SK VHS/DVD REVIEWS- Blast Off, Live at the Mohawk

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

BLAST OFF

1997, We got Power Films (Universal Japan) VHS {No longer in print}
Cover art by Naoko
SK: Naoko & Atsuko Yamano with Michie Nakatani

This video was produced during the band's very first tour of North America in 1997; it includes both concert and interview footage; often done in the "multi screen" style first developped for Expo '67 (The 1967 Montreal World's Fair), and popularised by the Woodstock concert film. This is a very well done production, with great camera work and editing; all of which hold up extremely well today; my only complaint might be that the video features the music from "Brand New Knife" (The album they were promoting at the time) almost exclusively. However, the video is well-paced and enjoyable, first class all the way!
of 5

Playlist:

SHONEN KNIFE: (Naoko Yamano)
E.S.P. (Naoko Yamano)
WONDER WINE (Naoko Yamano)
MAGIC JOE (Naoko Yamano)
LOOP DI LOOP (Shonen Knife)
WIND YOUR SPRING (Naoko Yamano)
EXPLOSION! (Naoko Yamano)
KEEP ON ROCKIN' (Naoko Yamano)
LAZYBONE (Naoko Yamano)
FROGPHOBIA (Michie Nakatani)
FRUITS & VEGETABLES (Michie Nakatani)
BUDDAH'S FACE (Naoko Yamano)
ONE WEEK (Naoko Yamano)

Extras (Video Clips):

IT'S A NEW FIND (Naoko Yamano)
E.S.P. (Naoko Yamano)
WONDER WINE (Naoko Yamano)
REDD KROSS (Naoko Yamano)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

And now, let's jump 12 years to the new DVD:



[glow=red,2,300]SHONEN KNIFE Live at Mohawk Place 2009[/glow]
2010 MVDvisual, Good Charamel records
SK: Naoko Yamano, Ritsuko Taneda & Etsuko Nakanishi

Like the earlier Blast Off video, this was filmed during a concert tour of North America; however, it all takes place at the last show of a 30 concert tour (in 34 days) at Buffalo NY, home of the band's new American distributor, Good Charamel Records. What we get, is basically the concert (along with 2 extra songs from the encore, one of which is sung by Atsuko who makes a special appearance! (Singing "Fruits and Vegetables"))
The lighting and special effects aren't quite up to those of the earlier DVD, but, very well done , nonetheless (The cameraman seems to have a bit of a crush on Etsuko*; who gets the most "face time" of the three girls...and man, she looks radiant here!) *Recently, Etsuko was fired from the band, so, this DVD is a great way to get your dose of the beautiful ex-drummer!
There is one way that this DVD has it over the earlier one, in that it features a mix of the old hits and the new songs (Despite it being near the end of the tour, Naoko's voice is at it's best and on key throughout the production). My only real complaint is the short (60 mins) running time and lack of a true interview segment!** It also would have been nice to have a few of the new promotional videos as extras!
** There is a short 2 1/2-3 min interview at the end, but, you have to go through the "chapters" menu to find it!
1/2 of 5

Playlist:


Liner Art:

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

A few observations I made while watching the 2 videos:

Blast Off:

-Michie had the best command of the English language of the three girls (And seemed to be the most popular among the fans)
-Atsuko carried her drumsticks everywhere
-Of the three, Michie seemed the shyest onstage, but, offstage, Atsuko seemed the least comfortable on camera

SK live at the Mohawk:

-Etsuko is the most animated drummer I've ever seen, she moves constantly
-Naoko was obviously tired after doing 30 shows in 34 days, and couldn't keep up with the 2 younger girls as far as moving on stage went (Fortunately, her voice was at perfect pitch)
-Ritsuko loves her job (And sings along (away from the mike), even with the songs that Naoko sings solo!)

[acidwindbreeze]

Hi, Mikado, Congraturations! You got the Mohawk Place at a date earlier than me. In Japan, we are pitty because the DVD will release on October.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Sept 5, 2010 18:46:38 GMT -5 acidwindbreeze said:

Hi, Mikado, Congraturations! You got the Mohawk Place at a date earlier than me. In Japan, we are pitty because the DVD will release on October.

Well, it's worth the wait

[jjanim8r]

you know I'll trust your review... it's not supposed to be available in usa until october, so I thought I was being all sneaky.... so obviously you have it.. and my next week "tadahhh" is less dramatic.

