The Spitters deliver short, sharp garage-punk set at Le Pub, Newport

# What happened

# General Waste: gritty but hampered General Waste opened the evening. Their lead singer, Olivia Williams, was unwell but the band delivered a noisy, promising racket. The reviewer suggested the group could sharpen into something stronger with a fully fit lineup.

# Bad News First: theatrical delivery Bad News First fared well on the bill. Frontman Alex Borsay prowled the stage and occasionally moved into the crowd, delivering vocals compared to a mix of Joe Talbot and Mike Skinner. Guitarist Tomrge Melhuish, described as 'Giant Haystacks-esque', stayed mostly static while chopping out riffs. The set balanced energy and showmanship.

# The Spitters: compact, punchy garage-punk Brutal — a concise, 2:40 blast typical of classic punk form. Across 15 songs they maintained speed and urgency, rarely lingering. The band was described as lean and tight, with no excess: short songs, direct arrangements, and a driving rhythm.

Lead singer Maxime Richard stood out visually, sporting a mullet and moustache and delivering the vocal attack in a voice and posture that made him seem at home on a Welsh stage. Bassist Sloog moved animatedly around the platform, while drummer Dorian Lahar-Cazale laid down thunderous beats rather than subtle fills. Occasional songs extended into longer, more psychedelic workouts, but the prevailing impression was of focused garage rock intensity.

The set closed with 'I Can Call The Bomb', which kicked off with a Ramones-style "1-2-3-4!" rallying call — a fitting short-form punk sign-off.

# Tone and influences The reviewer positioned The Spitters stylistically near bands like The Hives: high-energy garage rock with tight arrangements and a lean sound. Their performance was described as having "more energy than a can of Monster" and little excess, favoring punch over ornamentation.

# Venue and date The show took place at Le Public Space, Newport, on Friday 25 September. The write-up included words and photos by Paul Windsor.

# Practical takeaways

• If you want rapid, direct garage-punk with occasional psychedelic detours, The Spitters' live set reflects that approach.
• Expect short songs, high speed, and a rhythm-driven attack rather than extended solos or theatrical staging.

# Closing note The night offered a compact snapshot of contemporary punk-adjacent live performance: brief, physical songs delivered with intensity and a minimal aesthetic that keeps the focus on momentum and volume.