Them Flying Monkeys
Shacklewell Arms, London
January 9th 2025
Them Flying Monkeys, make a brief return to the UK to perform and promote their third album Best Behavior, which came out a year ago but has only recently caught the attention of one or two of us who thoroughly enjoy living our lives alongside chaotic fist-in-the-air euphoric soundtracks.
Are we just ships passing in the night, or is this the start of another wonderful long-term relationship? Portuguese five-piece Them Flying Monkeys are back in the UK for three small shows to play us tracks from their ferocious third album that came out a year ago and tease us with at least one new tune that one expects will one day appear on their fourth.
Best Behavior only landed on our desk after we’d already submitted our albums of 2025. It’s a blinder that some of us are convinced you’ll love as soon as your ears get near it. An equally brief visit to the UK turned a few heads last year, and it’s hoped that the people who can help make these things happen can get this band back again and again to entertain the gig going public in other areas of the UK that deserve to see a band such as this.
Tonight then, the first ‘proper’ Friday, the start of the first big weekend as some of us call it and an introduction to the year that is exactly what some of us need to get back into the swing of everyday living after the closing days of the previous year. Big tunes, dozens of huge crashing riffs that Idles would be proud of (their fans are going to love this band) and a keyboard that complements the screaming guitars, pounding drums and four vocals that arrive as every catchy chorus begins.
It goes without saying now that the logistics of any non UK band visiting the UK as relative unknowns is a difficult task to undertake, but we have the albums available to listen to already, they’re probably huge back home and could potentially be huge favourites among those of us who spend our lives chasing such thrills here in the UK.
We get all the recent album tonight, along with the new tune Big Boy, which indicates that this band isn’t about to stop here. Les Gens Sont Fous, Les Temps Sont Flous, a (1960s) song by French singer Jacques Dutronc, arrives halfway through, the singer, Luis, is now among the audience, which seems to be obligatory behaviour nowadays and is the perfect cover version for a band such as this with its repetitive crunching riff and French lyrics. The version of this song sits comfortably with the bands own compositions, and the evening comes to an end with the glorious Everybody Everything, yet another tune that should be enough for anyone within earshot to delve further into this band if they haven’t already done so.
Them Flying Monkeys are by no means a new band; however, here in London and the rest of the UK, they will hopefully travel along the path that many of our own homegrown acts have travelled along, in order for everyone with a love for brutal, crashing and sing along anthems to eventually join in with.
Start here and join us down the front again when they hopefully return.
Discover Them Flying Monkeys
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TIK TOK | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP
~
Words by Keith Goldhanger. More writing by Keith on Louder Than War can be found at his author’s archive. You can also find Keith on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky
Photos by Robyn Skinner
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
