LIVE REVIEW: The Band CAMINO – New Century Hall, Manchester – 10/12/2025

By the time The Band CAMINO stepped onstage in Manchester, the room was already buzzing with that unmistakable pre-headliner electricity, the kind that crackles when a crowd knows it’s about to lose its voice. Earlier, Quarters had done more than just warm things up, laying down a set of moody, tightly-wound alt-pop that crept under the skin and set the emotional tone for the night. When The Band CAMINO finally arrived, they did so with arena-sized hooks and a laser-focused confidence, sounding slick but never sterile as they turned the venue into a sweat-soaked, shout-every-word release. This wasn’t just another tour stop; it felt like a band levelling up in real time, and Manchester was more than happy to be dragged along for the ride.

Quarters hit the stage with a restless, kinetic energy that immediately set them apart, throwing themselves into the set like a band determined to make every minute count. There were genuinely strong songs in there too: hooky, emotionally-charged cuts that landed well when the mix allowed them to breathe but persistent sound issues kept threatening to derail the momentum. Feedback squealed between songs, and more than once the vocals were swallowed by the room, leaving key lines frustratingly out of reach for the crowd. Still, Quarters powered through with admirable commitment, and even with the technical hiccups, they showed enough spark to suggest this won’t be the last time Manchester hears their name.

Then, as a recording of HasJustBegun rolled out, The Band CAMINO finally took the stage, a perfectly judged opener given it also sets the tone for their latest record, NeverAlways. Having reviewed the album myself, it felt like a deep-cut gamble I never expected to pay off live, making it a genuine thrill not just for me but for the pockets of fans around the room who immediately clocked what was happening. Without pause, the band slammed straight into fan-favourite Daphne Blue, riding the surge of energy so hard that Jeffery Jordan actually snapped a guitar string mid-vibe, laughing that it was only one song in and Manchester had already brought it. From there, newer cuts Infinity and Stupid Questions landed with real weight, hitting just as hard as anything in their back catalogue and proving that NeverAlways isn’t just surviving in a live setting, it’s thriving, every bit as impactful as the records that came before it.

Leaning back into the catalogue, I Think I Like You and Roses pushed the night into genuinely ridiculous territory, the crowd hitting a volume that felt impossible for a room this size. New Century Hall isn’t exactly intimate, but this was arena-level stuff: full-throated, arms-in-the-air anthem singing that threatened to lift the roof clean off. The sense of shared history between band and audience only deepened when The Band CAMINO rolled out Afterthought, their latest release. For long-time fans, it felt like a moment years in the making; a song that had lived in setlists long before it ever saw an official release, now finally getting its victory lap. Hearing the crowd roar back every word, just as loudly as they always had, felt like a win for a fanbase that had begged, waited, and ultimately been rewarded.

The pace softened noticeably as The Band CAMINO pulled things back for acoustic takes on Berenstein and Hates Me Yet (222), carving out a rare pocket of stillness in an otherwise high-energy set. Stripped of their usual gloss, both songs took on a deeper emotional weight, every lyric clearer, every ache lingering a little longer as the crowd leaned in, trading shouts for hushed singalongs. It was a reminder of the band’s knack for emotional precision as much as pop immediacy. That introspective moment was swiftly undercut by the bounce of What Am I Missing?, tee’d up with the tongue-in-cheek admission that it was “still a breakup song, just a faster one,” drawing laughs before the venue snapped back into movement, proving The Band CAMINO can pivot from vulnerability to velocity without missing a beat.

From there, the set rolled on in a blur of pure good vibes, the kind of stretch where the band and crowd lock in and everything feels effortless. Heaven and the NOTD collaboration Never A Good Time kept the energy buoyant, bodies moving and smiles everywhere, while Limbo brought a slick, dance-forward pulse that turned the floor into something closer to a club than a concert hall. Told You So leaned into The Band CAMINO’s knack for bittersweet pop, and by the time Haunted arrived, the room was fully immersed, swaying and shouting in equal measure. It was that mid-set sweet spot where time stops mattering and the night simply carries you along.

As the set barreled toward its conclusion, things took a turn that was less chaotic and more downright surreal. The Band CAMINO have never positioned themselves as a heavy band in the traditional sense; their impact comes from emotionally-loaded lyrics and sleek alt-pop melodies that encourage mass singalongs rather than physical collisions. So when a small cluster of fans nearby began trying to open up a mosh pit during closing tracks 1 Last Cigarette and See Through, it caught a lot of people (myself included) completely off guard.

Having spent plenty of time in genuinely heavy rooms, moshing itself doesn’t faze me, and I can usually spot it coming a mile off. Here, though, it felt wildly out of place, prompting confused glances and nervous laughs from those caught on the edge of it. The energy behind it was good-natured rather than aggressive, and the whole thing landed as more amusing than disruptive, a strange collision of vibes that somehow worked in the moment. It was bizarre, unexpected, and undeniably memorable, a final reminder that Manchester crowds will always find a way to put their own stamp on a show.

All told, The Band CAMINO’s Manchester date felt like a band operating at full confidence, delivering a set that balanced emotional depth, crowd-pleasing chaos and genuine surprise in equal measure. From the euphoric singalongs and long-awaited fan victories to the quieter, more vulnerable moments and even the oddly charming chaos of a would-be mosh pit, the night captured everything that makes The Band CAMINO such a compelling live act. It was polished without feeling distant, heartfelt without ever tipping into melodrama, the kind of show that leaves you hoarse, smiling, and reminded exactly why this band continues to connect so deeply with their audience.

Words by Ell Bradbury