Gig Review: The Blow Monkeys and The Christians - The Royal Philharmonic Hall - 16 October 2025

Words and Photos: Steve

The ever stylish Blow Monkeys opened up on there Co-headline tour with The Christians. First up on there selected setlist of singles and album tracks was “Celebrate” The day after you. There collaboration with Curtis Mayfield. The big hits _ Digging your scene, Out With Her, It doesn’t have to be like that. Next up was “You don’t own me”, from the film, “Dirty Dancing”. The new album “Birdsong” had 2 tracks played Birdsong and “Long lost child”, My personal fave Time storm was played and then Dr Roberts duet with Kym Mazelle ‘Wait’. They finished with The Wild River off the same titled album.

The Christians headline as it is their local hometown gig. Forgotten town, Born Again was next and then the hits and select cuts followed by a medley of Greenbank Drive and (Papa was a rolling stone).

Ideal World, Words, Followed in between by Garry informing the near capacity crowd about how drummer had a heart attack whilst playing at the Pier Head and the excellent work of Water Aid who were quickly on the scene who saved Lionel life. The rescuers were guests of honour at the gig. Dementia and other references were made to the crowd to be wary of people around them about the disease. Another single followed Hooverville and a tribute to the Marvin Gaye “Inner city Blues(Makes me wanna holler). They finished off there set with another cover The Isley Brothers ‘Harvest for the world.”.