Live Review + Gallery | shame @ O2 Forum Kentish Town

Matt Wellham

After years of photographing and filming the London music scene, Matt’s now based in Sydney, Australia. A lover of the post-punk and alternative movement, he can usually be found in the grassroots venues, camera in one hand and a beer in the other.

Seven years, four albums and a bucket load of experience under their belts, shame return to London to unleash a setlist that cherry picks their very best

I first moved to London in 2018 and, two weeks before my move, South London’s shame released their debut record ‘Songs of Praise’. What followed over the next seven years was the soundtrack to my twenties and now early thirties. Across four albums, shame’s sound has matured as I have, keeping them ever-relevant in my life. Now, years later, I’m back again, seeing them tour this year’s offering: ‘Cutthroat’.

As the local pubs bustled with punters, people finally put their pints down and filtered into the O2 Forum Kentish Town. The old art-deco cinema, washed in splashes of red, blue and gold, heaved as the audience buzzed in anticipation.

When the lights dimmed, the electronic introduction to ‘Axis of Evil’ sparked into life. A huge “SHAME” backdrop flickered into view, its cut-out lettering glowing as the lights shone through. It cast a looming silhouette across the stage, exactly the kind of bold visual statement shame have built their live reputation on.

After three songs, they launched into ‘Concrete’ and ‘Tasteless’, two nostalgia-inducing cuts from their debut. Frontman Charlie Steen leaned over the edge of the stage, snarling “I like you better when you’re not around” into the front row. Known for his unshakeable stage presence, Steen lived up to the hype: pacing the stage, lifting the mic stand high above his head and commanding the crowd’s attention.

Behind him, the rest of the band were just as captivating. During ‘Six Pack’, bassist Josh Finerty tore around the stage, bouncing high into the air while ripping through dirty, distorted basslines.

For this hometown show, shame curated a beautifully balanced setlist that celebrated the best of all four albums. ‘Adderall’ delivered a compassionate, slow-burn moment that pulled the room into a swaying chant, while ‘Water in the Well’ ignited a flowing circle pit, its frantic energy crashing through the venue.

My personal highlight was the slow-burner ‘Angie’. Written after Steen’s father shared a story about a childhood crush who died by suicide, it captured the raw, emotive delivery that fuels some of shame’s finest work. It’s becoming a cult classic for the band: intimate verses blooming into a soaring chorus and cathartic outro. It has everything you want from a great post-punk track and hearing it live adds a whole new dimension. There’s moments where you can cry, reflect, scream, or crowd-surf across a sea of moshers.

As the night neared its end, the band tore into this year’s single ‘Cutthroat’. The instant the riff kicked in, the room surged forward as everyone piled in for one last dance. Steen didn’t hold back, spitting every lyric before hurling himself into the crowd and surfing all the way to the pit. The room erupted, providing one of the night’s most striking moments.

I’m lucky enough to have seen shame six times now – on a tiny boat at an album launch party, under secret names at The Windmill and The George Tavern and at some of London’s most iconic venues. Every time, they’ve delivered an exhilarating, all-in performance that’s impossible not to get swept up in. They soundtracked my twenties and, at this rate, they’ll keep soundtracking my thirties too.