Shonen Knife, the All-Female Pop-Punk-Rock Pioneers from Osaka, Japan celebrate their 35th Anniversary and (as yet untitled) new album with their most extensive UK & Eire tour to date, presented by Damnably – including a slot at the Stewart Lee curated ATP Festival. Original drummer Atsuko returns to the band to play bass on the new album recording sessions, which have now begun in Osaka.
The trio formed in Osaka in 1981, when Naoko Yamana first heard late ‘70’s punk-pop, particularly The Ramones. Inspired, the band crafted their own idiosyncratic songs, fashioned brightly coloured outfits and DIY albums. In 1985, K Records released ‘Burning Farm’ in the United States. Deals with Sub Pop and various majors followed.
They toured with Nirvana (on the ‘Nevermind’ tour), Sonic Youth and Breeders. they rocked Lollapalooza, Reading Festival, Roskilde Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, recorded sessions for John Peel and appeared on MTV’s ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ and wrote a song for The Powerpuff Girls .
More recently, Shonen Knife have: played Matt Groening’s curated ATP Festival, toured the UK, Continental Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, China and India, played Incubate, Le Guess Who? Handmade Festival The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, released the critically accailmed albums Supergroup, Freetime, Osaka Ramones, Poptune and Overdrive, recorded regular BBC6 Music sessions for Marc Riley and Gideon Coe and been sited as a trailblazing influence on many of today’s young female bands.
2016 TOUR
April 14th Thur Manchester – Ruby Lounge
April 15th Fri Prestatyn Pontin’s Holiday Centre- ATP 2.00 Stewart Lee Curates
April 16th Sat Birmingham – Oobleck
April 17th Sun London – Dingwalls
April 19th Tue Falmouth – Princess Pavilion
April 20th Wed Southampton – Joiners
April 21 Thur Brighton – The Haunt
April 22 Fri Guildford – Boileroom
April 23 Sat Norwich – Arts Centre
April 24 Sun Colchester – Arts Centre
April 26 Tue Leeds – Brudenell
April 27 Wed Newcastle – Gateshead Sage 2
April 28 Thur Edinburgh – Summerhall
April 29 Fri Glasgow – CCA
April 30 Sat Dublin – Whelans
May 2 Mon Cork – Crane Lane
May 4 Wed Liverpool – Arts Club
May 5 Thur Nottingham – Maze
May 6 Friday Leicester – Musician
May 7 Sat Bedford – Esquires
May 8 Sun Bristol – Fleece
