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.
Polaris Long List 2026: The Funny Hats and Heavy Hitters inside the Annual Canadian Music Cage Match
By Glenn Alderson
From Angine de Poitrine's global takeover to new records from Kaytranada, PUP, and Charlotte Day Wilson, these are the nominees.
By Sofia Dawson
On you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, pop’s resident sad girl chronicles the downfall of her happily ever after.
By Gökçe On
Welcome back sleazeball summer.
By Sofia Dawson
The Toronto-born songstress finds A Little Vengeance on her fourth album.
By Glenn Alderson
Magazine finds meaning in brevity, condensing ten songs into an 11-minute burst of controlled chaos.
By Christina Rankin
The teenage punk band is turning riot grrrl chaos into something bigger than the scene that raised them.
By Sofia Dawson
The Calgary singer-songwriter finds clarity with “Eyes Wide Shut.”
By Sydney Eliot
Kesha, Wet Leg, and Lorde were among the heavy hitters at the second edition of the Toronto festival.
By Stephan Boissonneault
After years on the road, the Montreal five-piece have transformed from pandemic side project into one of Canada's most thrilling live acts.
By Matt Wallace
The one-day multi-venue festival proves that some of the city’s best discoveries happen off the beaten path.
