Uncut Collective Media
Cartel’s Chroma Turns 20: A Triumphant Celebration of Pop-Rock Nostalgia at The Van Buren
October 16, 2025 • by Phyoe Thaung
Cartel’s Chroma turns twenty this year, and before unveiling any new music, the Georgia-bred quartet hit the road to honor the record that defined a generation of mid-2000s pop-rock. The Phoenix stop at The Van Buren—joined by Hunny and Macseal—felt less like a nostalgia trip and more like a reminder of how timeless Chroma still sounds.
Long Island’s Macseal opened the night with shimmering guitars and earnest charm, channeling the kind of heart-on-sleeve indie that owes plenty to Cartel’s melodic fingerprints. Their performance carried a breezy confidence that had the early crowd nodding along in rhythm. Between songs, they paid open homage to Cartel as one of their earliest influences—a moment that drew cheers and a few misty-eyed grins from the audience.
Then came California’s Hunny, who brought the room to life with radiant, synth-laced pop-rock energy. Frontman Jason Yarger’s charisma turned the set into a communal singalong, the kind that collapses the gap between band and crowd. By the time they launched into “I Can See My House From Here,” The Van Buren had transformed into a dance floor lit by nostalgia and joy.
When Cartel finally took the stage, it felt like the return of old friends rather than a reunion act. The band wasted no time, kicking off with “Let’s Go” and “Faster Ride” before diving headfirst into Chroma in its entirety. Every lyric was shouted back by a crowd that clearly grew up with this record—an album that helped define an era of youthful urgency and melodic precision.
After the last notes of Chroma rang out, Cartel treated Phoenix to an encore featuring “The Perfect Mistake” and “Deep South,” closing the night on a euphoric high. With whispers of new music on the horizon, the show felt like both a celebration and a new beginning—proof that Cartel’s influence hasn’t just endured; it’s still evolving.