By Megan Magdalena
A sold-out night at the Vogue Theatre brought Warped Tour memories roaring back.
Pique's Fall Edition Fuses Underground Sounds and Artistic Vision
From Chippy Nonstop to cinematic unions and cyber-goth grooves, the Ottawa multi-arts festival goes all in on the unexpected.
by Melissa Brassard
Pictured (L-R): XICADA, Chippy Nonstop, Otis
- Published on
Ottawa’s boldest cultural mashup is back. On September 27, 2025, Pique once again transforms Arts Court into a multi-level, multi-sensory playground for the curious, the adventurous, and the just-plain-ready-to-dance. Produced by Debaser, the quarterly festival fuses experimental music, visual art, film, and performance into a single-day, pay-what-you-can blowout that feels more like a citywide block party compressed into one building.
Across 10 stages and spaces, expect everything from maximalist rave chaos courtesy of Chippy Nonstop to the lush, eco-conscious soundscapes of Rani Jambak (Indonesia), hyperreal pop experiments from the Netherlands’ No Plexus, and the cyber-goth theatricality of XICADA. Local heat comes from high-energy selector esme2k, breakbeat wizard Infatuation, and sensual synth artist PARTYGIRL, plus a takeover by community platform Pieces of Us.
Not just about the beats, Pique also partners with the Ottawa International Animation Festival for interactive art, screens the Ottawa debut of UNION—a gripping doc on Amazon warehouse workers organizing—and offers the whimsical Owls Club Music Hour for kids and the young-at-heart.
For the big-thinkers, Topique returns with panels, workshops, and talks tackling topics like community-powered radio, labour rights in the arts, and sonic ecology—free with your Pique ticket.
With its PWYC model and new Sustainability Fund, every ticket helps keep Ottawa’s independent arts scene thriving—so grab yours now at thisispique.com/tickets and get ready for an unforgettable day of sound, vision, and connection.
By Stephan Boissonneault
With There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light, the veteran vocalist leans into intimate, searching folk.
By Sam Hendriks
A refined turn toward clarity reveals Melody Prochet at her most grounded and assured.
