Pile w/ Witches Wedding & wilburn
Schedule
Tue, 31 Mar, 2026 at 08:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
404 East Michigan Avenue Paw Paw, MI 49079-1407 | Paw Paw, MI
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PileMarch 31, 2026
doors 7PM / music 8PM
Sunshine and Balance Beams, Pile’s ninth album, alchemizes metaphors with its title. The first: finding happiness in nature and oneself. Second: the woozy posture one must strike to stay afloat in commercial society. These concepts seem antithetical—“But they might actually be the same thing,” hints guitarist, songwriter and singer Rick Maguire. On its newest record, Pile weaves a Sisyphean fable concerned with labor and living. “The fulfillment I receive from pursuing art has been a guiding force for me,” says Maguire. “But it can be damaging when that pursuit teases capitalist expectations of where you might be able to go, and then doesn’t square with the reality that follows.” Pile presents this parable with jagged guitars, sputtering drum bombast, eerie synths and aqueous strings, with panoramic production and loud-quiet dynamism matching the emotionality of the band’s thunderous performances.
Pile formed in 2007 as Maguire’s solo outlet, soon joined by time-warping drummer Kris Kuss (in 2009) and fuzzed-yet-melodic bassist Matt Connery (in 2010), among other friends; with its explosively intricate take on heavy music, the band found devoted fans amid Boston’s bustling punk scene. Since then, Pile’s released eight acclaimed albums, each showcasing different facets of its members’ talents. Dripping, the post-hardcore 2012 breakthrough, encapsulated the frenetic power of epic basement gigs. 2017’s A Hairshirt of Purpose twisted Pile’s angularities for greater clarity, incorporating strings without losing menace. Connery’s temporary departure after this record brought respected engineer and peer Alex Molini in on bass; the electronic experimentalism of All Fiction (2023) deepened the production relationship between Maguire and Molini, proving the band’s exploratory commitment as lifelong. That doesn’t scratch Pile’s dozen other releases, including B-side compilations, outtake EPs, demo cassettes, and live reworkings. They’ve earned a reputation as workhorses, crafting thought-provoking riffs while maintaining a tour schedule of international headlining, festival slots, and support for legendary and likeminded artists like Jesus Lizard and Cursive.
Their accomplishments are numerous, but the bandmates’ lives extend outside the tour van. “I’ve had to do a lot of unlearning when it comes to the ego-trap of capitalism,” admits Maguire. “Money and recognition are helpful tools, but the pursuit of those things for their own sake is somebody else’s idea.” And so Sunshine and Balance Beams drew influence from rejecting expectations. “A lot of the story came through trying to enjoy my life—connecting with people and animals, experiencing the world through art, being in nature, cooking food, exercising, talking about ideas.” He joined a basketball league, relishing the physical exhaustion and camaraderie, connecting with his dad over game recaps. It helped him escape the headspace of “Rick from Pile”—a nickname-turned-solo moniker—and work on being Rick. Separating his personhood from his job let Maguire explore workaholism, the myth of meritocracy, and acceptance of mortality—all through a devilish allegory of trudging through a shadowy forest towards the uncertain dream of a bright clearing.
***THIS SHOW IS IN THE THEATER ON THE 2ND FLOOR — ACCESSIBLE ONLY BY STAIRS.We dearly want to add an elevator to this historic building once we have the means.***
Purchase Tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/servlet/s/38221417
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Where is it happening?
404 East Michigan Avenue Paw Paw, MI 49079-1407, 404 E Michigan Ave, Paw Paw, MI 49079-1407, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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