Beloved ska outfit Monkey Spanner Ska Band will bid farewell to Australian stages with their final tour, The Last Dance.
After six vibrant years celebrating the spirit of 2 Tone ska, Monkey Spanner Ska Band is embarking on one last journey across Australia. The Last Dance tour represents the culmination of the band’s commitment to honouring one of music’s most distinctive subcultures, bringing the infectious rhythms and energy of ska to audiences nationwide.
Throughout their tenure, Monkey Spanner Ska Band has built a reputation for delivering high-energy performances featuring classics from ska legends including The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Beat, The Selecter, and The Bodysnatchers, alongside reggae standards from Toots & The Maytals and classic rocksteady tunes.
Monkey Spanner Ska Band
- When: Saturday 21 June, 2025
- Where: Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne
- Doors open: 6:30pm
- Show starts: 8:30pm
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For their Melbourne appearance, Monkey Spanner Ska Band will be joined by special guests MissSkaTonic, a local group specialising in rocksteady and early Jamaican ska. MissSkaTonic is known for exploring female-fronted repertoire from the sixties and seventies, featuring vocal harmonies, horns, Hammond organ, and what they describe as a rhythm section that gets you right in the belly.
The event promises to be a celebration of ska music’s rich history and enduring appeal, with fans encouraged to participate in what will be the band’s final Australian performances after bringing the genre to stages across the country for more than half a decade.
The Brunswick Ballroom event offers various ticket options, including general admission and premium reserved seating packages that include meals. The venue’s kitchen will be open from 6:30pm, allowing concertgoers to enjoy dinner before the show begins.
Past Monkey Spanner performances have been noted for creating a lively atmosphere where nostalgia meets contemporary energy, with packed dance floors and an inclusive environment that welcomes both longtime ska enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre.
As this farewell tour approaches, the band has expressed gratitude to all who have supported them throughout their journey, acknowledging the incredible people they’ve met along the way who have made each performance memorable.
For fans of ska, reggae, and rocksteady, this final tour represents a last opportunity to experience Monkey Spanner’s tribute to the iconic sounds of 2 Tone and beyond, in what promises to be an emotional and jubilant celebration of their musical legacy.
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