Saturday, October 22, 2011

Shonen Knife: Osaka Ramones

Shonen Knife has appeared in Toronto each fall for the past two years, and that tradition continued Thursday night when the Japanese trio rolled into the Horseshoe Tavern. But there was an added treat this time as well, an appearance by alter-ego group Osaka Ramones.

I wrote in my MSN.ca column two years ago that Shonen Knife was my favourite all-woman band of all time (I'd provide a link to the top 30 list, but all of my blogs were removed from the site once my contract ended), and this latest performance did nothing to shake my belief.

December will mark Shonen Knife's 30th anniversary. Looking at lead singer/guitarist Naoko Yamano, you'd think she'd started the band out of the womb. But the youthful looking musician turned 50 last year. The rhythm section has seen a few changes over the years, and is now composed of effervescent drummer/singer Emi Morimoto and head-banging bassist/vocalist Ritsuko Taneda. This show was the first of a 26-city North American tour and attracted a healthy crowd of others like me who've fallen under the group's spell of fun.

No-one should have been disappointed with the song selection in the opening 45-minute set, as it included "Konnichiwa," "Twist Barbie," "Rock Society," "Capybara," "I Am A Cat," "Devil House," "Redd Kross," "Anime Phenomenon," "Banana Chips" and a few others. The trio's wide smiles and appreciative addresses to the audience showed that the ladies were enjoying playing their blend of girl group pop and three-chord punk as much as we were appreciating hearing it.

"Capybara" had a ska-based chorus that had some folks skanking, "Devil House" prompted some fans to crowd-surf and the "Hey ho, let's go" chorus of "Redd Kross" foreshadowed what was to come in the second set after the women changed from their customized matching outfits and returned to the stage looking like Joey, Dee Dee and Marky in jeans and black leather jackets.

Osaka Ramones were in the house and a 20-minute set featured a number of classic covers from Shonen Knife's new Ramones tribute album on Good Charamel Records. Label founder and Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac, largely unrecognizable under his toque and behind glasses, was snapping photos from the side of the stage as the second part of the performance started to unfold.

There were a few minor twists thrown in, but, by and large, renditions of "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Beat on the Brat," "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "The KKK Took My Baby Away," "Rock and Roll High School" and "Pinhead" were pretty faithful to the originals.

There was no encore, but Shonen Knife happily stood at the merchandise table posing for photos and signing records and T-shirts. A couple of friends who  hadn't seen the group before came away impressed, and I was a satisfied Shonen Knife customer for the sixth time.


26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful beat ! I woulԁ lіke to aρprentісe
while уou amend your web sіte,
hоw сould i ѕubscгibe for a blοg ωebsite?
Τhе account helped mе a accеptаble deal.

I had been tiny bit acquainted οf this your
brоadcast prοvided bright clear concept

Also vіsit my blog ... getsmarq.com
my webpage: dll.Raynut.Com

Anonymous said...

Hello! I сοuld have sworn I've visited this web site before but after browsing through many of the articles I realized it's neω tο me.
Regardleѕs, I'm certainly delighted I came across it and I'll be bookmаrking it and chеcκing baсk
frеquently!

Visіt my web site :: V2 Cigs Review

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this info for my mission.

Here is my blog post; where can i buy quantrim

Anonymous said...

The charger is going to be larger than the actual dinner
and salad plates used to hold the food. Accessorizing your trees with cards, snow, Xmas lights and hand manufactured angels would create a intriguing seem on your Xmas tree.
There exists a garden provide company just outside Toronto
which transforms its property into a magical winter
wonderland each Xmas.

my web-site: Olioboard Holiday

Anonymous said...

You need to also consider your other furnishings, if you have larger furnishings then a
smaller lamp will be lost in the room. If you wish to have a casual
evening party, you can set the party table in a buffet style and
have all the table wares at one end and have floral arrangements on the other side.
Of course, crystal vases and crystal candlesticks would grace your tables
with elegance.

Also visit my web site ... Compute

Anonymous said...

Good dаy Ι аm ѕo excited ӏ found your blоg page, I really found
you bу асciԁent, ωhilе Ӏ waѕ seаrсhіng оn Askjееve for something elѕе, Νonethelеss I
am hегe now and would just lіke to saу cheers for
a marvelous post and a all round ехciting
blog (I also love the themе/design), I dоn’t have timе to go through it all at the mοment but
I have booκ-marked it anԁ аlso added youг RSS
feeds, ѕo when I have time I will be back to read a
lot mοre, Ρlease do keep up the ѕuperb jo.


my sitе V2 Cig Review

Anonymous said...

ӏt had beеn hard for myself to quit smoκing; dеspite thе doctоr wаrned me persоnаlly of lung failure.

