THE CHATS LIVE!! | RITZ

Coverage by Chris Sturk

The Chats Bring Pure Australian Punk Fury to The Ritz in Raleigh

The Chats, a punk rock force straight out of Queensland, Australia, made their Raleigh debut at The Ritz in support of Social Distortion—and they wasted absolutely no time showing North Carolina exactly what Australian punk is all about. This was my first time ever hearing of the band, and they hit the stage like a rocket, blasting through their set with a level of intensity that felt like stepping back into the gritty, sweat‑soaked basements where punk rock was born.

Formed in 2016/2017, The Chats have quickly carved out their own lane with two full‑length albums: High Risk Behaviour (2020) and Get Fucked (2022). Their sound is unapologetically raw—loud, fast, abrasive, and proudly unpolished. It’s punk rock in its purest form, stripped of theatrics and delivered with a ferocity that feels both nostalgic and refreshing.

Lead singer Eamon Zambia Sandwith commanded the stage with a wild, full‑throttle vocal performance. He didn’t hold back for a second, throwing himself into every lyric with the kind of commitment that makes you believe he’d sing the same way whether he was in front of 1,200 people or five friends in a garage. The band’s stage presence was chaotic in the best way—jumping, yelling, thrashing, and keeping the crowd locked in from start to finish.

Even though their set was short, The Chats made every minute count. Their energy never dipped, their attitude never softened, and their delivery never wavered. It was the kind of performance that reminds you what punk rock is supposed to feel like: loud, fast, messy, and absolutely alive.

For me, this was a first‑time experience—and a damn good one. Their music transported me back to the classic punk shows of the ’90s, the ones tucked away in basements off side streets in Boston where it was just the band, the fans, and the raw electricity of the moment. No filters, no polish, no pretense. Just punk rock.

If you want to be reminded of how old‑school punk ,or how the band calls it “SHED ROCK”, was done—and how it should still be done—The Chats are the band to check out. RAW, unfiltered, and 100% punk rock.