The Band Camino at the Roundhouse

It’s a Friday night in London and American pop-rockers The Band Camino are playing their biggest international headline show yet. The group, made up of Spencer Stewart, Jeffrey Jordan and Garrison Burgess, are relative newcomers to the scene but have honed their craft well.

There’s no slowing down as they power through their discography, weaving between woozy indie tracks and rockier head-banging tunes. Stewart and Jordan’s voices compliment each other perfectly as they trade lead vocals and alternate guitars and keys. There’s even a bit of mic stand swapping, like some meticulously rehearsed dance. Drummer Burgess, looking suave in a pair of sunglasses, and a touring bassist round off the sound from the back of the stage. Possessing a confidence well beyond the room they’re playing, the band’s simple set-up of instruments and a backdrop of their name adds to the charm. It may be just their third visit to UK shores but years of touring the states have clearly paid off.

Choosing to keep the energy high, they present an 18-track setlist of catchy choruses and fiery guitar riffs. Last Man in the World, their latest single released just hours earlier, is a strong highlight, alongside the falsetto-heavy I Think I Like You. Meanwhile, the vulnerability of the trio’s music, notably in their older tunes, translates beautifully through songs such as My Thoughts on You. There isn’t much time for mid-gig chat, bar band introductions and a shout out to Stewart’s V8 cardigan, as focus remains on delivering an exhilarating and polished performance.

Declaring that they haven’t done an encore in three tours, refusing to allow their audience to “decide if we keep playing because we want to, whether you like it or not”, they close things out in spectacular style with hit Daphne Blue. This is an act with very little to prove; instead, they let the show speak for itself. They don’t care if you like them – they know they’re good. With their intoxicating sound and self-assured stage presence, the future of pop-rock is in safe hands with The Band Camino.

Katherine Parry
Photos: Mike Garnell

For further information and future events visit The Band Camino’s website here.

Watch the video for the single The Last Man in the World here: