By David O’Neill
Another Saturday night trip to The Patriot Home of Rock in Crumlin saw a meeting of seasoned riff merchants and fresh-faced upstarts, as Black Spiders returned for their third local appearance in under a year, this time joined by the nascent but already formidable The Cartoon Cartel.
For The Cartoon Cartel, this was only their second-ever live outing, yet you wouldn’t have guessed it from the sheer confidence and volume they brought to the stage. The trio – featuring Blind River alumni Dan Edwards (guitar/vocals) and Mark Sharpless (drums), alongside frontman Tommy Smith (vocals/guitar) – wasted no time in making their presence felt. Their setlist, still in its formative stages, opened with ‘Whittle It Down’ and included working titles like ‘Second Song,’ ‘Third Song,’ and ‘New One’ – a sign of a band still finding its different sonic identity but already packing a serious punch.
Tommy Smith handled most of the vocal duties, his delivery gritty and commanding, while Edwards took the mic for one track, adding a different shade to the band’s sludgy, riff-heavy sound. The set’s highlight was an expansive, doom-laden jam that showcased their chemistry and willingness to push boundaries. One track on the setlist included the word Soundgarden but again this was just another way of the band knowing the track rather than it actually being a Soundgarden song was a respectful nod to their influences and a crowd-pleaser, delivered with enough heft to appreciate the influences.
Despite the embryonic state of their material, The Cartoon Cartel’s pedigree shone through. The riffs were thick and ferocious, the rhythm section relentless, and the overall energy infectious. Their closing number, ‘Going Out,’ capped a set that left the audience in no doubt: this is a band with serious potential, well worth keeping an eye on as their catalogue and confidence grow.
Black Spiders took the stage as returning heroes, having played both the Steelhouse Festival and The Patriot in recent months. Despite a surprisingly sparse crowd-perhaps a hangover from the venue’s recent heavy schedule-the band refused to let the subdued atmosphere dampen their spirits. Frontman Pete Spiby worked overtime to engage the audience, and the band’s 65-minute set was a masterclass in hard rock perseverance.
Their setlist leaned heavily on tracks from their latest album, ‘Cvrses‘, with opener ‘Never Enough’ immediately setting the tone with its anthemic choruses and muscular riffs. Newer tracks like ‘Tom Petty’s Lips’ and ‘No Superman’ sat comfortably alongside fan favourites, while staples like ‘Hot Wheels’ and the ever-popular ‘Kiss Tried to Kill Me’ ensured the faithful were well catered for.
As ever, the band’s trademark humour surfaced during the mid-set singalong, though the ‘Fuck You Black Spiders’ refrain felt a touch wearier than usual-a sign, perhaps, of the band’s own awareness of their repeated returns to this corner of Wales. Nevertheless, the final run of songs, especially the closing anthem, reignited the crowd and provided a rousing finish.
While the audience numbers may have been lower than expected, both bands delivered sets of real substance. Cartoon Cartel impressed with their raw energy and promise, laying down a marker for future gigs. Black Spiders, meanwhile, proved once again why they remain a live force, their blend of new material and old favourites ensuring that, even on a quieter night, the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll was alive and well at The Patriot.
- PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © Bandtogs/Über Rock.
