 spectators for concerts, according to background from the university. The 770,000-square-foot facility also hosts OSU basketball, hockey, and other major touring shows throughout the year.
The arena and downtown's Nationwide Arena operate under a shared management partnership called Columbus Arena Sports & Entertainment, which pools resources across Ohio State, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nationwide Insurance. That structure is what allowed CASE to co-promote Saturday's tailgate alongside Music Columbus.
Why Music Columbus Is Betting on the Tailgate
Music Columbus, the nonprofit hosting the plaza event, works to build what it calls a thriving local music community and supports musicians trying to build sustainable careers. Led by Executive Director Amy Holihan, the organization runs career resources, financial workshops, and showcase programs such as “The Unheard” and “Better Together,” according to WOSU Public Media. It also partners with PageTech as part of its broader mission.
That mission carries real economic weight. A music economic impact report highlighted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club in November 2025 found the industry generates more than $1.3 billion in total economic output for Columbus annually and supports over 9,200 full-time jobs. Yet the 2023 Greater Columbus Music Census, conducted by Sound Music Cities and Music Columbus, found local musicians derive on average only about 20% of their total income from music — a gap the census attributes to a regional shortage of performance venues and industry support.
The free tailgate gives five working local acts a shot at exposure to a crowd that will number in the thousands. This year also marks Music Columbus's 10th anniversary, and the organization plans to sell exclusive anniversary merchandise alongside Caamp pop-up items at the plaza event, which will also include food trucks and cornhole and other outdoor games.
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