Camper Van Beethoven Concert 40th Anniversary of Telephone Free Landslide Night Two

Night Two of Camper Van Beethoven at The Fillmore

For a band like Camper Van Beethoven, “genre” was never a box to fit into—it was raw material to tear apart and reassemble into something loose, weird, and unmistakably their own. On April 27th, for the second of two nights at The Fillmore, the legendary misfits celebrate the 40th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut, Telephone Free Landslide Victory, an album that warped ska, folk, and psychedelia into a stoned, satirical fever dream.
Released in 1985, Telephone Free Landslide Victory doesn’t just hold up—it still sounds like a middle finger to the idea of music needing to be serious, orderly, or even definable. “Take the Skinheads Bowling”, the record’s gloriously absurd centerpiece, is a rallying cry for outsiders and slackers that still holds the kind of off-kilter charm no one else has managed to recreate. Tracks like “The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon” and “Border Ska” blend instrumental wanderings with surreal storytelling, proving that Camper Van Beethoven was always more interested in creating moods than fitting trends.

The second night of this two-show run promises to go deeper, looser, and maybe a little stranger—because CVB thrives on unpredictability. At The Fillmore, a room steeped in the spirit of experimentation and counterculture, their sprawling, genre-smashing sound will feel like it’s come full circle. Expect old-school diehards up front, newcomers catching the vibe, and a setlist that honors the record while leaving space for some beautifully ragged surprises.
Camper Van Beethoven’s anniversary shows aren’t just about nostalgia; they’re about reminding us that music can still be weird, joyous, and completely unselfconscious. This is the sound of a band who knows they were never meant to fit in—and thank god for that.