Shonen Knife / The Strangerz: Live At The Night & Day Cafe

Shonen Knife have now been with us for four decades, my first encounter with them was via the late John Peel’s BBC Radio show and then picking up the Let’s Knife compilation about thirty years ago, a sugar overdose of an album, songs of scary houses, cats and all the things that make Shonen Knife happy. I was hooked and surely I would be catching them live at the first opportunity, or so I thought. Fast forward three decades and somehow our paths have still never crossed due to bad timing, bad luck and stupidity, but finally tonight at Manchester’s Night & Day Cafè I’m going to put this right, better late than never.

It’s a Manchester bank holiday weekend so that normally means rain, lots of rain, but the clouds have cleared and things are looking up and the sold out Night & Day Café is rammed with a crowd that demonstrates the crossover appeal that Shonen Knife’s sugar fix has. After blasting them all day I can confirm it’s not a fix that becomes sickly, it just seems to get better and elevates your mood the more you are exposed to their mix of old school punk, especially Buzzcocks and Ramones, 60’s girl bands, positivity and a celebration of all those small things that make life worth living.

The lengthy queue that had formed outside the veue is still filtering into the Night & Day Café as The Strangerz take the stage. We last encountered tonight’s support act about 18 months ago at one of their fledgling gigs at this very venue supporting The Courettes. It’s fair to say they’ve added a touch of muscle and finesse to their sound in that time, opening with a squall if feedback they plough straight into a set that represents a bombastic collision of riot grrrl, punk and post punk, as well as a plethora of alt influences from across the board.

There’s an immediacy and urgency about their set that justifies my prediction that they were amongst the next wave of Manchester bands that were amongst the next generation to add to their home cities musical history. The Strangerz, which is apparently spelled that way because they thought it sounded cool when they were 16!, are a band well worth your attention, this was an impressive opening set and from an eclectic and compelling outfit that deserve your attention, and is the savoury course ahead of the dessert to come. 

Did I mention the Night & Day Café is absolutely rammed, it’s normally a busy venue but tonight it’s shoulder to shoulder and as Shonen Knife take the stage they are greeted like old friends. Of course they launch their set with a blazing Konichiwa and from this point you are sucked into their world, which is a very nice place to be. Live they are playing their hits at double speed and there’s a sense of real joy from the band that is reflected back at them from the crowd. This is a slightly delayed 40th anniversary tour, technically it’s their 42nd anniversary, so they are playing what is mostly a set of crowd pleasers and fan favourites, no one cares, this is Shonen Knife and they are playing to a sold out devoted crowd and can do no wrong.

There are few bands I’ve encountered that are as utterly joyful and life affirming, like their biggest influence there are few gaps in the set, one track stops and they just launch into the next one, each one a slice of perfection that is even better live than it is in it’s studio form. Buzzcocksian guitar riffs pepper a set that takes from 60’s girl groups and the aforementioned NYC outfit with their own special undefinable ingredient, an innocence and joy that celebrates those small moments that make life worthwhile, they are incomparable. Influences aside they deliver a set that is just utter joy, each track is delivered with smiles from the stage and a look around the venue just shows utter happiness, no attitudes from band or crowd, everyone is just happy to be here.

As the band are introduced there is no feeling that this is a rehearsed stage routine, it most likely is, but regardless this is a band that gives you the feeling that they are happier to be here than you are, and that’s saying something. Two songs, Mujinto Rock and Nice Day, from their latest album, Our Best Place, are greeted with the same fervour as their well known songs, and there are few bands of their vintage that can claim that. Sweet Candy Power keeps the sugar rush flowing and I’m trying to remember when I enjoyed a live show quite this much.

Everything is on point tonight, from the sound to band’s idiosyncratic vocal harmonies, they love the crowd and the crowd love them. Can it get any better, well yes, I almost have an out of body experience during I Am A Cat, my favourite tune by Shonen Knife, which is followed by Devil House and then a truly frantic Riding On Rocket and then they depart the stage. Nicotine, the bar and needing the bathroom can all wait as I’m not moving until I’m sure they aren’t coming back. The call back from the adoring crowd cannot be denied and they return clad in their tour merch, the 40th anniversary shirt has ice cream cone cats on it so yeah, I’m getting one of those. They close with an utterly berserk Bear Up Bison followed by an equally frenzied tribute to their biggest influence with Blitzkrieg Bop and then it’s all over.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, is smiling. after the show something weird happens, a queue forms, a long polite queue for the merch desk, the queue runs front to back of the Night & Day Café, and everyone just waits patiently, this is probably not just one the best shows I’ve attended, it’s also one of the politest gigs I’ve been to. Need another example? For the first time in way too long I wasn’t watching a gig through a sea of phones, from where I was stood people took pictures quickly and respectfully of those around them, everyone seemed to be transfixed and just caught a moment or two for posterity, in an ideal world this is how all gigs would be.

From talking to people in the long merch queue I’m clearly not alone in my love for what happened tonight and then you meet the band, who are still smiling, as am I, as they sign everything and pose for endless photos with fans. Tonight was truly something special, now I’m trying to work how can I slap my younger self for not experiencing this earlier in my life. This is amongst my all time favourite live shows. I can’t remember the last time a live band made me quite this fucking happy. Whatever happened tonight needs to be bottled as it would solve all the world’s problems, five stars is not enough to say just how much I enjoyed this show. Please come back soon.

Tonight the Night & Day Café proved why it’s earned it’s legendary status and why it’s stayed open in Manchester for over three decades. Last year Manchester City Council Licensing served the Night & Day Café with a Noise Abatement Notice threatening to close the venue by claiming are a noise nuisance due to two complaints from people who purchased a flat adjacent to the venue. You can sign the petition to keep the Night & Day Café open here and read more about the venues battles to stay open and how to help here

Live photography courtesy of Gary M Hough of Shot From Both Sides.