The Band CAMINO – Powerstation: February 19. 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Walking into Auckland’s Powerstation on Thursday 19th Feb, the atmosphere was electric. Nashville-based band The Band CAMINO had arrived in NZ for what was sure to be a jam packed night, and what a night it was. I’m fairly sure this was only their second time in the country, but they impressed us Kiwis to a brilliant extent as they showcased their pop-rock sound.

Before they appeared on stage, openers almost monday came in full force. Knowing a fair bit about this California-based band but being mostly unfamiliar with their music, I wasn’t sure what to expect – but did they deliver in spades. Lead singer Dawson Daugherty grooved around the stage, belting lyrics and exuding effortless charm in the way he and his fellow band members commanded both attention at times amusement. We in the audience went especially wild for their song Jupiter, an upbeat, sun-soaked bop.

The Band Camino themselves exploded into view at 9:20, to much excitement from the crowd. This is technically the NeverAlways tour, celebrating their most recent album release, but throughout the set they made sure that no matter what era of theirs you love most, there was something in it for you.

Jeffery Jordan and Spencer Stewart both killed it vocally, alternating between who took the lead for different songs. Stewart’s first real shining moment was on I Think I Like You, a track from their self-titled EP.

But they didn’t stick to a full band throughout the set. Classic early-career tune Berenstein and the new Hates Me Yet (222) performed in an emotional acoustic format, with the crowd leaning into the sense of yearning that swept the room. The reaction to Berenstein acoustic was in fact so intense the band wondered if they should re-release a live version, to which the answer was an (obvious) emphatic yes.

Another highlight was undoubtedly 2/14. It’s one of their more well-known early tracks, and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

I also cannot forget the fact that they chose to play Afterthought. Dedicated fans (like me) would know that Afterthought has been teased for years at their live gigs, however it was only released properly in December 2025. Knowing that we finally had the capacity to learn all the words, the dancing and singing back to the band exponentially increased in this moment, to stay that way for the rest of the show.

The show’s pace was also worth mentioning – while the changed their style much in the last few years (why mess with a undoubtedly almost perfect formula) it was impressive to hear them switch between albums from song to song, rather than play by era. We bounced from Told You So (a 2023 track) to Haunted (2019) to 1 Last Cigarette (2021) effortlessly, and although not everyone knew every track, the band’s enthusiasm was more than enough to get everyone excited.

Having now seen them live, I’m incredibly surprised that they haven’t come to see us more (and I’m hoping they’ll come again in future). With their electrifying stage presence, intense lyricism and ability to command audiences no matter their level of familiarity with them, it’s extremely clear that if they hadn’t got us before, they’ve definitely captured the hearts of Kiwis now.

Chantal Dalebroux

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk

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The Band CAMINO:

Almost Monday: