Levellers still know the way to put on a show

The Levellers, Caerphilly Castle

THERE is something special about The Levellers celebrating their 30th anniversary with a show in a Welsh castle.

The gig was the second date of Orchard Entertainment’s summer run of shows at the historic venue and the setting was perfect for this special sellout celebration for the band.

There may have been drizzle beforehand but as the sun finally broke the clouds, the music began and both opening act, Dreadzone, and The Levellers put the world to rights with fantastic music for a more than up-for-it crowd.

The Levellers delivered a set that belies their age. The singalongs were present as the band, led by Mark Chadwick, fed off the energy of the crowd.

Delivering hit after hit, this show was everything a fan could ask for - from 15 Years to One Way, the latter drawing thunderous applause from the heaving crowd.

While there were some mishaps, it didn’t matter as that only added to the festival atmosphere.

This show highlighted why, for many, The Levellers are the perfect festival band and in the historic grounds of Caerphilly Castle they gave a performance fit for many of the major festivals.

The ghosts of their historical successes at the likes of Glastonbury and their own Beautiful Days festivals loomed large but they pulled out the stops and delivered another classic performance that will no doubt go down in the band’s history as one of their finest.

Chadwick was as happy as ever with his retelling of his jaunt around the pubs of Caerphilly earlier in the day, saying that there seemed to be many of the fans there too.

The encore, Just The One, ended the evening on a high. And as everyone spilled out into the Caerphilly air, I felt a sense of calm as I had just witnessed a band acknowledging their past, yet looking forward to the future with as much passion.

■ David Prince