One of the most exciting shows to come to town this year will be at the Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine featuring two of the most significant punk bands to emerge in recent years: Stockholm, Sweden’s Viagra Boys and London’s shame (stylized with a lowercase S), along with Los Angeles band Kills Birds. All three bands have received plenty of critical acclaim and come with proper intensity and inventiveness.
Viagra Boys has developed somewhat of a cult following since its 2018 debut Street Worms. The band’s style features post-punk power with catchy danceable drums and synth lines along with The Stooges’ Fun House-eluding saxophone wails, while singer Sebastian Murphy delivers lines that are simultaneously intense and nonchalant. The band has since released two more well-received records: 2021’s Welfare Jazz and this year’s alt-right lampooning Cave World. The records feature appearances from Amyl and The Sniffers’ Amy Taylor and Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson respectively.
shame’s first album Songs of Praise also debuted in 2018 charting across Europe. 2021’s Drunk Tank Pink, named after a color used to calm aggressive behavior, charted at No. 8 on the United Kingdom’s Official Albums Chart. Exploding with energy and a fresh take on punk ethos, shame seems to be expanding in scope and building on their momentum.
Kills Birds will kick things off. Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is a fan, and the band’s new album Married was recorded on the same console as Nirvana’s Nevermind at Dave Grohl’s home studio.
Viagra Boys and shame play Woodward Theater at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Kills Birds opens the show. There are no known COVID-19 protocols in place for the event. Info: woodwardtheater.com.
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