The Levellers – Albert Hall, Manchester: Live Review

By Mike Ainscoe on 10th December 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The Levellers, The Lottery Winners – Albert Hall, Manchester – 8th December 2024

After witnessing The Levs in “Symphony Hall, sit down, no dogs,” fashion in Birmingham earlier in the year, we’re back in the comfort zone with the refined, redux versions reinstated to the way they were and the way we want them to be. Punters packed in and revelling in the intimate surroundings of the Albert Hall whose balcony stretches almost all the way around the band, a night in Manchester with The Levs is an all-encompassing and communal event. A bit different from the ostentatious Chanel walkway thing going down in the rainy Northern Quarter…

A massive twenty-plus song set still has Levelling The Land at the core. There are dips into Zeitgeits and A Weapon Called The Word and recent offering Peace, but we’re never too far away from one of the landmark songs from a landmark album. It’s the go-to album to provide the backbone of a set of rousing clarion calls which are just as relevant in late 2023 as they were in 1991. Just in case any political comment in the songs might be missed (unlikely) there’s a “check there’s no Tories in here? – They’re the ones who look guilty!”

The roar of “Libertyyyyyy!” sets the wheels in motion and everyone who’s queued to get in early and find a seat on the balcony to rest their legs in prep for a night on their feet joins the brethren on the floor and rises to their feet. They’re soon bouncing again as Jez hits the bass run for Sell Out and Mark Chadwick is admitting; “There’s hours of this – like Springsteen,” whilst “And on a lighter note,” we get a moment for a breather as The Road rolls out amidst a strong run from Levelling The Land. Maybe one day there may be a LTL free set – Food Roof Family and Four Boys Lost and the folky stomp Forgotten Ground (a rarity for me or perhaps I’ve just not been lucky) are reminders that there’s (a) a handful of newer songs and (b) a huge catalogue to be harvested.

Of course, they have their ‘collective’ guise and sit-down contemplation versions to offer, but on a Winter night, close to Christmas, there’s only one way we want to hear The Levellers. A mini folky set with Albion & Pheonix, Carry Me and Dirty Davey varies the pallet after Truth Is has induced a Klezmer jig early doors and Cholera Well (where the Jon Sevink fiddle goes all Seth Lakeman frenzied) and The Riverflow ensures a frantic finale to test the energy. Many will be into the second (or third) wind now but it’s the sort of night that has newest Leveller Dan Donnelly taking to social media a couple of days after the short run in Dublin, Manchester and Wolverhampton, to talk about “feeling like teenagers for a bit.”

Rolling anarchy rolls on with a proud two-fingered salute. Something we can all do with from time to time!

And what a bonus in having a band that’s sold out The Apollo (the recent planned date pushed into January 2024) in support. Remember – “Always see the support band.” The Lottery Winners (our last encounter involving being dragged onstage at Underneath The Stars Festival for a photo opp) in acoustic guise. It’s just a year since they were at The Albert Hall and they’re most welcome back.

It’s a stripped back sound from a stripped back band – Thom, Rob and guest fiddle/violin player Ben Truman – plus a percussion drum pad set up at Thom’s feet so he can set up loops like Ed Sheeran… He’s on top form, ‘proper’ banter and the promise that it might be a bit shit (it isn’t) and that he’s really stoked to be able to do this gig (he is).

Start Again has the goosebumps prickling from the off – this isn’t going to be a ‘by numbers’ support slot. The intro builds as the challenge of electronics gets sorted and Manchester comes to the party, is in full voice and right behind the boys. It’s no surprise that Thom gets so choked up. His banter and command of the two and a half thousand (and three) is a sight to behold. Rob (and the crowd) get the chance to show off their voices as he takes a moment to get it together but there’s an underlying emotion to tonight’s gig that has us all rooting for The Lottery Winners in light of their recent personal tragedy.

The fiddle and electric guitar make for a country twang to 21, shifting it from a psychedelic groove, yet the sentiment remains the same. Thom is singing “I don’t wanna go home!!!” and there’s almost a hoedown as another mass singlaong ensues. Fortunately, he hasn’t gabbled so much that there’ isn’t’s just enough time for a celebratory Much Better. Not for the first time, Thom is just about hanging onto his emotions – it’s

If there were people in the room who hadn’t seen or weren’t aware of The Lottery Winners, gained many friends. With many of those friends in high places, don’t bet against The Levs appearing on their next album.