Shonen Knife at RIBCO -- September 5.

Thursday, September 5, 7:30 p.m.

Rock Island Brewing Company, 1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island IL

Performing in support of their 19th album and 38th year as international touring sensations, the alternative rockers of Osaka, Japan's Shonen Knife play the Rock Island Brewing Company on September 5, with the female musicians' 2019 release Sweet Candy Power, according to Spill magazine, a work that “proves they stand the test of time with their catchy, cheerful bops.”

Heavily influenced by 1960s girl groups, The Beach Boys, and early punk-rock bands such as The Ramones, Shonen Knife was formed in Osaka in 1981 by sisters Naoko Tamano (guitarist/vocalist) and Atsuko Yamano (drummer) – both of whom are still with the group – and their friend Michie Nakatani (bassist). The group was something of an anomaly, as it was founded at a time in which all-female bands were rare, and they began to write energetic rock songs with rough, punky instrumentation while embracing a DIY ethos. Unlike traditional rebellious punk rockers, however, the trio emphasized positivity using catchy, upbeat melodies and frivolous, carefree lyrics that often dealt with animals and sweets. Shonen Knife performed its first concert on March 14 of 1982 at the Studio One club in Osaka, playing for an audience of 36, and released its first independent album Minna Tanoshiku later that year. After the 1986 U.S. release of third album Pretty Little Baka Guy, however, Shonen Knife began receiving lucrative offers from a range of American labels. Many alternative rock groups, meanwhile, had begun citing Shonen Knife as a favorite of theirs, and the resulting word-of-mouth created significant exposure for the band. By 1991, no less an artist than Kurt Cobain said, “When I finally got to see them live, I was transformed into a hysterical nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert.”

Over the years since, Shonen Knife has released such additionally upbeat, popwer-pop-fueled albums as 1993's Rock Animals, 2000's Strawberry Sound, and 2007's fun! fun! fun!, as well as a 30th-anniversary release dedicated to the musicians' musical idols: Osaka Ramones – Tribute to The Ramones. In celebration of the group's quarter-century mark, Shonen Knife's continued popularity was explained by the Boston Globe: “Theoretically, any band that writes songs with lyrics such as 'Banana chiops for you! / Banana chips for me! / In the afternoon, banana chips and tea' should have a life span no longer than that of a grasshopper. But something oddly spellbinding occurs when deceivingly silly lyrics are sandwiched between a buoyant guitar and a rapid-fire, pop-punk drum kit. Which perhaps explains why the Japanese female alternative rock /pop punk trio Shonen Knife is still singing songs about cookies, sushi, jelly beans, and, of course, banana chips, nearly 25 years after its inception.”

Shonen Knife plays the Rock Island Brewing Company at 7:30 p.m. on September 5, and more information on the night is available by calling (309)793-1999 or visiting RIBCO.com.

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