“Let’s have a barbecue party…it’s a Saturday,” sang Naoko, guitarist/vocalist and leader of pop/punk legends Shonen Knife, during the song BBQ. They might’ve been late by a day, but the sentiment was felt by a packed crowd at Amplifers on Sunday night who roared with approval. Why not have a party then, when it had been over ten years since Shonen Knife had graced our shores?
Opening the night were The Novocaines, who set a scene with an electrifying and exciting performance. Vocalist Corey Marriott stomped and contorted his way around the stage as the rest of the band blasted through rapid-fire, rocking songs like Cup Of Coffee, Ragdoll and Like A Sunday Morning. Their Stooges-meets-Iggy Pop sound was brilliant and they were like an audio version of an espresso shot.
Where was I Heart Hiroshima? Good question. It was the case of the mysteriously disappearing support band.
Thankfully, Shonen Knife did not disappear, but instead announced their arrival in matching 60s-inspired outfits with several cherry-bombs of their delicious DIY pop/punk. Despite their hectic Australian tour in support of their new album Supergroup – four shows in four days – the band sounded as energetic and fresh as though it was their first gig off the tour.
The boisterous crowd were quick to embrace Shonen Knife and the band lapped up all the attention. More rock than punk, Shonen Knife launched into their first song with synchronised guitar rocking reminiscent of Status Quo. Naoko’s windmilling on the guitar would have made Pete Townshend proud, drummer Etsuko kept the engine room rumbling while Ritsuko rocked out on the bass with her long hair flying in all directions. Ritsuko also charmed the crowd with her broken English. “I come from a plane,” she announced to the crowd before laughing and correcting herself.
As Shonen Knife played through their fifteen-plus song set, they dropped in several new songs such as Supergroup, BBQ and Pyramid Power as well as some oldies like Top Of The World, Ah, Singapore, Twist Barbie, Banana Chips and Riding On The Rocket. The deceptively simple song structures and naïve, sunny lyrics in half Japanese and half English about banana chips, pyramids and barbecue parties (where Naoko recommends throwing tofu on the grill as it is “very delicious”) hides a sophisticated understanding of crafting memorable, catchy three-minute songs.
The only slight glitch in the night was the constant stop-starting between songs, with the band constantly having to stop to re-tune their guitars and it seemed to stop some of the momentum. Fortunately, the stories they told about the songs between the gaps were entertaining. For instance, Naoko’s charming explanation of Pyramid Power (“I wrote a song about (a) pyramid”) – where she explained it was about a pyramid that gave eternal youth to those inside.
Too soon though, the night was over – but Shonen Knife made the night extra special by gracing us with two extra songs at the encore and everyone gave Shonen Knife the ubiquitous rocker’s symbol – the devil horns. Then it was all over in a haze of bright colours.
It was a fantastic night of amazing, energetic music with Shonen Knife slicing and dicing their way through the Amplifers crowd, leaving everyone wanting more.
to listen to their music now on 
ashryn
said on the 3rd Oct, 2009