The last time I can remember a band playing two sets in the same Welsh venue on the same night because the first gig sold out in nano seconds, was when Electric Six added a matinee show to their scheduled Barfly appearance just as ‘Danger! High Voltage’ exploded all over the nations’ music video channels (remember those) around about 20 years ago. Tonight, though that’s exactly what Canadian punk metallers Cancer Bats are doing for their most intimate (and obviously sold out) show/s on Welsh soil since their days of them also playing that same legendary (and sadly long since closed) downstairs bar in the heart of Cardiff city centre.

“Up close and personal” is always going to be the order of proceedings for the hundred or so of us lucky souls who managed to snap up a ticket for one (or perhaps even both) of tonight’s shows, and with the prospect of a two-band double slam dunk ahead of them it’s totally understandable that Le Pub need to run a tight ship here tonight.

So, it’s at 7:45 precisely that Southampton hardcore crossover outfit Grove Street are let off the leash with their own brand of metal meets hardcore by way of a hint of rap, and I can’t help but have a smile on my face that stretches from Town to George St bridge. That’s because there’s tonnes of chugging metal riffage to keep the headbangers happy, lashings of double time aggression to kick off the first circle pit of the night and yes that really is a lyric lift from Grandmaster Flash in the middle of ‘Lessons of The Past’. Grove Street look like they weren’t even born when some of tonight’s audience would have been first launching themselves off the nearby Newport Centre’s stage to the likes of Nuclear Assault, Dark Angel, and Sepultura, but the young guns can hold their heads high knowing that their performance tonight had more than one of my mates yelling in my ear that they reminded them of Suicidal Tendencies. I shall certainly be keeping an eye out for the band’s debut album ‘The Path To Righteousness’ when it’s released in September. 

“The best thing about being Welsh has surely got to be you have a dragon on your flag” quips Cancer Bats frontman Liam Cormier mid set during the briefest of moments of between song respite, before adding “tonight we are going double fucking dragon on you guys, so who is with me?”

It’s been quite some time since I’ve crossed paths with Cancer Bats on the live front it’s certainly the first time I’ve seen them since guitarist Scott Middleton left their ranks, and Covid break aside I’m not exactly sure why. It’s great to see that nothing has really changed in that time though, Cormier is still the consummate showman cajoling, teasing, and maybe even terrorising the audience in equal parts, whilst his trio of bandmates literally pummel our senses into a mush thanks to their ridiculously heavy and indeed LOUD sound, and these guys do it night after night, and yes of course, twice nightly if need be.

I’ll also rather awkwardly admit that I’ve yet to add a copy of the band’s current album ‘Psychic Jailbreak’ to my Cancer Bats’ collection, but as one of the highlights in tonight’s set just happens to be ‘Radiate’ that album’s opener, I’ll most certainly be putting this matter to right first thing tomorrow.

The Cancer Bats I first fell in love though has always possessed the near perfect blend of stoner groove and punk rock attitude and there’s a point tonight where towards the end of their hour long set they unleash, ‘Hail Destroyer’, (their cover of) ‘Sabotage’, Bricks and Mortar’ and ‘Lucifer’s Rocking Chair’ all in quick succession and it feels like I’ve been swept up in some maelstrom of heavy metal excellence. It’s the near perfect way to get those with tickets all salivating for the band’s second set, but sadly I’m not one of those.  So, at 9:45 exactly, I’m out the venue doors and on my way home green with envy for those lucky enough to be sticking around for the band’s late-night set.

Nights like these are very special indeed, make sure you take the time to experience them whilst you still can.  

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Author: Johnny ‘Double Dragon’ Hayward