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