Shame have announced that they will take a hiatus after playing their remaining shows in support of ‘Cutthroat’.
The South London band confirmed the decision in a statement shared on Instagram yesterday (August 28).
“After an incredible year touring ‘Cutthroat’, meeting so many new people and being afforded the privilege of travelling the world performing our music, we are reaching the last few shows of this record’s touring schedule,” they wrote. “After that, we’re going to take a little break.
“This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, however we think it’s best for us as individuals and as a band to take some time off… and believe us when we say, we will be back badder and better than ever to deliver you all the fifth Shame record of your dreams.”
They explained that they had considered not publicly announcing the break, but believed that they owed their fans an explanation.
“This is by no means a goodbye, it’s a see you later,” they concluded. “Lots of love.”
The band most recently performed at Green Man in Wales on August 21, and they will now play three final UK shows in Huddersfield, Sheffield and Manchester before beginning their break. Find any remaining tickets here.
Shame’s remaining 2026 live dates are:
SEPTEMBER
2 – Huddersfield, The Parish
3 – Sheffield, Crookes Social Club
4 – Manchester, Projekts Skatepark
‘Cutthroat’ was released in September last year via Dead Oceans and it saw the band incorporate electronic music, jangle-pop and spaghetti-western influences into their established post-punk sound.
Speaking to NME ahead of its release, frontman Charlie Steen said he had intended the record to be an outward-looking piece of social commentary.
“The album doesn’t have a direct political mission behind it – it’s more social commentary than anything else – but the type of person I’m asking about is easy to find at the moment,” he explained.
“You don’t have to look far for seedy characters, for cowards and hypocrites – in life, or on this record. I wanted to write looking outward rather than inward, and this is what I saw.”
The record also arrived after Shame reached a new audience while supporting Fontaines D.C. – a reversal of the groups’ earlier touring relationship, given that the Irish band had previously supported Shame.
NME awarded ‘Cutthroat’ four stars, writing: “‘Cutthroat’ is at its most intriguing when it showcases the band’s depth and multi-faceted nature. In addition to the electronic elements (‘To And Fro’, ‘After Party’), there’s also the artsy spaghetti-western pastiche of ‘Lampião’ and the pristine jangle-pop of ‘Spartak’.
“They’re risky, sure, but they also meld with Shame’s idiosyncrasies enough to remain identifiably them.”
Earlier this year, Steen went viral after recounting how he defecated in a lift while drunk. He framed the anecdote as “a story about friendship”, explaining that one of the band’s managers helped him clean up the aftermath.
