Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
THE CHATS to Release New LP HALF CUT March 5, 2027
The Australian punk trio follows North American dates with Social Distortion and Descendents with a 17-date Australian tour.
Five years after releasing Get fed, Australian punk trio THE CHATS are back with their third studio album, Half Cut, arriving March 5, 2027 via Virgin Music Group. The announcement comes on the heels of a North American tour alongside Social Distortion and Descendents, as well as performances at Coachella 2026.
The Chats offer the first taste of Half Cut with 'Off It,' accompanied by a new music video. Serving as the album's opening track, the single sets the tone for the band's next chapter, delivering the irreverent energy and unmistakably Australian attitude that have made them a global punk phenomenon.
'Half Cut is a fun rock and roll record, but it's maybe a little more open than stuff we've written in the past,' says vocalist Eamon Sandwith. 'I definitely hesitate to use the word 'mature,' but it's a bit of a progression, I'd say.'
Recorded at Los Angeles' Maple Sound Studio with Frenzal Rhomb's Jay Whalley, the new LP sees The Chats' sound shuffle into more expansive territory without losing any of its signature Australian lyricism, as evidenced by track titles 'Half Arsed,' 'Hanging s,' and 'Brown Bottle Flu.' An exploration of hangovers, confrontation, reconciliation, and even rehabilitation, Half Cut is as introspective as The Chats have ever been.
A fair bit can change in five years. Since releasing 2022's Get fed, The Chats have toured rather relentlessly for a trio who kicked off their career without a plan or a passport. They've supported Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, and The Hives across multiple continents, made their Coachella debut this year, and most recently traversed North America alongside Social Distortion and Descendents. Along the way, they've progressed from teenage upstarts to slightly more world-weary 27-year-olds, a transformation that comes with its own realizations and maturations, even if the band might hesitate to call it that.
Probably best known for their 2017 song 'Smoko' — a track that can legitimately lay claim to the term 'viral' — the Sunshine Coast trio have since proven themselves to be a once-in-a-generation band. A standalone entity that's become a bullish rebuttal to the claim that Australia has 'no culture,' The Chats have established themselves as a musical force, winning over audiences at home and around the world.
This November, The Chats will return to their home turf for a 17-date Australian tour, hitting intimate venues across the country and getting closely reacquainted with local audiences ahead of Half Cut's March 2027 release.
THE CHATS — AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2026
November 13 – Brisbane, QLD @ Crowbar
November 14 – Brisbane, QLD @ Crowbar
November 15 – Frankston, VIC @ Singing Bird
November 19 – Sydney, NSW @ Crowbar
November 20 – Sydney, NSW @ Crowbar
November 21 – Sydney, NSW @ Crowbar
November 26 – Melbourne, VIC @ The Tote
November 27 – Melbourne, VIC @ The Tote
November 28 – Melbourne, VIC @ The Tote
December 4 – Hobart, TAS @ Altar
December 5 – Devonport, TAS @ Forth Pub
December 6 – Perth, TAS @ Royal Oak
December 9 – Adelaide, SA @ Jive
December 10 – Adelaide, SA @ Lion Arts Factory
December 11 – Scarborough, WA @ Indian Ocean Hotel
December 12 – Perth, WA @ Rosemount Hotel
December 13 – Perth, WA @ Rosemount Hotel
Photo Credit: Jamie Borghesani (@whitetrashjohnnycash)
Photo Credit: Jamie Borghesani (@whitetrashjohnnycash)
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