The Blow Monkeys

The Blow Monkeys play Limelight in Belfast on 3 October 2026. Formed in London in 1981 around singer and songwriter Dr. Robert with Mick Anker, Neville Henry and Tony Kiley, the quartet shaped a pop sound at the crossroads of new wave, sophisti-pop, soul and light funk. Their songs balance catchy choruses, saxophone lines and danceable rhythms, with lyrics that often lean toward social themes.

The group broke through in the mid-80s with Animal Magic and the single Digging Your Scene, followed by She Was Only a Grocer’s Daughter, which includes a duet with Curtis Mayfield, then Whoops! There Goes the Neighbourhood. After Springtime for the World in 1990, they paused before returning in 2007. Since then, they’ve toured and recorded steadily, from Devil’s Tavern to Journey to You. On stage, The Blow Monkeys reconnect their early hooks with the warmer soul colors of their later albums, carried by Dr. Robert’s vocals, a tight rhythm section and Neville Henry’s sax, for a set that moves between classics and newer tracks.