Answering the call to rawk....
As you can see, the little point & shoot camera I brought along wasn't really up to the task of taking pics of the action. Oh well, I guess you could argue that my blurry photography fit the spirit of the moment anyway...
Naoko may always be a humble music fan in her heart, but years of touring and recording have made her a true rock star. She really engages the crowd and clearly loves to play music. She was terrific to watch.
Bass player Ritsko and drummer Etskuo really do carry the Shonen Knife torch proudly. They absolutely fit into the band perfectly and really captivated the crowd with an infectious enthusiasm! Plus, they're top-notch musicians.
For us old-school fans, there was a very special treat. Atsuko, Naoko's sister, and Shonen Knife's original drummer (later bassist) was there! She joined the band on the last leg of the tour, and came up on stage for the encore!
The show went by so fast! It was a great night of good vibes, positive energy, and rock n' roll!
My friend Chip had the foresight to take a photo of the set-list. Thanks Chip!
It was a good feeling to see the band signing the posters I made! The posters were a big hit it seems. I had several people approach me and tell me they liked them, and that was very gratifying. Just before the show, Shonen Knife's super-cool tour manager, (and a multi-media whiz in her own right), invited me behind the scenes and the band thanked me too!
I gave the band members some candy, including Jujuy Fruits, Whoppers & Swedish Fish, and then proceeded to forget everything I intended to say to them. I mostly just smiled and nodded. :)
The band, Atsuko, and their tour manger were wonderfully nice and friendly people. Truly the most sincerely kind rock stars I've ever met.
My loot from the night, including a broken drumstick and an official Shonen Knife workout towel! (Everybody needs one) I also brought along the CD insert from one of Shonen Knife's early USA releases specifically for Atsuko to sign.
All in all, an amazing night that I'll never forget. I spent the evening with some true icons, and it was a gloriously satisfying experience I have to say. I don't know when they'll tour North America again, but I can tell you that I will definitely go wherever they play next time around.
Thank you Shonen Knife, for renewing my faith in rock n' roll.
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