Whether it's a bar or a festival, right in front of the stage or crowd, Londoners can usually find Bev Camp grooving and jamming in his signature cowboy boots.

For the past couple of years, Camp has garnered local recognition and has become a signature aspect of the London music scene. Camp, known as The Dancing Cowboy by Londoners, celebrated his 80th birthday at Palasad Social Bowl on Saturday.

“He’s one of those familiar faces you come to expect at live music nights…He’s become part of the atmosphere during our live music events,” said Marty Novak, the Operations Director at Palasad Social Bowl, in an emailed statement.

In an interview, Camp shared his love for dance and the impact it has had on his life. “I had a lot of that kind of troubled life. So, dance has always been there for me to pull me through.”

Camp began dancing out in public after separating from his wife of 30 years. Dance was a way for him to start over, and now he finds joy through dancing, he shared.

“I've met so many people through dancing. It's such a wonderful contact. Nothing like being out and seeing all these happy faces.”

The birthday celebration included live music performances from a variety of local bands picked out by Camp, including Twin-Fin, Betamaxx, The Stetsons and The Jesse James Medicine Show.

On a Facebook event post shared by Betamaxx, one of the bands that played at the event, over 500 people responded as interested in attending.

Camp shared that Palasad Social Bowl has been hosting his birthday party for the past three years. “They pay for it every year. The Palasad puts it on, hosts it for me, pays for the bands.”

Dana Macabe, lead vocalist of Twin-Fin, recalls being asked by Camp at his 79th birthday last year to play for the “big one.”

“What an honour,” said MacCabe.

Over the years, Camp has become not just a figure known in the London music community but one that seems to shape it.

“There’s a local saying that wherever Bev is, that’s where the show is,” shared Paul Wickerson, the guitarist of Twin-Fin.

Wickerson also emphasized that people like Camp, who bring the “energy” through dancing, help make it easier for new bands to become engaged when playing shows.

“He sends a lot of energy to all the bands that perform live around London.”

Camp spent most of the night on the dance floor, giving this “energy” to the bands on stage. Between tapping his boots and moving to the music, Camp also spent plenty of his time greeting friends and attendees of the event.

It wasn’t uncommon to see Camp posing for a photo or hugging someone tightly throughout the evening.

Party-goers even set up a birthday message jar, aptly named “Bev’s Big Bucket of Love,” for Camp to take home with him after the event.

The birthday party also included two cakes to help celebrate the occasion. Although Camp joked, “I’m not a big cake fan.”

At Camp’s request, the cakes fittingly had written on them, “Still staying in this saddle, 80 years young."