About us

The Shabs are a folk-punk band originally from Cape Town, South Africa, now based in the UK.

Since forming in 2012, they’ve gigged extensively across South Africa, the UK, and Europe, earning a reputation for their tight, high-energy live shows that blend melodic sing-along folk with the raw energy and DIY ethos of punk rock. Drawing influence from artists like PUP, Frank Turner, The Front Bottoms, and Against Me!, The Shabs deliver heartfelt, anthemic tunes that are honest, raw, and deeply relatable - guaranteed to get fists in the air and voices singing along.

Their debut album, Folk Is Dead (2016), introduced their infectious brand of folk-punk and was followed by relentless touring across South Africa and more than ten successful UK and European tours, including standout performances at Lost Evenings, Mighty Sounds, No Borders No Nations, Great Escape, Vale Earth Fair, Waidhofen, and Ziva Ulice.

In 2018, they released a split album, Deja View, with South African folk-punk legends Rambling Bones, followed by their second full-length record, Can You Hear Us At The Back (2019) via Just Music.

Despite the pandemic halting their 2020 European tour only 5 dates in, The Shabs continued creating - releasing new singles and writing much of their new studio album. By 2022, they were back on the road for two European tours, releasing singles through Mongrel Records and reconnecting with their international fanbase.

After relocating to the UK in 2023, the band has entrenched themselves in the London punk scene, toured across Europe, performed at festivals such as Chaos and Vale Earth Fair, and shared stages with Dub Pistols, Big Special, and Dodgy.

Their new album Half Dead is set for release in March 2026. It’s a collection of songs capturing the energy and headspace of a band trying to adapt to the damaged, post-pandemic world around them with positivity, love and empathy. A band that believes in who they are, what they do, and that their music can contribute towards a brighter future.