The Band CAMINO is bigger and bolder than ever on their Screaming in the Dark Tour, which stopped through Phoenix on Tuesday and set Arizona Financial Theatre aglow under black light.
It’s the trio’s largest-scale run yet, playing arenas and large theaters across the country, so it was the perfect opportunity to bring along fellow alt rock heavy hitters Bad Suns and Charlotte Sands. And it’s also their biggest production to date with video walls and glowing instruments adding drama to the show. Of course we had to be there.
Charlotte Sands played to a fully packed pit to get things started, and the fans went just as wild for her as they did for anyone else that night, a true testament to the enthusiastic fanbase The Band CAMINO has built in just six years. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Sands is a solid performer with a catalog full of bangers and bright blue hair she whips around while on stage. In the span of half a dozen songs (including brand new track “use me” and closer “Dress”), she and her live band set a high bar for the following acts.
Bad Suns, a mainstay in the scene, will always rise to the occasion. Christo Bowman stepped out in a black leather jacket and awash in blue light, and the band launched into “Disappear Here,” “Swimming in the Moonlight,” and “Dancing on Quicksand.” They’re no stranger to Phoenix with a decade plus under their belts, and the crowd was just as familiar with them. Fans sang along with “Cardiac Arrest” and “Daft Pretty Boys” and cheered for the trio as they delivered an energetic set.
All eyes were then on the stage with its huge backdrop that read “The Band CAMINO” in neon blue and a matching drum kit that burned bright orange in the light. And the band emerged like walking glow sticks to combat being “Afraid of the Dark,” the opening number.
For the first part of the set, the band’s prowess was somewhat lost in the production, but a midway acoustic medley was the pivot they needed to really excel during the rest of the show. They’re doing one in every city, but it changes night to night; ours was “Something to Hold Onto,” “Know Me,” a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Back to December,” and “The Black and White.” Spencer Stewart’s vocals really shine in this minimalist context, and Jeffery Jordan commented on how fun it is to just sit back and be a fan of his best friend. Longtime fans appreciated the duo returning to their roots and bringing back older songs to mix in with selections from The Dark, tryhard, and their eponymous album.
After the full band returned to the stage, the mood shifted — they were having fun again. Standouts from the back half were “Novocaine,” “See Through,” and “Roses,” which really captivated the crowd. But you could really feel the fervor during “Told You So” while fans shook their fists in the air and shouted the lyrics louder than the band. The Band CAMINO rode this high energy all the way through their main set and their encore of “I Think I Like You” and “Daphne Blue” (writer’s note: they skipped “Berenstein,” which is going to be hard to forgive) and took their final bow, soaking in the admiration one more time. They’re still on the up, and anyone who’s paying attention can see it.
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Story and photos by Taylor Knauf
