Shame + Sorry + Fontaines D.C.
Despite it being a Monday, a rainy Monday, the waterfront ended up being just as packed, hot and sweaty as you’d typically imagine it to be.
Due to Fontaines D.C. being on so early after doors, the floor felt a bit sparse and static. In-spite of this they gave the Waterfront a roaring set of post-punk, the spoken word was carried beautifully by the incredibly alluring Dublin tone of Grian Chatten. This band are one to watch, the threatening combination of punk and great songs works very much in their favour.
The floor got a bit busier, and while there was a buzz of chat coming from the back, Sorry still put their all into a charming performance of what could only be described as light grunge - maybe the type of thing you’d hear floating out of a teenage vegan’s bedroom. The slightly discordant guitars and rumbling bass really carried Asha’s vocals. At times a bit too polite, charming nonetheless, they did not appear as seasoned as the bands sandwiching them.
Two support acts sometimes leaves you feeling a bit musically bloated and aurally fatigued, and unfortunately this was one of those cases. Nevertheless, Shame still brought energy to the room, the special kind; the sort that you feel when what you’re seeing will likely be the last time you see it (in Norwich). Tearing straight into Dust On Trial, Steen left few prisoners, balling the crowd in his palm and shaping them exactly how he wanted. Clearly, they were up for this, Steen arrived intense and energetic and Josh Finerty (bassist) was slinging himself around stage like a pinball (nearly smashing his head on the ceiling at one point). One Rizla elicited a roar of approval- to be expected as it has been repeatedly played on the radio since its release. The raw energy that Steen had on stage was huge, despite being rather formidable and exuding viscerality, he was still capable of slower tenderness (Angie). Altogether, it really demonstrated his capability as a front-man.
Instrumentally, Shame seemed extremely cohesive – the guitars of Green and Coyle-Smith communicated with each other, treading lightly between aggressive overdriven tones and floaty reverb. Finerty’s bass had a giant sound, which coupled with the drumming of Forbes, really played out in a satisfying way.
Shame delivered a blistering set peppered with new tracks, which perhaps lacked the same stamp of approval that the Songs of Praise tunes had- although that is, largely, to be expected. With an intense en core of Concrete, Shame ended the night triumphantly, which is hard to do, especially with Miles Kane and Cabbage on the other side of the city.
