The Band CAMINO brings Melbourne into The Dark

Photographs by Jean Ngooi

Riding off the release of their sophomore album, The Band CAMINO brought their highly anticipated Screaming in the Dark Tour to Australian and New Zealand shores for the first time this month. Stopping by Melbourne’s 170 Russell, the indie-rock outfit captivated a sold-out audience on Sunday night.

Earlier in the night as people began pouring into the venue, Newcastle singer KIAN was tasked with warming up the crowd and he most definitely proved that he was up to the task. At only twenty-one, KIAN is already comfortable being on a stage, inciting fans to chant and groove along to his pop tunes. Closing his set with his 2018 breakout hit ‘Waiting’, KIAN’s performance had the crowd happily singing along and left eager for what was to come next.

Composed of members Jeffrey Jordan, Spencer Stewart and Garrison Burgess, The Band CAMINO promptly took to the stage at 9:30 and delved into ‘Afraid of the Dark’. With glow-in-the-dark decals on their guitars and striking purple lighting, the band quickly transported Melbourne into The Dark.

To make the AU/NZ leg of their tour special, the band added ‘Same Page’ and ‘Save My Life’ to the setlist, which had not been performed live before. Moreover, the band’s setlist included a wide variety of songs from the band’s discography, including tracks like ‘2/14’ and their NOTD collaboration ‘Never A Good Time’. Additionally, as their discography varies between Jeff and Spencer's singing, it was electrifying to watch them undertake lead vocals at different times.

Throughout the night, Jeff maintained a steady engagement with the fans between songs, chatting about how grateful they were to be able to travel so far from home to a sold-out show. As the band performed, each song was also accompanied by different pulsating visuals on the screens that enhanced the atmosphere in the room, from the palm trees during ‘California’ to the pink floral patterns in ‘Roses’.

Towards the end of the show, Garrison came out from behind the drum kit to partake in a shoey with an audience member’s shoe, eliciting a loud cheer from the crowd. Finally, the band closed out their infectious set with fan favourites ‘See Through’ and ‘Daphne Blue’.

Travelling across the globe from Nashville to Melbourne, The Band CAMINO has come a long way since their formation in 2015. Performing to a packed room of over a thousand fans, their first show in Melbourne buzzed with excitement and joy. With a loyal Australian fanbase, The Band CAMINO have solidified a place for themselves here that eagerly awaits their return.