I guess the tadahh I might wind up with is.. I get to see them live on sept 14th... in los angeles.....so I hope like anything my fruits and vegetables are served by etsuko

i know it's weird to mention my daughter... she found out I was cool when i gave her my mp3 player and 1st thing she did was " shonen knife.... NO WAY!!!!!!!"

so we are going to see then together

previously we saw pee wee live... that was a mind blower

i think sk.. then todd rundgren... then I get to commit suicide.. my life is complete

[jjanim8r]

c'mon.. being all sneaky is my thing.... review the CD that's shipping 3 months from now...sorry I'm kind of depressed that I missed this one, but good on you!!

btw.. i don't think the newest CD ( free time ) is shipping here! so I've got that.. for the moment

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Sept 6, 2010 2:59:35 GMT -5 jjanim8r said:

c'mon.. being all sneaky is my thing.... review the CD that's shipping 3 months from now...sorry I'm kind of depressed that I missed this one, but good on you!!

btw.. i don't think the newest CD ( free time ) is shipping here! so I've got that.. for the moment

Awww I didn't mean to spoil it for you Julie (hugs)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Sept 6, 2010 2:42:32 GMT -5 jjanim8r said:

you know I'll trust your review... it's not supposed to be available in usa until october, so I thought I was being all sneaky.... so obviously you have it.. and my next week "tadahhh" is less dramatic.

Aww I'm sorry....I guess I got an early copy cause I'm only 45 mins from Buffalo where the record company is. (I ordered it 2 months ago)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Oh, something else I meant to mention... In Live at the Mohawk, Naoko uses her special pink guitar exclusively.

[itchykorean]

just gotta say that mohawk show kicks arse. great production! and damn it, etsuko is oh so cute in this video. <3

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Oct 8, 2010 22:56:34 GMT -5 itchykorean said:

just gotta say that mohawk show kicks arse. great production! and damn it, etsuko is oh so cute in this video. <3

Yup, it is a lot of fun to watch, and Etsuko looks totally gorgeous with her hair down like that, I know many fans miss her already!

[tangerinesun]

Blog review of the Live at Mohawk Place 2009 DVD




Setlist image swiped from somewhere


A funny sort of DVD review. It doesn't evaluate the technical
aspects of the disk, and it's no way an informed review of the
contents. The reviewer's main motivation seems to be attachment
to Buffalo, NY. He likes the band and the movie, though.



Shonen Knife: Live at Mohawk Place 2009
Directed, edited and authored by John Grimaldi
Good Charamel Records, 2010
2010 NOV 05 by Robert Barry Francos for the FFanzeen blog
ffanzeen.blogspot.com/2010/11/ 


What is interesting about their sound, I find, is that they are
immersed enough in western culture to get the formula idea for a
great pop song, and yet exotic enough to the genre to bring
something new. That is part of why they have managed to last
for so many years. And heck, they even dress like the ‘80s
garage band, the Pandoras.

Their concept, on some level, has shown up in other bands, such as
the enjoyable, much tougher and musically proficient (but less joyful)
5.6.7.8's, and they were even sort-of made the subject of a spoof in a
Cameron Diaz hosted Saturday Night Live. But Shonen Knife is the real
deal. Like their touchstone Ramones, they are fun to watch, even if you
can’t always make out what they’re actually singing about.

As a last historical footnote, their hair – which looks spectacular as
they flip it all around – is credited to Erin Moser, of Chez Ann Salon,
in Buffalo. Erin is the daughter of [ Mary Martin Moser ] and Bruce
Moser, a chief promoter in the Buffalo area,… and the niece of Buffalo
cult musician Bernie Kugel…


One man's reaction.


The 2002 Saturday Night Live sketch he's referring to is awfully difficult
to watch, but you'll have your chance.

It makes fun of all J-rock for being a weird and ignorant unintentional
parody of western music. You can't understand them, Japanese mannerisms
are stupid, they're just copying what they don't know, and we're all much,
much cooler than these bizarros in mismatched clothing.


There's a preserved thread from the old alt.tv.snl Usenet newsgroup
that speculates about what the SNL team were trying to do. The people
who posted are a little too generous, but they're fans of SNL.


If the cast could have pulled off a convincing impression of a real
band, it would have seemed less like mockery by morons — but 
that's completely beyond reach.

Sean "Puffy" Combs reference — I suppose that's a hard nudge about
Puffy AmiYumi. It's as if the writer both knows about and disparages
all the Japanese bands who've had a US audience, and expects the 
same of you the viewer. Which is completely nuts.

My theory is, someone really didn't like their J-rock fanatic roommate.




Paradoxically makes the real bands look even better in comparison


www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/crash-papaya/2860800?snl=1
MTV4 PRESENTS CRASH PAPAYA (04:00) 
Ian Robinson (Horatio Sanz) introduces America to Japanese rock band
Crash Papaya (Cameron Diaz, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey,
Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer) on the ultra-hip secret channel MTV4.

[ Season 27, ep.16 2002 APR 06, Cameron Diaz hosting with Jimmy Eat World ]