With just three shows left to go in 2025 for The Band Camino, they made their way to Haarlem on December 14 to close off the year with a bang. After their shows in the UK the previous days, the Tennessee trio made their way to mainland Europe, in honor of the July release of their third album NeverAlways.
The queue had started extraordinarily early for Haarlem’s Patronaat, a sign the fans are exceedingly excited to get to hear The Band Camino play their long setlist of 21 songs. Add to it that the Nashville based band hadn’t been to Europe in 2.5 years, and the last show they did in Amsterdam had seen Jeffery Jordan in vocal trouble, and the anticipation for tonight’s show is understandably sky-high.
Before the fans get to see their favorites, we get treated to a set by support act Quarters (who earlier this year dropped the ‘of Change’ from their name). The New Yorkers manage to mesmerize the fans with some of their longer songs, offering a complete escape from reality for the duration of their set. Because of the longer song durations, the worlds they form through their music are all the more immersive. The storytelling of the indie rock band is a great precursor to the headliners, making it something of a double feature with how cinematic both acts feel.
The suspense rising every second after Quarters left the stage, the tone is immediately set for the entire set when The Band Camino starts out with “Daphne Blue.” There’s such a happy and hopeful feeling to the way they perform. The comparison with The 1975 is easily made, where The Band Camino has a contagiously positive vibe compared to the British band’s melancholia. Not that the Americans don’t get a little more wistful in their songs, which they show in the quieter/acoustic part of the setlist through songs like “Berenstein” and “Karaoke.” The aforementioned song is, rightfully so, a big crowd favorite, and has the fans listening to them in awe.
While the acoustic portion was a welcome change of pace for a couple of songs, the brighter songs of the setlist are the absolute highlights of the set. With the crowd happily waving their arms along to “Roses,” and dancing their hearts out during every song. Songs like “I Think I Like You” and the new “Baggy Jeans” add some much needed color and optimism to this cold and dark December night. Spencer Stewart and Jeffery Jordan take turns being lead vocalist, which makes the concert feel more diverse as well. With the hour and a half long set, starting with the more keyboard-heavy songs, the acoustic songs and a more guitar-heavy end, there’s a little bit for everyone to enjoy.
Just because the men have a very sunny disposition, doesn’t mean the songs don’t carry any emotional weight. Heavily featuring NeverAlways songs (playing nine songs off it), they have gone through a lot of growth in their songwriting, showing more vulnerability in their lyrics. While the acoustic songs are (maybe obviously so) more filled with feelings of longing and yearning, there’s plenty of heartfelt moments and storytelling to be found in the more upbeat tunes like “12:34” or “Limbo” as well. The band proves having a positive attitude doesn’t have to mean a lack of depth. They created a brighter world through their music, without sacrificing meaning, which is probably a huge part of The Band Camino’s allure.
For most attendees, this was the last show of the year, and they couldn’t have asked for a better ending to 2025. The American men more than made up for their absence for the last 2.5 years. The Band Camino will do two more shows in Germany, ending this leg in Berlin on December 17. The Band Camino will go on their Australian tour in February, and tickets for those shows are still available on https://www.thebandcamino.com/tour/.
GALLERY: The Band Camino with Quarters at Patronaat in Haarlem, Netherlands (December 14, 2025)
