“Motherfucker, I was born to die,” screams Shame’s mordant frontman, Charlie Steen, as their appearance at Manchester’s New Century Hall arrives at its conclusion. It’s the climax of an explosive night that ends in a show-stopping stage drive as the South Londoners’ European tour approaches its last leg.
It’ll come as a surprise to many that Shame are still in their 20s. It feels as if the five-piece have been around forever – and in a sense, they have. Coming of age at Brixton pub The Queens Head, also a breeding ground for their South London seniors, Fat White Family, Shame have adapted their sound to keep up with a rapidly changing musical landscape, and have lost none of their force in doing so.
The electronically-charged, Depeche Mode-inspired ‘Axis of Evil’ opens the night to a rabid reception from Shame’s legion of admirers in attendance. The closing track on their September release, Cutthroat – an album brimming with diverse experimentation – it sets a full-throttle pace.
After another two from Cutthroat (‘Nothing Better’ & ‘Cowards Around’), ‘Concrete’ switches up the pace and takes fans back to the bands roots. Based around a tightly wound riff and call-and-response vocals, ‘Concrete’ encapsulates the punky vivacity that first won over listeners on their debut album, Songs of Praise.
“We love Manchester” is a phrase Steen announces at various points throughout the night, each time resulting in an increasingly louder cheer from the already fired-up crowd. Stalking the stage shirtless, with a white neck brace and black sunglasses, Steen controls the crowd with conductor-like precision. Humorous, sardonic, and intense, when it comes to modern frontmen, he’s up there with the best.
Calling into question the pursuit of fulfilment, ‘Alphabet’ blossoms in a live setting. Whether it’s the sharp guitar lines or primal vocals, the track retains Shame’s trademark driving sound while exhibiting the ambition that imbues their sophomore album, Drunk Tank Pink.
A ramshackle rendition of ‘After Party’ further demonstrates the band’s recent electronic-infused direction, and its off-kilter, melodic chorus prompts a sea of swaying arms. With lyrics exploring toxic relationships and escapism, ‘Quiet Life’ delivers the night’s most poignant moment. On the track, Shame show that hating where you’re from is a universal trait, and attack the subject with heartfelt precision.
As ever-energetic bassist Josh Finerty flails around the stage, the crowd grooves to the South American-infused ‘Lampião’. Based on a 20th-century Brazilian bandit, the narrative flair evokes the work of Latin American short story maestros such as Roberto Bolaño and Jorge Luis Borges. A boldly compelling three-and-half-minute romp, ‘Lampião’ marks the high point of Cutthroats’ genre-melding nature.
Food for Worms standout ‘Adderall’ briefly slows the tempo before the spoken-word, sombre chaos of ‘Snow Day’, climaxes with a volley of strobe lights. An atmospheric exploration of anxiety, ‘Snow Day’ blends introspection with an intense, frenetic energy to provide one of the night’s standout moments.
“Thank you so fucking much for tonight, Manchester,” Steen shouts before diving into ‘Cutthroat’. Full of bravado and catchy hooks, the fiery hit is Shame at their most bombastic and fun. It’s an ecstatic finish from a band that consistently manages to impress, and one that leaves the larger-swilling crowd in high spirits. The night felt like something of a full-circle moment that equalled the thrill of seeing Shame for the first time at Leeds’ Brudenell Club, when I, and probably most of the band, were teenagers.
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