Shonen Knife carves through Aotearoa - Ōtepoti
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Fist-pumping, fun-loving, “candy”-shouting punks of the South Island, this is your time!
Back by popular demand, Shonen Knife return to Aotearoa this November, celebrating the release of their new album Let’s Knife Re-Cut - a re-recording of their best-selling 1992 album Let’s Knife. In their most southerly tour yet, Shonen Knife generously offer the most joyous live-music gift to people far and wide, bestowing their quirky, food-forward pop-punk performance upon the good folk of Ōtepoti, Ōamaru and Ōhinehou, Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Tāmaki Makaurau. Special guests to be announced soon!
“…a Shonen Knife gig is exactly what my soul has been crying out for. An electric and unashamedly fun, pop-punk masterclass". 2026 live-show review, Leeds, UK - louderthanwar.com
Shonen Knife’s last Aotearoa tour in 2024 wowed enthusiastic audiences in small towns as well as cities - Waiheke and Raglan, Auckland and Wellington. Since then, the band has toured through South America, made two circles of the United States, played multiple dates in Japan, and more. Kicking ass and taking no prisoners, the buoyant energy you’ll catch from their honed shows is the best kind of infection.
Honestly - where would the world be without live shows that leave you happier and lighter than when you entered the gig? On their current US tour, Shonen Knife uplifted a music festival Florida; their review in www.19.com says “The thing I’ve always loved about Shonen Knife is the joy they bring to their music. It’s infectious. It lets us disconnect from the darkness around us” Right after the show, this reviewer was also impressed “by the long line already waiting to make purchases. It stretched down the lawn all the way to the seats. I joined the autograph line and got my fanboy moment and a photo with the band.” The world is made that much better by a band like Shonen Knife, and soon Aotearoa will also experience their unique pop-punk exuberance.
Shonen Knife’s Wellington show is the night of the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand General Elections, so however you have voted (enrol and vote!) you can forget about politics for a few hours - and whatever the result, you’ll be glad you were at Meow.
"In a world drowning in irony Lets Knife Re-Cut arrives like a neon lifesaver thrown from a punk rock speedboat. Shonen Knife remind us all that rock can still be heartfelt, silly and absolutely essential. Grab this one immediately, crank it loud, and prepare to smile until your face hurts because these songs were built to outlast every trend going." – (Jammerzine)
Let’s Knife Re-Cut is a re-recording of 1992’s original, DIY album Let’s Knife, with the current line-up. The musicianship of the band is undeniably stronger, the songs reworked with more depth and lush instrumentation, with some pop-punk songs morphing towards a more garage-rock sound. It’s well known that the band’s original success was famously due to Nirvana: In 1992 Kurt Cobain revealed his obsession with the Japanese trio, calling them ‘his favorite band’, seeking them out to open for their tour. Shonen Knife had never heard of that musical outfit but eagerly took advantage of the opportunity. They quickly put together Let’s Knife from a selection of their catchiest, funnest songs, recorded them in English, and headed to the USA to open for Nirvana’s full US tour.
With the Australia/NZ release of Shonen Knife’s Let’s Knife Re-Cut via Valve/MGM, Naoko Shibata, Atsuko Yamana and Risa Kawano cut into the sugar lines of their current world tour to chop it all up in their favourite wonderland of Aotearoa.
Back by popular demand, Shonen Knife return to Aotearoa this November, celebrating the release of their new album Let’s Knife Re-Cut - a re-recording of their best-selling 1992 album Let’s Knife. In their most southerly tour yet, Shonen Knife generously offer the most joyous live-music gift to people far and wide, bestowing their quirky, food-forward pop-punk performance upon the good folk of Ōtepoti, Ōamaru and Ōhinehou, Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Tāmaki Makaurau. Special guests to be announced soon!
“…a Shonen Knife gig is exactly what my soul has been crying out for. An electric and unashamedly fun, pop-punk masterclass". 2026 live-show review, Leeds, UK - louderthanwar.com
Shonen Knife’s last Aotearoa tour in 2024 wowed enthusiastic audiences in small towns as well as cities - Waiheke and Raglan, Auckland and Wellington. Since then, the band has toured through South America, made two circles of the United States, played multiple dates in Japan, and more. Kicking ass and taking no prisoners, the buoyant energy you’ll catch from their honed shows is the best kind of infection.
Honestly - where would the world be without live shows that leave you happier and lighter than when you entered the gig? On their current US tour, Shonen Knife uplifted a music festival Florida; their review in www.19.com says “The thing I’ve always loved about Shonen Knife is the joy they bring to their music. It’s infectious. It lets us disconnect from the darkness around us” Right after the show, this reviewer was also impressed “by the long line already waiting to make purchases. It stretched down the lawn all the way to the seats. I joined the autograph line and got my fanboy moment and a photo with the band.” The world is made that much better by a band like Shonen Knife, and soon Aotearoa will also experience their unique pop-punk exuberance.
Shonen Knife’s Wellington show is the night of the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand General Elections, so however you have voted (enrol and vote!) you can forget about politics for a few hours - and whatever the result, you’ll be glad you were at Meow.
"In a world drowning in irony Lets Knife Re-Cut arrives like a neon lifesaver thrown from a punk rock speedboat. Shonen Knife remind us all that rock can still be heartfelt, silly and absolutely essential. Grab this one immediately, crank it loud, and prepare to smile until your face hurts because these songs were built to outlast every trend going." – (Jammerzine)
Let’s Knife Re-Cut is a re-recording of 1992’s original, DIY album Let’s Knife, with the current line-up. The musicianship of the band is undeniably stronger, the songs reworked with more depth and lush instrumentation, with some pop-punk songs morphing towards a more garage-rock sound. It’s well known that the band’s original success was famously due to Nirvana: In 1992 Kurt Cobain revealed his obsession with the Japanese trio, calling them ‘his favorite band’, seeking them out to open for their tour. Shonen Knife had never heard of that musical outfit but eagerly took advantage of the opportunity. They quickly put together Let’s Knife from a selection of their catchiest, funnest songs, recorded them in English, and headed to the USA to open for Nirvana’s full US tour.
With the Australia/NZ release of Shonen Knife’s Let’s Knife Re-Cut via Valve/MGM, Naoko Shibata, Atsuko Yamana and Risa Kawano cut into the sugar lines of their current world tour to chop it all up in their favourite wonderland of Aotearoa.
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Where is it happening?
Pearl Diver, 73 St Andrew street,Dunedin, New Zealand
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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