I dragged my feet to see The Band CAMINO last night. The show was my third Tuesday night gig in as many weeks. I was off to The Metro, which really isn’t my favourite venue. They attract buzzy bands, but the sound quality is often subpar, the lighting feels like something from a Tim Burton film, and I’m too old for venues that don’t have a generous amount of seats. Any night out in Sydney usually means arriving home after 1am. I also wasn’t sure I was ready to switch gears after such an incredible time with Matchbox Twenty. But despite my reservations, I made another trip down the highway to Eora/Sydney. I am so glad that I did.

I swear, arriving to a line of 300 or so keen punters snaking around the block did nothing to quell my reservations. But then miraculously we found some seats by the bar, with a clear view of the stage, I got a Young Henrys in my hand, and I started to soften a bit. Support act Kian brought the energy, as did the crowd. I’d listened to a couple of his tracks on Spotify, but I think he’s much better in the live arena. He lapped up the enthusiasm of the crowd and was thoroughly enjoyable.

That crowd’s fervour hit another gear once The Band CAMINO took the stage, and didn’t the US band relish it. This was their first visit to Australia, one that was long-awaited if the audience’s reaction was anything to go by. They jumped around and sang out every lyric, whether the band played tracks from their new album The Dark or a song from their very first EP My Thoughts on You. This is the beauty of seeing a band at this stage of their careers. Plenty of people at the Matchbox Twenty shows probably enjoy singles on the radio so thought they’d come to the shows. I’m sure they had a great time, but most of them couldn’t match the enthusiasm of last night’s crowd. I love being a part of audiences like that, even if most of the punters there are less than half my age.

You can see the way the band appreciates it too. It must be surreal to travel half-way across the world, to a country you’ve never charted, to find such ardent support. They lapped it up and put on such a show. I found myself appreciating their musicianship more than ever before. The rock edge to their material came through a little more in the live space, with guitars taking precedence over the synths. Upbeat bangers dominated the set: I loved hearing songs like “1 Last Cigarette”, “Told You So”, and “What Am I Missing?” live. But honestly it was all so good.

I might have been reluctant to head into the city last night, but The Band CAMINO and their exceptional crowd made it easy to leave my misgivings at the door. I am so glad I pushed through that midweek funk, even if I am exhausted today!

Image source: Stephen Katulka