Now, a new venue for me tonight as I stroll into the fabulous-looking old converted church that is Oran Mor in Glasgow, here to see one of my favourite Japanese bands, Shonen Knife. But first up, we have local two-piece band The Cords.
The band comprises sisters Eva and Grace Tedeschi, and with a debut album due out later this year, they’re already showing great promise. Their sound is a solid blend of pop punk and old-school indie, with Eva on guitar and Grace on drums. They tear through a strong set of songs – most of which, I assume, will appear on the album – including the upbeat “I’m Not Sad”, which has a bouncy beat reminiscent of Shonen Knife themselves. It goes down well with the packed hall.
They also perform both tracks from last year’s single, starting with the indie-pop, almost Happy Mondays-infused “Rather Not Stay”, followed by the intriguingly titled “Bo’s New Haircut”. That one has a real Clash / “White Riot” guitar energy and was easily my favourite track of theirs tonight. I really enjoyed their set – it’s not my usual style, but it got the foot tapping, and the girls played really well. The audience clearly loved them too.
If you like your indie with a pop twist, this is a band worth catching live. Grassroots support is vital to help push acts like this forward, and bands like The Cords deserve to be heard.
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Now, on to the main event – Shonen Knife! I last saw them at Summerhall in Edinburgh, but tonight it’s a new venue for me, and I couldn’t ask for a better introduction to Oran Mor.
Formed way back in 1981, Shonen Knife are true veterans. Guitarist and singer Naoko Yamano is the only constant member in the band’s long history, while her sister Atsuko – also a founding member – originally played drums before taking a break, returning in 2016 on bass. The lineup is rounded out by powerhouse drummer Risa Kawano, who joined in 2015.
The pop-punk trio kick things off with “Buttercup (I’m a Super Girl)”, one of their many Ramones-inspired tracks – what a start! Risa is a mesmerising blur behind the drums, smiling the whole time. The much-loved “Twist Barbie” is next and always gets the crowd moving. Vocals are shared among all three members, with Atsuko taking the lead on “Vamos Taquitos” – a song about Mexican food, of course. You can’t help but smile and bounce along to their infectiously fun songs.
Staying on the food and drink theme, Risa gives high praise to “Afternoon Tea”, a charmingly quirky track. She then follows up with “Green Tea”, a personal favourite of mine from the Overdrive album – a killer, bouncy tune. If you hadn’t noticed the culinary theme yet, Atsuko heats things up with “Wasabi”, shouting the unforgettable line, “Hot! Hot! Wasabi! Why is it so hot!” The crowd is beaming, bouncing to every beat.
“Banana Chips” is pure Ramones-esque joy, with Naoko and Atsuko frequently joining together at the front of the stage while Risa pounds away at the kit like she’s trying to destroy it – with a smile, of course. This is a full-on pop punk party as the girls blast through favourites like “I Am a Cat” and “Tomato Head”, before closing the main set with the driving rocker “Riding on the Rocket”.
They return to the stage a few minutes later for a lively encore, kicking off with the irresistibly bouncy “Pop Tune”. You just can’t help but grin and dance – it’s what Shonen Knife are all about: fun, fun, fun. Their songs may cover unusual topics, but the sheer joy in their delivery is why they’ve endured all these years.
They close with a cover of The Carpenters’ “Top of the World”, and somehow, it just works. Why? Because this is Shonen Knife – and that’s really all you need to know.
They rock hard with their own unique flavour, always looking like they’re having the time of their lives on stage. A sold-out venue tonight proves just how beloved they are – and rightly so. Everyone needs a bit of Shonen Knife in their lives.
Right, I’m off home for a cup of tea – maybe even some green tea, as I’ve grown to love it. Until next time, girls.
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Photos by Gary Cooper
