Chaos, catharsis, and charm - post-punk band shame at Munich's Strom

London post-punk band shame turned Munich's Strom into a boiling point of sound and sweat on the evening of Oct 31st. Known for their raw energy and fearless performances, the five-piece delivered a show that was equal parts chaos, catharsis, and charm.

Formed in 2014, shame have long been one of the most exciting and internationally acclaimed bands of the post-punk revival. Their uncompromising, high-energy live shows have made them a solid force far beyond their hometown of London. Now, they're back louder than ever with their fourth studio album Cutthroat, produced by Grammy-winner John Congleton. The record doesn't ask for permission - it burns, bites, and screams, a merciless soul striptease somewhere between defiance, despair, and rebirth.

"Cutthroat is a joyride. It's for the inexperienced driver - the one who wants to go fast for no reason other than it's fun," the band says of their latest masterpiece. Its lyrics are sharp, direct, and political - yet always laced with shame's trademark self-irony. Musically, the band ventures into new territory: driving synthesizers, electronic loops, rockabilly riffs, and even touches of Portuguese folklore enrich their otherwise gritty post-punk sound.

When shame took the stage at Strom on Halloween night, they did so fully in spirit: each member entered in costume. The bassist, dressed as a nurse, was particularly unrestrained - leaping and racing back and forth across the stage with manic energy. Frontman Charlie Steen--shirtless, intense, and impossible to ignore--commanded the crowd with preacher-like conviction. He leaned into the audience, shouted into faces, and seemed to feed off every bit of noise coming back at him.

The set leaned heavily on their latest record, Food for Worms, with its rawer emotional tone, while older songs like Concrete and One Rizla sent the crowd into joyful chaos. Personally, I found myself drawn more to the older material - more direct, melodic, and charged with that early sense of defiance that first defined the band.

Unfortunately, the sound quality at Strom didn't do shame full justice; the mix was muddy at times, blurring some of the finer details in the band's dynamic interplay. But the raw intensity and emotional honesty cut through regardless, reminding everyone why the band remain one of the most compelling live acts of their generation.

Image: Chaos, catharsis, and charm - post-punk band shame at Munich's Strom