There’s something about a sold-out room at Powerstation that makes everything feel slightly feral in the best way. Low ceilings, sweat on the walls, and a crowd that showed up early and stayed loud. By the time Almost Monday finished their set, Auckland was already warmed up properly, all glossy indie-pop hooks and sun-soaked energy. They were the perfect opening act: tight, charismatic, and just the right level of “you’re about to have a very good night”.
Then came The Band CAMINO, and from the first notes of “HasJustBegun” it was clear this wasn’t going to be a polite, nod-your-head-along kind of gig. The room was full to the edges, bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder, and the band wasted no time leaning into the drama of it all. “Daphne Blue” and “Infinity” landed early, and just like that, the entire floor was a choir.
They’re not a band that over-talks. In fact, they barely spoke at all, but when they did, it mattered. A few dry asides, some self-deprecating jokes about forgetting lyrics after a couple of months off tour, and that was enough. It felt intentional. No waffle, no forced crowd work. Just songs doing the heavy lifting.
“Hush Hush” and “Stupid Questions” hit with that slick, emotionally-charged punch they’ve mastered, glossy on the surface, but just unhinged enough underneath to feel honest. “I Think I Like You” and “Roses” had the room swaying in that half-dreamy, half-screaming way that only happens when everyone knows every word. You could feel it in your ribs.
Mid-set highlights came thick and fast. “2/14” and “Know Me” kept the momentum high, while “Song About You” and “Afterthought” turned the atmosphere softer, more introspective. And then “Baggy Jeans” jolted things right back up again, a reminder that they’re just as good at sharp-edged pop-rock as they are at slow-burn heartbreak.
The acoustic moment during “Berenstein” was a reset. Stripped back, vulnerable, the kind of song that makes a big room feel suddenly tiny. It was one of the only times you could genuinely hear the space breathe.
From there, the run towards the finale felt relentless. “Hates Me Yet (222)” and “What Am I Missing?” reignited the chaos, “Heaven” soared, and “Never A Good Time”, their collaboration with NOTD, brought that euphoric, hands-in-the-air release.
By the time they tore through “Told You So”, “Haunted”, and “1 Last Cigarette”, the crowd had fully given themselves over. “See Through” and “What I Want” closed things out on a high that felt both triumphant and slightly desperate, like nobody was quite ready for it to end.
What makes The Band CAMINO so compelling live isn’t flashy production or over-the-top theatrics. It’s precision. It’s restraint. It’s knowing when to step back and let 1,000 voices do the work for you. They trust their songs, and their audience trusts them right back.
Powerstation has seen its fair share of big nights, but this one felt particularly charged. No gimmicks. No over-explaining. Just a band, a room, and a setlist stacked with songs that clearly mean something.
And honestly? After two months off tour, if forgetting a lyric or two is the worst that happens, we’ll take it.
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