Even before they stepped onstage, it was clear this would be more than a typical tour stop.
It’s been a few weeks since I saw The Band Camino in concert, and it still stands out as the most thoughtfully executed holiday show I’ve seen live.
I attended the show with my aunt — whom I often refer to as my cousin due to our slim age gap – and we were beyond excited to see the trio live after years of waiting.
As fans since 2019, seeing this band live was long overdue for us. Schedules never aligned, and when they finally did, the pandemic cancelled any music festivals we were able to attend where the band was mixed in the lineup of other talented performers.
Set to perform at The Midland Theatre in Kansas City on Oct. 30, we were finally lucky when they made a stop in our hometown, saving us the hours and money of traveling for the next closest show. As if the event wasn’t exciting enough, this was dubbed their first official Halloween show, meaning that fans were encouraged to dress up in costumes, as all the performing acts would be doing the same. Unluckily for us, we didn’t quite get the memo in time.
We arrived at the venue about 20 minutes before the show started and managed to score a view from the second row — directly behind VIP ticketholders — by the time The Band Camino came on. I’d like to think this was due to the dozens of concerts we had experience attending. However, crowd tendencies and etiquette could also be a part of our luck. Upon arrival at the venue, we were able to spot multiple empty spots in the crowd. Immediately, we made our way to a vacant spot in the front, passing people complaining about how far back they were in the crowd.
With my signed vinyl and tour shirt in hand, we enjoyed the opening acts. Each performed a 45-minute set with a 15-minute intermission in between. In Color was the first act to perform, each dressed as characters from “Scooby Doo.” Almost Monday followed, with each member dressed in a costume of their choice.
While waiting for the main act to come on, their pre-show music consisted of instrumentals from the “Wizard of Oz” soundtrack, as we looked around to see their entire crew dressed as the film’s respective characters. Being ever so patient, we look down at our phones and refresh Instagram to see The Band Camino’s drummer, Garrison Burgess, painted silver and dressed as the Tin Man. We all saw it coming, but now it’s setting in how serious they are about the holiday to follow.
The lights went down as we heard “HasJustBegun” play through the speakers in front of us. Soon after, we were faced with the four main characters of Oz: Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Wicked Witch and the Lion as they played the first riff of “Daphne Blue.” The first song I had ever heard from the band.
Beyond their costumes, their performance remained consistent with every prior show they had played on the tour. They exhibited clean and precise live vocals, sounding identical to their studio recordings. Their energy never dipped, and they maintained the momentum of the night from start to finish, despite a 26-song set.
The setlist offered a balanced mix of their discography. Given that the tour is promoting their newest album, “NeverAlways,” they leaned into these tracks the most. However, they integrated older, and even their earliest material as well, to give longtime fans their moments while still pushing their current sound forward.
Their stage production should also never go unnoticed. The venue capacity for The Midland is about 3,000, but the stage setup and lighting design elevated the show to feel like a much larger-scale event. Every lighting cue was intentional, and the visuals added another layer to the performance rather than distracting from it.
Midway through their set, the band performed an acoustic set. The shift in mood instantly made the room feel more intimate, creating a dynamic contrast to the bigger and more high-energy moments we were watching just minutes before. Unfortunately for me, I was overcoming a sinus infection and had a coughing fit during the quietest portion of the entire show. Nonetheless, the band still performed beautifully and enticed the crowd with their cover of “Daisies” by Justin Bieber.
The last third of their set went back to the more upbeat songs The Band Camino fans so dearly love, with every person in the room singing along. This created a full-circle moment, making every person in the audience feel like one big community. The trio was able to make many fans remember what concerts and music are all about in the span of an hour and a half.
Overall, The Band Camino delivered a Halloween show that was fully themed, thoughtfully produced and sonically consistent, which is exactly what fans have come to expect. Finally seeing them live has proved how capable they are of continuing to grow as artists, performers and creators overall. Ultimately, they’re on my “Must See Again” list and I hope that next time I do, it’s in a venue twice as big.