SHAME gave us a new page of post-punk in our hands and we cut our fingers. – Rockon.it

Article by Serena Lotti | Photo by Andrea Ripamonti

Last night's performance by SHAME in Santeria Milan, the only Italian stop on their tour was an elbow in the stomach but without breaking the intra-abdominal structures. A caress in a fist Adriano Celentano would have said.

Logically, Shame should be a rusty grater that scrapes your flesh but the band is used to disregarding expectations and now I'll explain why. From the pubs of South London, Shame quickly wrote a new page in the history of English punk rockadding brutal aggression to the picture with delirious and explosive live performances.

With albums like Songs of Praise, Drunk Tank Pink and the most recent Cutthroathave demonstrated a constant sonic evolution, moving away from roughness to promote and welcome a more composed structure and a note of melancholy, thus being able to get closer to bands of the caliber of Idle And Fontaines DC.

Charlie Steen between sarcasm and depth

In Italy for a single unmissable date, on the occasion of the release of their new album Cutthroatproduced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen), the Windmill Brixton quintet presents itself on a warm autumn evening at the highest level. We could only imagine them by looking for them among the trees of the Kozel Carroponte and the cast iron beams at the opening of the Fontaines DC last June, but we quickly forgot the ugliness of that evening. Who was there knows.

Made up of the enthralling frontman Charlie Steen in a gold glittery half-suit, ecclesiastical collar and bare-chested (the parallel with Sebastian Murphy of Viagra Boys is inevitable but here there is less paunch and zero tattoos), accompanied by a decidedly sharp rhythm section, Shame are very good at balancing youthful pump-up and sarcasm with interesting depth on social issues and personal turmoil.

Coming from the London popular music scene it's no surprise that even on the Santeria stage they feel comfortable making things happen on their own terms, it's part of their DNA. And finally we can enjoy them.

La Scaletta: the electropop assault of the new album

The live opens with six songs in sequence by Cutthroat, among which it stands out Axis of Evilwhich stands out for its powerful electropop backdrop and punchy use of synths. The rhythmic dynamics, driven by the drums of Charlie Forbes and from the sharp bass of Josh Finertythey create the perfect atmosphere in pieces like Nothing Better And Cowards Around. The latter, with its focus on social injustice, highlights the expressive strength of Charlie Steen's vocal performance, confirming the band's ability to combine energy and content.

From the spleen of the Smiths to the Post-Punk of the future

Shame are not afraid of balance their bravado with the tenderness it hides. More melancholic and reflective moments with ballads Spartak And Quiet Lifethey make this human Falcon slow down without losing the mood.

This twilight spleen, which certainly draws from the Smiths' legacy, is the key to their success and distinguishes them from many post-punk contemporariesbecause it puts them in search of a new order, a new meaning of life.

The ending is an assault. Shame finish with the hat-trick Water In The Well, Angie and the last, the delusional Cutthroatthe song that also gives its name to the album, it's Shame at their best: brash, bold, assholeish. Steen throws himself into the audience but the stage diver is a little shy and he immediately goes back on stage to be consoled by the pounding bass of Josh Finerty and Kasabian influences.

Shame: children of the here and now

Shame are children of immediacy, chest and package sticking out, lungs full of air and hard balls, but with enough pop soul not to be ghosted by the audience at the next concert. Live in Santeria? Fresh, fun, engaging and never boring. In summary, if the current post-punk scene offers a lot of black poetry, the five from Windmill Brixton also promise a bold introspection that will also be adolescent and for us light years away from the problems of the “grown-ups”, since it is expertly controlled, it is very capable of punching us in the face and making us have fun at the same time.

In short, with 90 minutes, the English quintet proved to be frenetic but cohesive, combining their musical ability with a strong and credible stage presence. To conclude, Shame are an incredibly catchy band to follow because they know how to interpret themselves in ever-changing guises and whatever your favorite version, remember the promise they will make to you: the nastier the pit, the more love will be dispensed on stage because once you experience the irrepressible confidence that Shame offers, it will be difficult not to chase that truth and that comfort zone forever.

Click here to see photos of SHAME in Milan or browse the gallery below.

SHAME – The setlist of the Milan concert

1. Axis of Evil
2. Spartak
3. Nothing Better
4. Lampão
5. Cowards Around
6. Snowday
7. Concrete
8. Born In Luton
9. Tasteless
10. One Rizla
11. Fingers of Steel
12. Adderall
13. Plaster
14. Water In The Well
15. Alphabet
16. Angie
17. After party
18. Cutthroat