The Levellers – Manchester Academy: Live Review

Mike Ainscoe

4 months ago

The Levellers, Grace Petrie – Manchester Academy – Sunday 16th November 2025

THE LEVELLERS

It’s been a Levs filled year with one thing and another. Back at Liverpool Philharmonic in the ‘Collective’ guise and on top form at Shrewsbury Folk Festival in the Summer. The end of year round finds them showcasing the Zeitgeist album.

THIRTY YEARS OLD!

“You know what you’re here for,” quips Mark Chadwick after an explosive Hope Street that has those packed in at the front (and beyond) belting out the lyrics with a gusto, to be matched moments later as they’re dazzled by the barrage of stage lighting in Exodus. Dan Donnelly, now firmly in place as a fully fledged Lev, starts a regular routine of switching instruments to add the icing on the cake.

Decked out in their ‘subvert’ uniforms, although Mark still doesn’t toe the line, the sequence begins of allowing a breather track between the intensity, the insistency and the ferocity. The opening barrage gives way to a casual Maid Of The River, while Saturday To Sunday then ramps up things for a fearsome Alive. The latter comes with a stage douse din deep saturated red and burnt orange. The curse of the photographers but a splendid visual look with Jez’s huge Zeitgeist daubings forming the backdrop. As the goosebumps tingle, it’s possibly at this point that the thoughts start forming – why have these songs been out of the set for so long, and in some cases never at all?

“I F@@KING LOVE IT HERE!”

Perhaps it’s also a thought felt by many who recognise the energy being being displaced on stage and the thrill of somewhat ripping up the tried and trusted setlist as the sextet play the hell out of these songs. I’m sure the setlistfm database will have the stats. “I f@@king love it here!” says one (unrecognised) voice from the stage – not sure but it may have been Jez. “He calls the truth!” adds Mark.

The folkier side of the band sees Jon Sevink showing Seth Lakeman the way to go in Forgotten Ground – inspiring the fiddle sound that led to Kitty Jay and the rest back in the mid Nineties. That thought gets parked as again, an under the radar gem sees Fantasy and the venomous PC Keen (with Dan honking like a master on harp) instigating fans on the shoulders and more eye piercing strobes.

Time for a breather? Yes, Haven’t Made It gives a gentle swing and trough before the punky fire of Leave This Town and the sheer majesty of Men-an-Tol bring the curtain down on Zeitgeist. Protests, commentries – the zeitgeist – and typical acoutsic chhilled out Levs. It’s not just an album but a formidable set.

AND THE REST

Being truthful, hearing Zeitgeist played through, was worth the ticket price. The fact that we get another dose of ‘hits’ – more crowd pleasing for those who aren’t already there, comes as a bonus. One Way tests the second winds as a familar sequence follows. One banger to bounce along to, bring things down with an acoustic rumble, then up the ante with a punky fire.

Some keyboard warriors might have beefed about the set length. Yes, 4am was omitted and there may have been a few songs of the time that might have dropped in – Drinking For England or Sara’s Beach might have fitted in at pertinent points, but that’s being churlish. On the other hand, as one fan on the forum put it, they don’t need to be playing the bulk of Levelling The Land all the time. Even one of the ATB core, professes Zeitgeist as his fave Levs album. Food for thought…

GRACE PETRIE

Early arrivals had the pleasure of a warm up set from Grace Petrie. Already familiar to us at ATB, its a pretty good match for The Levs and judging by the warm welcome and singalong opportunities, one that certainly went down well with a partisan crowd.

A forty minute slot saw a combo of Grace’s recent conversion to stand up comedy and her cutting observations with an eye on the causes for which she speaks and sings with a passion and fervour. She’s travelled and grown quite some since her forays into the Folk field. She’s much more than a Folk singer although there’s still a large portion of the old school protest singer contained in her musical DNA.

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE

Her songs see her riding the waves of political change that see some of her lyrics swinging out of and suddenly back into fashion. Same song, different party. It’s always a joy to hear her sing what could be her signature song, Farewell To Welfare, with such Frank Turner-esque gusto that her larynx takes something of a bashing. The centerpiece is perhaps Black Tie as she shares her journey in a lyric/letter to her teenage self in her “Year eleven hell.” Yes, she admits it’s quite sweary, but all in the cause of the rhyming couplet. Ultimately, and not surprisingly, it’s a protest songs (about transphobia). She’s back in town next year at The Lowry for a more comedic focussed appearance – ‘This Is No Time To Panic’ sounds like fun.