3 Daft Monkeys
With Muddy Summers & The Dirty Field Whores
18th October 2024 – OCC, Malvern
First time at the OCC on Church St. It starts well—I’m parked just around the corner! It bodes well for reconnecting with the anarchic mix of punk-faced Cornish folk conjured up by 3 Daft Monkeys, which, of course, is actually four. Though the OCC could have taken the deck out for bassist Jamie, whose head was somewhere up in the shadows above the stage lighting.
Support came in the form of definitively punk-attired folk, Muddy Summers & The Dirty Field Whores, fronted by shotgun feminists Gail and Aly on vocals and fiddle, giving us both barrels. Gail opened the set with poetic verse, unwrapping the life of an aging woman—from firm, shapely youth to a more rounded, comfy, matured body. Frankly funny, as we do all go to seed with time. Viv, possibly modelled on Vivian from The Young Ones, played a rather nice arch-top acoustic Hohner guitar, accompanied by Miles on drums and Phil on bass. All good, wholesome, earthy stuff—probably best to leave the kids at home.
I was here for a bit of Monkey business. Must be 5 years since I last caught up, though I have the music. Tim on 12-string, Athene on fiddle, Rich on drums, and the aforementioned Jamie on a 6-string bass. For those uninitiated in the folklore, Rich’s rig is a mix of percussive implements, conventional drums included, but not a stick in sight. His gloved hands move at the speed of light to produce a rolling thunder, underpinned by Jamie’s big bass. It’s a lot of strings for a small band, but it’s the stories that unfold in the rich sauce of folky Cornish Balkan exotica that bring any gig to life. Watch and wonder at the infectious effect rippling across the floor, much akin to having camped on a termites’ nest, as the followers dance and jump around, scratching that itch. Wonderfully inventive, inviting music filled the evening—from Year Of The Clown all the way through to Turning The World On Its Head. Any thoughts of dragging my worn, old body away to a warm bed evaporated quickly in the heady atmosphere and crazy world of The 3 Daft Monkeys—the first of a string of three nights of gigs. Madness!
Visit their website, check out the latest album, Information Camouflage, whatever that is—full of wonders and mysteries.
In what seems a world full of misery, it’s time for some “Power To The Peaceful.” If you like your music to move you like the poke of a cattle prod, don’t miss their live shows.
Definitely one of those Days Of The Dance, in the excellent setting of the OCC. I will no doubt return to this premier alternative venue in Malvern.
By: Graham Munn