Monkey Do are a new pack of primates/alternative rock band who love the Ōtepoti music scene, and have spent the past year refining their sound at Pint Nights and flat gigs. Critic Te Ārohi caught up with Rowan (guitar, he/him), Mack (bass, he/she), Pato (guitar, he/him) and Kam (drums, he/him) to find out what makes these monkeys tick, and to learn about their future musical missions.
Rowan, Mack and Pato met on their first day at Carrington College just last year. They instantly bonded over their love of music, and Rowan and Pato immediately started to write original songs together. “We were obsessed over this thing that I wrote [...] One of those nights I didn’t sleep and just stayed up all night writing, finishing the song. And that was like 10 days after we met,” recounts Pato. They brought their jams into the Carrington band room (located just beneath the study centre) resulting in more than a few noise complaints. “No one really liked us all year,” he laughed.
By the end of the first week of uni, they had befriended the Audio Visual Dropkicks and Caribou. Turns out they already had some connections with these bands: Mack and George (AVDK guitarist) were neighbours in Christchurch, and Pato and Ben (Caribou guitarist) were high school besties. Whether you put this down to fate or New Zealand’s habit of keeping everyone knowing everyone, Rowan believes “It was kind of meant to be.” Caribou’s drummer is also the newest Monkey Do member, and Rowan remembers “playing the first gig and seeing Kam’s happy, smiley face at the barricade.” Wholesome.
In no time at all, they excitedly agreed to play their first Pint Night after only a few weeks of being a band. And, it wasn’t a disaster! Mostly. Pato recounts; “Our first gig went good, up until the last song. We’re doing ‘I Am the Walrus’ by the Beatles until a drunk couple went up on stage to make out. Uninvited.” Guess they found walrus kinda romantic? Throughout 2025 the band “speed ran our musical development,” as Mack eloquently puts it. They ended up playing Flipper Fest (shoutout Mario, local muso and founder of Flipper Fest) which the band collectively agreed was a highlight.
Monkey Do wear their love of classic and current Dunedin music on their sleeves. While they mostly play originals, they always try to throw in a cover of a Dunedin classic (I saw them do a great cover of Death and the Maiden by the Verlaines. What a tune). “We’re kind of a reflection of the bands that influence us in the scene,” says Rowan. “[Dunedin] music is some of the best music I’ve ever heard and it’s all just contained in this little student scene where everyone knows each other”. Their songwriting process is heavily informed by local bands they’ve seen live, and combined with their already varied music tastes, the Monkey Do sound materialises. Mack also notes their chemistry as musos: “I feel like we do have a lot of musical faith in each other to come up with stuff that works well together”. Monkeys together are strong.
After an eventful 2025, Monkey Do are about to get even busier in the big ‘26 with more gigs and music releases. Their debut single, ‘Pisstake’, is coming out on Tuesday the 17th of March (St Paddy’s Day). Pato describes it as “completely unrelated to any other music” they’re planning to put out, and is a unique but fun track they wrote over a year ago. The band have undoubtedly grown as musicians since then, and are now beginning to record all-new music for their first album with Sam Charlesworth, of The Beatniks. It’s shaping up to be a great year for the four-piece crew, and we can’t wait to Monkey-See what Monkey Do do.
Follow Monkey Do on Instagram @monkeydo.band to keep up with their latest gigs. Their debut single ‘Pisstake’ comes out on March 17th!
