Review: The Levellers, Civic Hall

After almost 30 years in the business the alternative rock/folk band are still packing out venues like the Civic Hall.

And why? Because they have a mighty fine catalogue that has stood the test of time.

It might be more than two decades since some of us first had the joy of hearing One Way, Far from Home or Fifteen Years, but they still sound as good as ever.

Look a little deeper and you have songs about serious issues such as politics and social injustice.

But while they have a message they want to get across, Levellers again showed they are also a band that you can simply dance or sing along to. And when it comes to performing live, they have always been in their element.

"Seems like we're having fun," commented singer Mark Chadwick to the crowd soon after coming on stage. They were, but there was more to come.

Jon's crescendo-building violin solo followed by an explosion of ticker tape was the signal for England my Home to open proceedings.

And when that was followed by one of the band's biggest chart successes – What a Beautiful Day – the crowd were already lapping up every anthemic chorus.

There were more modern releases such as Mutiny and The Cholera Well, but it was the old classics that went down the best.

The arrival of a didgeridoo player on stage midway through the set as they performed This Garden and One Way was typical Levellers.

But it was Carry Me that proved the sing-along song of the night – with more than a little encouragement from Chadwick.

If there's one criticism of the band it's probably that the set list does get a bit predictable at times.

An encore of Battle of the Beanfield and Liberty wouldn't have surprised many in the crowd, but they weren't bothered by this point.

Another blast of ticker tape and the 90-minute show came to a close, the band leaving to a huge ovation.

And while their looks may have changed over the years, the fact they put on a fine live show certainly hasn't.

By Steve Box