On the dark and stormy election night of November 5th, Chat Pile brought their phenomenal sound and energy to Thalia Hall, an independent music venue located in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The weather set the tone for the night, with cold, dark, gloomy, and windy conditions throughout the day creating a fitting backdrop for the music to come. Since the show fell on election night, an indescribable tension hung in the air. People around me constantly checked election results or scrolled through their Twitter feeds, adding a layer of anxiety to the night. After an hour-long journey to Thalia Hall, I eagerly anticipated the two opening performances before Chat Pile took the stage.
First up was Porcelain, an Austin-based band signed to Portrayal of Guilt’s label, whom I had recently seen open alongside Soul Glo. Their set kicked off with powerful driving drums and layered guitars, that complemented their sound very well. I particularly enjoyed the vocalist’s distinctive, shouty, and erratic vocal delivery, and how each song’s intensity would shift throughout their set. Some of their songs carried a doom-esque heaviness, which perfectly matched the atmosphere of the night.
Agriculture followed as the second opener of the night, bringing even more intense energy to the stage. Label mates with Chat Pile, they opened the night with loud amp feedback, that immediately jolted me awake, giving me a wakeup call that I still need to purchase ear protection for shows. The guitars were so loud at times that they made my ears ring, which perfectly matched the atmosphere of the night. The guitarist on the right side of the stage enhanced their performance and stage presence by keeping his mouth and tongue out for most of the set, staring into the crowd as he played technical riffs on the guitar. Their set combined fast, technical riffs, intense screams, and melodic sections, along with powerful breakdowns.
Chat Pile took the stage shortly after, with frontman Raygun Busch shirtless, barefoot, and scantily clad in what looked like swim shorts. Before diving into any music, they acknowledged that it was election night, which increased the tension in the already very tense room. They quickly followed this by playing one of the first songs of the night, “Brutal Truth,” a track from their 2021 split with Portrayal of Guilt. Earlier that day, I decided to tweet at them in hopes that they would play it, so when they did, my excitement increased tenfold.
As the set continued, Chat Pile performed “Why,” a song that directly addresses the harsh realities of homelessness in the United States. The repeated line “Why do people have to live outside?” highlights the song’s critique of society and their failure to address this issue. The lyrics challenge listeners by questioning why so many people are left outside without basic support, especially with so many vacant buildings that could provide shelter. The song goes on to highlight the realities of being homeless, with lines like “I’ve never had to push all of my shit around in a shopping cart, have you? Have you ever had ringworm? Scabies? Have you ever had to live outside?” These lyrics serve as a call to listeners, confronting the listener with the brutal reality faced by those who are homeless.
Chat pile put on an incredible set for their show, choosing songs on the fly without a setlist, which kept the show unpredictable. I especially appreciated them doing this, as I have the bad habit of checking setlists before attending shows. The pit was wild with fans tumbling into each other and one person even losing a shoe. As the show came to an end, they joked about how they stopped at Pequod’s but didn’t have time to see the Bean and would have to return. The night then ended with a two-song encore of “Pamela” and “Rainbow Meat.” The band proceeded to joke about their encore, noting that they weren’t sure if any cities would get the same treatment; this one was special as their biggest sold-out show yet.
If you haven’t heard of Chat Pile or experienced them live, I highly recommend catching them on one of their upcoming tours. Their live energy was unbeatable and made for a great concert experience that you would not want to miss.