The Levellers

Hard to believe they’ve been at it 25 years, especially as I remember seeing them back in the late 80s before fame (and a decent living) came beckoning. But very little has change over the years: their sound remains firmly folk-rock, and they have essentially retained the same line-up since 1990. Moreover, they continue to be an outstandingly tight and dynamic live act, able to ignore the coattails of fashion, win new fans, and stay just as relevant as they were when they hit their commercial pack in the mid-90s. Where once their categorisation as politico-lefties may have unfairly been held against them (and they haven’t lost their edge in that respect – their continuing sense of injustice and their fight against the creeping malignant forces of corruption), it is a pleasure to see their fanbase broadening out into something close to, dare I say it, middle class. That didn’t stop the relentless dancing in the stalls. The band, who were apparently a little nervous at playing in their home town, obliged by playing most of their best and most popular songs ultimately demonstrating that their repertoire is packed full with glorious, energising and meaningful songs.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 19 July 2013

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