Shonen Knife at Whelan’s | Review

Shonen Knife in Whelan’s, Dublin, on May 6th 2014

Osaka’s Shonen Knife have been on the go, in one guise or another, since 1981. While their heroes The Ramones managed fourteen albums in a twenty-two year career, Shonen Knife are now on record number thirty – there’s a pop-punk mathematical equation in there somewhere but it’s beyond the remit of this review to find out what it is. The Ramones of course are the over-arching touchstone for the Japanese trio, but tonight’s gig, and new album ‘Overdrive’, takes them down a more classic rocky road.

Mainstay Naoko Yamano, bassist Ritsuko Taneda and fizzbombing drummer Emi Morimoto last played Whelan’s on a cold October Saturday in 2012. This time around it’s a midweek affair, and as a result the crowd is a bit thinner, but no less primed as the intro music blares over the PA and three silver sparkling figures emerge with band scarves held aloft. Devil horns are aimed at the ceiling then it’s straight to the sugar high with Banana Chips and Twist Barbie, synchronised headbanging, and guitar heads taking the place of devil horns.

Taneda on bass seems most engaging to begin with, frequently at stage front whipping hair towards the crowd, perennially smiling, mouthing a silent “1-2-3-4” at a gap in a song. The mid-section of the set is given over to the new album, with Bad Luck Song’s ode to Jimmy Page sounding very much like Thin Lizzy. It’s a cracker in any event, complete with dual-windmill power chord ending; maybe the nod to Phil Lynott has stirred something in tonight’s crowd, because from here on in it’s taken up a notch and Shonen Knife are back in town.

Shonen Knife get away with the kind of patter that would elicit a groan if uttered by most performers. “I really love Dublin because Guinness is the best” claims Morimoto. “Top of the morning to you” chimes Taneda, also a Guinnessophile. Yamano did have a cheeky half the previous night, but prefers chocolate. Staying with the theme, we then discover more about Taneda’s love of Japanese noodles and Morimoto’s championing of a certain beverage after a Runaways’-style Ramen Rock and Green Tea. It certainly comes as no surprise then, after this run of riffing retro slices, when Yamano informs us that the concept of their latest album is ‘70s hard rock.

The three swap vocals through the gig, dipping into their back catalogue and switching styles, from the hard-edged new sounds to ‘50s rock’n’roll, Beach Boys power pop and good ol’ fashioned punk rock. Taneda spans the wings when Yamano is freed from singing duties to swing guitar up front, but the eye is drawn to a different part of the stage at every turnabout. Morimoto playfully traces the Whelan’s sign behind her kit with a drumstick as feedback whines and Motörhead seem to possess the stage. As the set winds up – not down – things get that bit more raucous; Yamano’s solos fly more freely and noisily, devil horns re-appear along with a Giant Kitty, and Black Sabbath meets Bad Brains for a last blast before the scarves re-appear to signal the end.

As if, right? Decked out now in band T-shirts, they re-appear to take requests from the crowd, and a diverse selection is thrown at the stage. Yamano is slightly taken aback by one call for My Bloody Valentine’s When You Sleep, which they do indeed cover on occasion but sadly haven’t prepared for tonight. Osaka Rock City is settled on, and that’s just fine with us. Tonight’s is certainly a heavier Shonen Knife than their last ‘Pop Tune’ tour displayed but the titles of both recent albums say it all. Don’t worry, pop fans, they’re still singing songs about cats – just with bigger claws.