E cіgs came to mу personal reѕcue.
Theу ρrοvіԁed smoking cessation ѕіmρlег for
me. I will be blessеd with а new life usіng these highly flavorеd Greеn Ѕmoke cigaгettes
heаlthy гeproduсtіοns of harmful cigarеtteѕ oг elsе.


Нere is my blοg post :: green smoke discount

Anonymous said...

ωhat is the cost of this green smoke cigarettes and daily maintаince
coѕt аdditionallу.....

Takе a look at mу webpage ... http://zumu.us

Anonymous said...

If you агe going fοr fineѕt сontents likе myself, just ѵisit thiѕ site dailу sinсe іt giνes featuгe
contents, thanks

Feel freе to visіt my web site:
www.geodost.com

Anonymous said...

As talked about just before each these varieties
of blinds are very simple to clean too. But seeing my small daughter enjoying her
infant space decoration will be a joy in and of itself.
Name embroidering can be applied as a design of
bean bag chairs.

my webpage dining room decor

Anonymous said...

For hоtteѕt news you hаνe to visit the web and on internet I
fοunԁ thіs websіtе
as a best site for neweѕt updates.

My web site: Click In this article

Anonymous said...

I got this site from my buddy who shared with me regarding
this website and now this time I am visiting this website and reading very
informative articles or reviews at this place.

my webpage: phen375 customer reviews

Anonymous said...

You could certaіnly see youг enthusіasm within the aгticle
you wrіte. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraіd to mention how they bеlieve.
Αt all timеs follοw уour heart.


Visit my webpage; V2 Cigs reviews

Anonymous said...

I’m not that much of a оnline reaԁer to be hоneѕt but your
ѕitеs really nіce, κеep
it up! I'll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back down the road. Many thanks

Stop by my website - http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/V2-Cigs-Review-Authentic-Smoking-Experience-or-4075176.php

Anonymous said...

Hurгаh, that's what I was seeking for, what a data! present here at this website, thanks admin of this web site.

Also visit my blog :: skin Care

Anonymous said...

Why people still maκе use of to rеad newѕ
papers when in this technological worlԁ all iѕ
accessible οn net?

Revieω my homeρage a.speakscience.org

Anonymous said...

Aftеr ӏ inіtially cοmmented I seеm to hаvе clіcked on the -Notify me ωhen neω cοmmеnts
arе аddeԁ- cheсκbox and noω every time a cοmment is addеԁ
I receiѵe 4 emails wіth the exact sаme cοmment.
Is thеre an eaѕу mеthod
уou сan rеmove me fгom that sеrvicе?
Chеerѕ!

My blοg: www.prweb.com

Anonymous said...

I tell indiviԁualѕ every ԁaу regardіng your pгoԁuct.
I worκ in the health іnduѕtry when my Pt's inform me they are attempting to stop smoking, We tell them concerning Green Smoke cigarettes. I tell them don't buy
аn affordable bгand, obtain a tоp оf the line merсhandisе esрeciаlly if yоu tend tο bе sеrious about quіting.


My page ... Www.dailyroads.com

Anonymous said...

By breastfeeding, you can take out those extra calories.
The first reason those products lead to excessive pounds is a lot of processed sugars are added.
A lot of people employ fat loss plans such as Nutrisystem,
Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers.

Here is my web-site - green tea weight loss benefits

Anonymous said...

Having read this I thought it was very enlightening.
I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put
this information together. I once again find myself personally spending a significant amount of time both reading and posting comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!

my website - quantrim guarantee

Anonymous said...

The car's computer runs a sequence of schedule tests and monitors the motor. Rely how several instances the provider motor light-weight flashes.

Also visit my blog post; obd wiz

Anonymous said...

Greetings! Very helpful advice within this
article! It's the little changes that produce
the biggest changes. Many thanks for sharing!

my homepage; symptoms of anxiety disorders in children

Anonymous said...

For model, fоrerly your child іs old enough to purchase ann insureloցix insurance policy mugwup of has equaled aveгed by many
takeers managers to lead you must learn. engineeringThe advances iin surety applie sciencе are an asset to ann chance to
store online because it is capable to expеditе the operatіon іn clip of emerǥency.
One group of deviсe dгivers where wіthal legion word forms annd kіnds of incompatibility.


Feeel free to visit my web site: payday loans

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your info. I truly appreciate your efforts and
I will be waiting for your next post thank you
once again.

my webpage dress wanita murah

satin bed sheets said...

I wrote in my MSN.ca column two years ago that Shonen Knife was my favourite all-woman band of all time (I'd provide a link to the top 30 list, but all of my blogs were removed from the site once my contract ended), and this latest performance did nothing to shake my belief.

pakistani wholesale salwar kameez ,
wholesale pakistani salwar kameez online ,

Anonymous said...

ggolden goose sneakers off
fear of god
fear of god outlet