Shonen Knife & The Knack at the Pier ~ Free

7:30
Santa Monica Pier (Colorado & Ocean aves)
Last concert of the free summer series...
A Shonen Knife show in the United States is not to be missed. For one thing, it’s a rare occurrence: Because the female trio live in Japan and have spent the decade since their stint on an American major label receding into the cult-band status their foreign sensibility all but guarantees here, singer-guitarist Naoko Yamano, bassist Atsuko Yamano and drummer Etsuko Nakanishi simply can’t afford to get here as often as they should. For another, their amped-up pop-punk — giddy and unapologetically cutesy, but surprisingly heavy when it needs to be — is worth seeing anywhere, let alone on a pier. At sunset. For free. Power-pop survivors the Knack remain giddy and amped-up, but heavy they are not. (Mikael Wood)