There’s a moment at a Shanghai Treason show where the line between band and crowd completely dissolves. Pints are raised, feet are moving, and whatever weight you walked in carrying gets traded, at least temporarily, for sweat, laughter, and noise. Rooted in Sheffield and unapologetically working class, Shanghai Treason’s self-described “Yorkshire flatcap banjo punk” blends high-octane folk instrumentation with punk urgency and sharp political instincts. They don’t separate joy from conviction. They weaponize both. What follows is a conversation about energy, humour, grief, community, and why sometimes the most serious songs are best delivered with a grin and a raised glass.
SNQLX: If someone walks into a Shanghai Treason show knowing absolutely nothing about you, what’s the first feeling you hope hits them before they even clock the lyrics?
ST: Who’s that chubby c**t bouncing around.
SNQLX: “Yorkshire flatcap banjo punk” feels equal parts serious and tongue-in-cheek. How did that description come about, and why does it still feel right?
ST: Got it off ChatGPT
SNQLX: Shanghai Treason is a name that made me do a double take. What’s the story behind it, and how early did you know it fit the band you were becoming?
ST: Band name generator
SNQLX: Your songs feel made for movement. When you’re writing, are you picturing a crowd losing their minds, or does that energy only really come alive once you’re onstage?
ST: I like to write them in my pants and feel the full energy of the song flowing through my body.
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