Shonen Knife at Amoeba Hollywood

Jammed from the GR office on the Westside, picked up Eloise along with my sister Angelyn and her daughter Lucia, and walked into Amoeba to catch Shonen Knife already rocking out in their in-store. Yes, Naoko (guitar) is the sole founding member but perhaps it's the changing chemistry that keeps the group feeling fresh rather than like a band hitting its 30th year. New songs (“Banana Chips”) mesh perfectly with older ones (“Riding the Rocket”) as well as choice covers (“Top of the World”).

I recall listening to and seeing Shonen Knife when I was a student at UCLA… Back then they had a raw, amateurish, and irresistable energy. Who knew they would ever be a finely-tuned rocking machine or that I would be standing right by their stage with my daughter in 2010?

Afterward, we got in line to introduce Eloise, Lucia, and their friend Margot to the band. There, we spotted original drummer, bassist, and Naoko's sister Atsuko.

And then the girls who dressed up as Shonen Knife for Halloween last year met the real thing. (Margot's dad is cartoonist/GR contributor Martin Cendreda.)

There's still two weeks left on this U.S. tour, so don't miss out if they come through your town promoting not one but two new CDs for the U.S. and a DVD, too. Always a great time, and now one of Eloise's favorite bands along with The Ramones and The Specials–even if you can't tell from her expression in the pictures.