Music With Jameson and Lonestar: Shonen Knife & Born Liars 11/08/2009

OK let's face it. If you missed Shonen Knife on Sunday night at Mangos, you failed miserably. Now, sure, we'll make an exception if you shelled out the big bucks for AC/DC but anything beyond that and you may as well just pack your bags and move into the Lazy Acres retirement home. But, you know what? I'll go you one more - I will go out on a limb and say (even though we are talking apples and oranges to some degree) that a Shonen Knife rock show is on par with a big AC/DC show.

Sacrilege you say? Consider this. Outside the studio, Shonen Knife take the poppy songs you hear on their records, turn up the amps, channel the spirit of Joey Ramone, and put on a great performance like no other! It's the kind that made even local garage bad asses the Born Liars, who kicked it mighty on Sunday night, seem tame by comparison. Seriously, until you've seen Shonen Knife live, you haven't really experienced Shonen Knife. And in a small intimate venue like Mangos for a measly $10? Good gravy, what did Houston do to get so damn fortunate?! Hell, check out the set list:



That's a pretty nice mix of old stuff and the new stuff from the latest album. And what's impressive is that even weaker songs off the new album like Pyramid Power came off live in a way that made the studio version seem like a crime. This meant that the rock solid material off of Super Group like the show stopping metal of "Muddy Bubbles Hell" caused the ghost of Ronnie James Dio to travel back from the future to lend his mighty rock blessings while old favorites like "Johnny Johnny Johnny" caused many people to simply go into seizures. The thing is Shonen Knife plays with a ferocity that their albums could never convey so if you missed out, you really missed out. So weep at your poseurdom and behold the pics from the show:



Don Walsh "I can't fucking give these things away!
Err, who's playing again?"

Domokos wanted you to know that he was not DJing
between Born Liars and Shonen Knife.
The Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple,
and the rest was Shonen Knife's mix.


Born Liars ripping up Mangos.

Born Liars' Bill Fool - in the zone!

Carol Sandin gets in the Born Liars spirit.

Omar holds court as Eli Brumbaugh and
Mike Sims patiently await their turn.

Three women, three instruments,
and a hell of a lot of Rock and Roll

Shonen Knife inspiring future generations.

Just so you know for next time they are in town
Naoko likes to shop at the Rice Village.

Shonen Knife is rocking so hard here that the dude
in the MC5 shirt is trying his best not to hurl!

Drummer Etsuko Nakanishi.

Bassist Ritsuko Taneda.

And of course the one, the only,
Naoko Yamano.

Naoko midflight through
Muddy Bubbles Hell's awesome solo!

Yes, I concur with Dio Metal Sign -
Shonen Knife rocked epically!

Bonus for Shonen Knife fans was
original drummer Atsuko Yamano's
surprise appearance!

Never underestimate the rock of Shonen Knife!

Coolest Shonen Knife fan Ever!!!!!

Links:

Full image set on my Flickr (link)

Listen to the new album on LaLa (link)

Shonen Knife online (link)

Born Liars on mysapce (link)