Monday nights are for early dinners and regrets, not 2005 pop punk resurrection ceremonies.

Twenty years of Chroma. On a school night, and the room was heaving. This Wildlife opened and, despite a few early sound hiccups, had the crowd properly locked in within minutes.

Cartel hit the stage and went straight for the throat. No fluff, no dramatic intro, just straight into Chroma in full, front to back, like it’s 2005 and your fringe is doing the heavy lifting.

From the jump, the room was locked in. “Say Anything (Else)” hit and it was bodies moving, arms up, grown adults screaming lyrics they probably learned off a burned CD. “Honestly” into “Runaway” back-to-back felt borderline unfair. Banger after banger, no breathing room, just pure, uncut pop punk serotonin.

Will Pugh is different gravy. There are plenty of good voices in this genre, but his tone, especially live, cuts through in a way that feels effortless. No strain, no gimmicks. Just clarity and conviction, with a band behind him that still plays like they mean it.

They wrapped the album, rolled straight into another five or six tracks. No fake encore routine, which I rate, and even dusted off “The Ransom,” a deep cut they joked they barely remember how to play.

Twenty years on and it still doesn’t feel like a nostalgia act.

Ten out of ten. Bloody loved it.

Cartel – Australian Tour 2026
Monday 23 February 2026 – Stay Gold – Melbourne, VIC
Wednesday 25 February 2026 – The Gov – Adelaide, SA
Friday 27 February 2026 – Waves – Wollongong, NSW

Tickets on sale now

REVIEW: Cartel - Stay Gold, Melbourne