Seeing The Band Camino Solo: A Religious Experience
By Kinsley Rapier
I am running late. It is 6:45 and the show is scheduled to begin at 7. All hope of getting a spot close to the front is gone. At this point, I will be happy if I can just make it inside before the openers go on. My friends drop me off and I rush to locate the security line outside the venue to secure my entry into the concert. All of the anxiety and stress that I had been feeling about this trip had led up to this moment. Did I make it in time to see the openers? Would I be spending the entirety of the concert behind some tall guy, craning my neck just to catch a glimpse of my favorite band? Was I going to have a good time despite coming alone?
The Opening Acts: Charlotte Sands and Bad Suns
As I walk into the dimly lit concert hall, my eyes adjust and I realize that not only did I make it before the openers began their sets but the floor is only a quarter of the way full! I circle around to the right side of the venue and wiggle my way towards the front of the crowd. Somehow I manage to get just a few feet away from the barricade separating the crush of people from the band. Suddenly the lights go out and Charlotte Sands, a punk looking girl with vibrant blue hair, walks out onto the stage. The crowd erupts into excitement as the night that so many had been waiting for has finally begun.
After some impressive vocals and engaging crowd work, Charlotte Sands’ set ends and it is Bad Suns turn to take the stage. More people in the crowd seem to be familiar with the second opener and the energy in the room starts to amplify. The crowd is buzzing. Jumping up and down, everyone sings their hearts out to the last two songs on the set list; Cardiac Arrest and Daft Pretty Boys. By now, my vocal cords are warmed up and my emotions are rapidly escalating. Bad Suns are incredible performers, but the crowd is ready for the show that we came for.
The Band Camino: Screaming In the Dark
The concert hall is dark, but the stage is glowing orange, blue, and green. The faint smell of someone’s vape briefly covers the odor of sweat that was worked up during the opening sets. The room is hushed by the premonition of The Band Camino’s inevitable entry. A deep chord is struck on Jeffery’s guitar which reverberates through my chest and rises out as a feral scream. The lights reflect the crowd’s energy and begin to flash chaotically in all directions. At last, Spencer, Jeffery, and Garrison make their way onto the stage. The first verse of Afraid of the Dark begins to play. The song is not only the inspiration for the title of The Band Camino’s latest album, but also the entire tour’s namesake.
Bubbling over with joy and a slew of other emotions, I sing along with Spencer. The glow from the black lights combined with the harshness of the lasers and spotlights melds into one vibrant haze. A persistent ringing begins to surface in my ears and it does not go away for hours after the concert. The loud beat of Garrison’s drums pound through the ground into my feet. I feel the rhythm of the music in the bouncing and bumping of the bodies around me. The crowd has given in completely to the collective insanity as we continue to scream for the next two and a half hours.
Screaming In The Dark is The Band Camino’s third headlining tour. They have released three full-length albums that coincide with each tour. The Band Camino was started by Jeffery Jordan and Spencer Stewart in 2015 while they were both college students at the University of Memphis. Since then, they have added Garrison Burgess as their drummer. While the band is mainly grouped into the pop-rock genre, many of their songs branch out into neighboring sounds. Rock, alternative, pop, and punk lovers alike can come together to enjoy The Band Camino’s music. Give them a listen when you get the chance. You may just find that they could become your favorite band!
Experiencing The Band Camino live was a dream come true for me. On top of that, doing it by myself was more empowering than I ever could have known! The great thing about living so close to the nation’s capital is that opportunities like this pass through all the time. Give or take some traffic, Washington D.C. is a three and a half hour drive from Buena Vista. With over 38 concert venues, you can always find shows that fit your interests. So get out of BV, and experience something new! You can go with friends or go alone and make friends along the way.
For information about upcoming events in D.C., you can visit the capital’s event website, linked here.
