📍 Mohawk — Jan. 31, 2026
Written by Perrin Boyd / Photos by Drew Doggett
South London post-punk outfit shame brought their Cutthroat 2026 US Tour to Mohawk in Austin and if you're looking for proof that live music can still feel dangerous and vital, this was it. The British five-piece known for their raw, confrontational sound since bursting onto the scene a decade ago delivered one of the most high-energy, chaotic, and authentic shows I've been to. It was one of the coldest nights in Austin this winter, with temperatures dipping into the 30s, yet the outdoor stage at Mohawk felt like a pressure cooker. The crowd was packed tight, ready to explode, and when things unfolded bodies were flying: crowd surfing, mosh pits forming instantly, chaos taking over.
At the center of it all was lead singer Charlie Steen, a force of nature I'd run through a brick wall for without hesitation. His energy is aggressive yet infectious, a blend of theatrical antics and pure command that pulls everyone into his orbit. Within the first two songs, he was shirtless in the freezing cold and he'd already blown the roof off the place. Steen's stage presence is electrifying: he prowls, he screams, he commands. At one point, he climbed to the balcony for a daring stage dive, launching himself into the sea of hands below, then crowd-surfed back to the stage like it was nothing. His delivery isn't just vocal - it's physical, visceral, turning every lyric into a shared confrontation.
The band's performance was controlled chaos at its finest. Guitarists Eddie Green and Sean Coyle-Smith traded razor-sharp riffs, bassist Josh Finerty locked in the low-end groove, and drummer Charlie Forbes played with a cigarette dangling from his mouth the whole set, unflinching. The bassist even hit a backflip mid-song, adding to the circus-like frenzy without missing a beat. This tour supports their newly released 2025 album Cutthroat (out on Dead Oceans, produced by Grammy-winner John Congleton), which marks a bold return to their aggressive roots while expanding to a sharper, more precise sound, yet still dripping with grit. It's a supercharged evolution from their earlier work, blending post-punk fury with broader influences, and live, it translates into pure adrenaline.
The setlist hit like a series of knockout punches right from the opener, "Axis of Evil," which set the tone with its dark, brooding intensity. They followed with "Concrete," an early classic that blew the top off immediately— from that moment, I knew this was going to be a damn good show. Highlights kept coming: the ferocious "Six Pack," the brooding "Quiet Life" from the new album (a rare moment of introspection amid the storm), and the infectious "Spartak," which had the crowd chanting along to its alt-country-tinged hooks. Every track built on the last, delivering one punch after another, old favorites colliding seamlessly with fresh cuts from Cutthroat.
They closed the night with two absolute favorites: "One Rizla," a fan staple that had the room singing every word, and the title track "Cutthroat." The latter, the first single from the new album, is a biting, character-driven takedown of materialism, selfishness, and the political elite, delivered with Steen's intense, snarling vocals. There's something undeniably catchy about those opening lines: "Big, beautiful, naked women fall out the sky / Motherfucker, I was born to die." A perfect encapsulation of the band's paradoxical mix of nihilism and hooks. As the final notes rang out, the crowd was spent, exhilarated, and united in the aftermath of the mayhem.
shame is a must-see for anyone craving modern punk that feels alive and dangerous. If you're a fan of IDLES or Fontaines D.C., these are absolutely your people - raw, unapologetic, and committed to pushing boundaries without losing the edge. On this freezing Austin night, they reminded everyone why live music still matters: it's not just entertainment; it's catharsis. Catch them if they come near you - you won't regret it.