Chat Pile Makes Their Sold-out Calgary, AB Debut at Commonwealth
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Chat Pile @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
Chat Pile finally hit Calgary on March 1, selling out Commonwealth and proving that noise rock still packs rooms in this town. The Oklahoma four-piece, riding high on their critically-acclaimed album Cool World, headlined a stacked bill that delivered exactly what the sweaty crowd wanted: volume, catharsis, and surprisingly good stage banter.
The night marked Chat Pile's long-awaited Calgary debut, part of a Canadian tour that's been selling out venues across the country. For a band that emerged from Oklahoma City's underground scene and unexpectedly catapulted to indie fame with 2022's God's Country, these packed Canadian rooms represent the culmination of a decade-long journey. Calgary fans have been waiting patiently, and Commonwealth's capacity crowd proved the appetite for their particular brand of heavy social commentary remains insatiable.
Nightosphere opened the evening, easing us into what would become progressively more chaotic as the night unfolded. Their measured approach to heaviness served as a perfect introduction, with "Poverty Police" emerging as the standout moment from their set. The track's stunning vocals floated effortlessly over dense instrumentation, creating an impressive foundation that set expectations appropriately high for what would follow.
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Nightosphere @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
As Gouge Away took the stage, the energy in Commonwealth shifted dramatically. The Florida hardcore outfit, formed in 2012 and carrying clear influence from post-hardcore royalty like Pixies, The Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, and Unwound, transformed the room's atmosphere from appreciative head-nodding to physical participation. The crowd began to move with increased intensity, reading the room's changing temperature perfectly.
Vocalist Christina Michelle established an immediate connection with the Calgary audience, emphatically declaring it their "favourite show of the tour so far" – a sentiment that felt genuine rather than the standard tour platitude when they backed it up with action. Midway through their set, the band spontaneously added "Uproar," a track from their debut ,Dies that Michelle admitted they "don't really do anymore, but we're doing it anyways because this is such a fun show."
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Gouge Away @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
The highlight of Gouge Away's performance came during "Stuck in a Dream" from their newer release Deep Sage, when Michelle extended her microphone to the crowd, temporarily dissolving the barrier between performer and audience. This gesture catalyzed the evening's first wave of stage diving, and with Commonwealth’s lack of a stage barrier, no instruments (or pedal boards) were safe. As Gouge Away’s guitarist Mick Ford tried to protect his gear while effortlessly flowing from song to song, for longtime followers of Calgary's hardcore scene, it registered as one of the more authentic post-hardcore moments the city has witnessed in recent memory.
Then came the main event. As the room darkened, an unexpected musical choice filtered through Commonwealth's speakers – Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova" (yes, the Austin Powers theme) announced Chat Pile's arrival with incongruous charm. The quartet took the stage with minimal ceremony but maximum presence, immediately launching into "Brutal Truth."
Vocalist Raygun Busch began the performance wearing a "Free Palestine" shirt, but Commonwealth's notoriously overheated environment quickly necessitated wardrobe adjustments. By the second song, Busch had stripped down to shorts only – no shirt, no socks – a practical decision that audience members could relate to as we were all packed like sardines in the crowd…and it was sweaty.
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Chat Pile @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
The band proceeded methodically through highlights from both Cool World and God's Country, including "The New World" and "Shame" before arriving at "Frownland," the Safdie Brothers collaborator Ronald Bronstein-inspired track that showcases Chat Pile's ability to lean into existential dread and exhibit a panic attack in music form that the film also emotes. Each song arrived like a perfectly calibrated sonic assault, the band's tight musicianship belying the chaotic nature of their output.
Between these musical segments, Busch revealed the cinephile personality we'd glimpsed in our pre-show interview (read it here). Commonwealth temporarily transformed into an impromptu film studies lecture as he enthusiastically cataloged Alberta-connected cinema with impressive specificity: Night Breed (filmed in Bragg Creek), Silver Streak (shot in Calgary). The crowd responded in kind, with audience members shouting "Hardcore Logo!" – creating a moment of unexpected cinematic communion.
This film enthusiasm extended beyond stage banter; the band had apparently made a trip to Roughcut Video earlier that day, Calgary's last remaining sanctuary for physical media film devotees. This detail – a touring band seeking out a local institution rather than remaining hotel-bound between soundcheck and performance – speaks to Chat Pile's authentic engagement with the communities they visit.
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Chat Pile @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
What distinguishes Chat Pile isn't just their ability to craft songs exploring societal collapse, homelessness, and addiction, but the remarkable contrast between their apocalyptic output and their genuinely pleasant demeanor. When bassist Stin discovered his instrument wasn't properly coming through guitarist Luther Manhole's monitor – a technical challenge that would trigger tantrums from lesser bands – they simply adapted and continued. No drama, no complaints, just professional musicians managing circumstances while connecting with fans in a meaningful way. While there was a sense of worry from Luther Manhole, he checked in with the audience and asked “Can you all hear the bass out there? As long as you can, that’s all that matters.”
Time constraints prevented an encore, as Commonwealth needed to transform into its nighttime techno iteration (the machinery of commerce grinding ever onward). The set concluded with "Funny Man," triggering the night's most enthusiastic physical response – a cascade of stage dives that seemed to express exactly what the music demanded: bodies in motion, community in chaos, individual expression within collective action.
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Chat Pile @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB
For a city with a healthy but often underserved noise rock community, Chat Pile's sold-out debut felt both validating and vitalizing. The crowd departed sweaty, partially deaf, and substantially eager for more. One hopes their future Canadian itineraries will include another Calgary stop, preferably at a venue that doesn't need to flip to techno immediately afterward, which speaks to the lack of venues Calgary is experiencing in the city. Next time, maybe they'll get to play an encore!
In the meantime, Chat Pile continues their Canadian conquest, bringing their particular brand of societal autopsy to sold-out rooms across the country. If their Commonwealth performance is any indication, these shows aren't just concerts – they're temporary autonomous zones where collective connection is needed. In an era where genuine moments increasingly feel manufactured, Chat Pile delivers something authentically raw. Even when it comes wrapped in Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova,” – very groovy, baby.
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Chat Pile @ Commonwealth, Calgary AB