British folk- and indierock band throw an awesome musical party
A lot of fans came to check out the concert of the Levellers tonight at the Dutch venue Luxor Live in Arnhem. This British folk- and indierock band is known for their highly energetic live shows. And with tonight’s show they really prove that they can still throw an awesome musical party together with an ecstatic crowd.
After a nice support of She Makes War – the solo-project of British multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd – an expectant Luxor Live is fully ready for the Levellers. And one can feel that something great is about to happen here tonight. This proves to be so right away when the Levellers get up on stage and start of with the quite suitable What A Beautiful Day.
Beautiful Day
What an entrance! And a very appropriate one, because What A Beautiful Day proves to be the start of an awesome musical banquet that will make this day into a beautiful day for all ‘invited guests’ indeed. Led by lead singer/guitarist Mark Chadwick and backed by the steaming rhythm section – consisting of Charlie Heather on drums and Jeremy Cunningham on bass – the Levellers know how to mix folk, rock, pop and even traditional music with a fine dose of punk.
From the first song on it´s party time on all the big hits of the Levellers due to the fact that their current tour is based on their recently released Greatest Hits album. As a pleasant result the Levellers play one big hit after the other on which an eager crowd is dancing and jumping in an ecstatic manner. This certainly applies for hits like Belarus, Exodus, Carry Me, Come On, World Freak Show and of course One Way, the single of the successful 1991 album Levelling The Land.
Didgeridoo
Next to Simon Friend on guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica certainly the fiddle played by Jon Sevink is an added value in the music of the Levellers as well. And when a polychrome figure with an alight didgeridoo (played by Stephen Oakes) gets on stage this only adds to the joyful and frisky atmosphere. Next, one can hear the distinctive sound of the didgeridoo – known by the Aboriginals of the Northern-Territory of Australia – in some of the songs.
All of this marks and colors the versatility of the Levellers musically. But although it all sounds ‘party-like’ this Brighton based band surely is politically engaged as well. The band regularly addresses to ‘heavy’ topics like peace, environment, nature and anarchy in their music. In that respect their frequent collaboration with British activist and troubadour Billy Bragg is obvious.
Devil Went Down To Georgia
With an unrestrained musical energy the Levellers know how to excite form start to finish. Towards the end of the show the band gives full throttle once more in the encore with songs like Liberty and Just The One. And of course they end tonight’s show in their familiar speed and style by playing their great version of the country-classic Devil Went Down To Georgia (original by Charlie Daniels Band) and the lovely Riverflow. With it they crown this euphoric show into a memorable night. And into a Beautiful Day.
