Shonen Knife @ The Face Bar

Shonen Knife play The Face Bar on Saturday 12 June 2027, starting at 20:30. They're an all-female trio from Osaka, and this is a headline show with them as the sole act on the bill.

They've been around since 1981, when Naoko Yamana first heard late-70s punk-pop — The Ramones among it — and put the band together. Their sound blends garage rock with 1960s girl-group influences, and they write stripped-down songs with simple, unconventional lyrics sung in both Japanese and English, all rooted in a fierce D.I.Y. aesthetic. They've released 22 albums to date, so there's a long catalogue to draw from.

In the late 1980s they caught the attention of Kurt Cobain, who called them his favourite band and said he was 'transformed into a hysterical nine-year-old girl at a Beatles concert' when he first saw them live. Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Red Kross and the Beastie Boys are also cited as fans. They've been credited with making the international pop underground more international by opening it up to Japanese bands, and they've toured with Nirvana and The Breeders, played Lollapalooza and recorded John Peel sessions. They returned to the UK in 2009 after a 16-year gap.

Tickets are £22.00, and the night kicks off at 20:30 at The Face Bar, Chatham Street, Reading, RG1 7RB.