Shonen Knife

Posted by Nick Larzalere on October 29th, 2009 at 8:55 AM

/ 4 Comments

To See Rating 6.5/10
Just Curious Rating 5/10

Band Members

Naoko Yamano – Vocal, Guitar
Etsuko Nakanishi – Drums, Vocal
Ritsuko Taneda – Bass, Vocal

Eighteen years after opening for Nirvana during their UK tour and Shonen Knife is starting to show their age. While Naoko Yamano is the only original member of the trio left, she continues to write cute songs about cute things. Their songs are still the perfect mix of J-pop and Ramones-flavored punk, but is just a continuation what made them special, not an advancement. Despite this, Shonen Knife still knows how to put on an amazing stage show, and they played to a sold out Tractor Tavern.

The most jarring thing about this show was that almost the entire audience was middle-aged. I was surrounded by people with hair going gray or balding. Their age didn’t stop the audience from enjoying the show, with most of them moving around and some were pogoing. While I originally thought that the floor would empty a little after Visqueen, the supporting act, but it was packed the entire night–no one was going to miss this show.

Shonen Knife has still got it. They came out wearing their bright primary colored outfits from the cover of their latest album, Super Group. Throwing in the occasional windmill and other stage flourishes, it was never boring watching the three of them play. But something happened halfway through their set. While it was not boring to watch, it wasn’t exciting either. Their pop songs turned almost sickly sweet. Their moves became predictible, and when Naoko moved forward for her solos, the stage lights clearly showed every wrinkle on her face.

Shonen Knife is a band that has a strong place in the history of early 90′s alternative rock. Just listen to the tribe album Every Band Has A Shonen Knife Who Loves Them and you will get an idea of how many bands were fans of them. They are still just as good as they were almost twenty years ago, but that is the problem.

Here is a clip of Kurt Cobain talking with Shonen Knife, as well as some footage of their show Oct 24 at the Tractor Tavern.

Shonen Knife’s Website, Shonen Knife on Myspace

Upcoming Shows

Oct 29 2009   8:00P   Rickshaw Stop    San Francisco, California
Oct 30 2009    8:00P   Blank Club    San Jose, California
Oct 31 2009    9:30P   The Cellar Door Visalia, California
Nov 1 2009    9:00P   Uptown    Oakland, California
Nov 2 2009    8:00P   Echo        Los Angeles, California
Nov 3 2009    8:00P   Casbah        San Diego, California
Nov 4 2009    8:00P   Plush        Tucson, Arizona
Nov 6 2009    8:00P   Sam’s Burger Joint    San Antonio, Texas
Nov 7 2009    8:00P   Fun Fun Fun Festival    Austin, Texas
Nov 8 2009    8:00P   Numbers Nightclub    Houston, Texas
Nov 10 2009    8:00P   Spanish Moon        Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Nov 11 2009    8:00P   Hi Tone    Memphis, Tennessee
Nov 12 2009    8:30P   THE EARL    Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 13 2009    8:00P   Plaza Bowl    Richmond, Virginia
Nov 14 2009    8:00P   Maxwells    Hoboken, New Jersey
Nov 15 2009    9:00P   Great Scotts    Allston
Nov 16 2009    9:00P   Johnny Brenda’s    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 17 2009    9:00P   Brooklyn Bowl    Brookyn, New York
Nov 18 2009    8:00P   Mohawk Place    Buffalo, New York

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Ichiban KnifeFan

The Seattle show may have seemed a little off because the band just got off of a nonstop 14 hour shuttlebus trip. They did a show the night before in Missoula Montana. At the post show signing table Naoko looked like she was having catnip dreams, and Etsuko had a 1000 yard stare. Ritsuko was still smiling from ear to ear. The band was very fatugued, but in no regard did the music suffer!
In the Bellingham and Portland shows, the band was well rested and really put out. VERY exciting shows.

http://www.seattleshowgal.com Nick

I was thinking about catching the Bellingham show, and now I wish I had. Missoula to Seattle is tough, so that could explain why they might have been a bit off.

I saw that at their Minneapolis show they did two songs for their encore, “Sushi Bar” and “Top of the World”, but they only did “Sushi Bar” in Seattle. Did they do the same at their other shows?

Arnold

Shonen Knife have been around since the early eighties. How is it strange that they have a middle aged fan base? Is one supposed to stop loving punk rock at a certain age? I swear it was not my intention to grow gray hair and a balding spot. And what’s wrong with Naoko’s wrinkles? She is almost 50 and she looks great. I like every line on her face.

http://livejournal.aerialgrrrl.com Aerial

Well, Arnold, you obviously didn’t get the memo that when you turn 30, you can only listen to Michael Buble. And a 50 year old woman with wrinkles on her face…just not acceptable. Everyone knows you can’t play properly once that happens, like how the Rolling Stones stopped playing back in the early seventies – for every wrinkle, you lose a charisma/cool point, until there’s no point playing. David Bowie, Elvis Costello,..well, I guess there’s noone left to listen to except Kurt Cobain. (At least Courtney’s had botox – phew!)Sorry to rant but that was the shittiest, most sexist comment I’ve read about a female musician, and I’ve read a few.