CHAT PILE // THE HIRS COLLECTIVE // Live @ Chalk, Brighton // 20.04.2025

Chat Pile released Cool World on The Flenser last year – one of our favourite records of 2024. And following an extensive run of dates in the US, kicked off a four week UK and European tour with a set at the legendary Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Holland. They then made a quick trip over the North Sea for a run of five British shows, starting with this one on the south-coast in Brighton’s Chalk venue. Joining the Oklahoma City natives were The HIRS Collective from Philadelphia, who had also just played the Roadburn Festival.

+HIRS+ hit the Brighton stage to a packed venue for a 30 minute explosion of experimental heavy music, blasting through a set of frenetic Grind-core – with the ferocity often broken up with samples from a myriad of Pop-songs from the likes of EMF and C+C Music Factory. The live set was performed by vocalist Jenna Pup and guitarist Scott ‘Esem’, backed with a drum machine and sampler. With the avant-garde nature of their performance going down extremely well with the Brighton crowd.

The HIRS Collective warmed the evening up nicely, and when Chat Pile arrived on stage at 9pm, the crowd were more than ready to go. And they were treated to an hour long set of high energy Hardcore-Sludge Metal and Noise Rock, which had the venue bouncing for the duration. Chat Pile delivered a set with a selection of their best songs from Cool World, including ‘Shame,’ Funny Man’ and ‘Frownland’ – alongside a host of prime cuts from 2022s debut God’s Country, including ‘Wicked Puppet Dance,’ ‘Pamela’ and the crowd pleasing ‘Why.’

They also played a song from their 2021 split EP with Portrayal of Guilt, before closing out with a fine cover of Nirvana’s ‘Scentless Apprentice.’ Chat Pile are a great live act with a style that wraps around the sumptuous bass tone of Stin – which clatters and rolls in perfect unison with drummer Cap’n Ron. This allows the down-tuned guitar of Luthor Manhole to experiment over the top, while vocalist Raygun Busch is a charismatic front-man, who has nailed his own brand of humorous in-between-song patter. Engaging with the crowd on this night by showcasing his knowledge of movies filmed in and around Brighton – as well as conveying his support for those currently finding themselves marginalised in mainstream society. KZ

Words / Photos / Videos – by Abstrakt_Soul