Levellers
Royal Albert Hall

THERE comes a point, almost inevitably, when an exciting band turns into just another rock group — it happened to the Rolling Stones a long time ago and the same fate befell the Arctic Monkeys. And it’s certainly the case with Levellers quite a while back.

Mark Chadwick and company are an excellent, admirable outfit with a proud place in the history of English popular music. Credit to them for holding on as long as they have done and for continuing to fly the flag.

But really they’re now just a bunch of old Brighton rockers. It’s difficult to square this rockfest of a show with early, crustier days when it was easier to connect the Levellers to the woodsmoke of a traveller’s fire than the dry ice of a choreographed stage extravaganza.

What they now offer live is a desiccated version of the original, superficially containing the same ingredients but without the vitality or interest once present.

That might appear churlish given that an adoring crowd, with arms and voices raised almost permanently in tribute, clearly enjoy every moment of what is a committed performance in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.

But sometimes the dispassionate view is more honest. Stepping back from the emotion, it’s easy to judge that the Levellers of today are a somewhat hollowed-out version of their old self.  

For sure, they are hindered by the fuzzy wall of sound at the Royal Albert Hall, which seems to flatten out every song into the same tone and feel, reducing some of the compositions — World Freakshow, Three Friends and The Cholera Well — to virtual anonymity.

The choice of relentlessly noisy anthemic material also contributes to an underlying feeling of sameness, so much so that it’s a relief when the odd slower tune comes along. Julie and Too Real, more relaxed, were highlights of the evening. Maybe the band's forthcoming acoustic shows might be more satisfying.

Of course, there’s no standing in the way of classics such as One Way, Carry Me and Riverflow, which all made a big impact. Rightly renowned for their live prowess, The Levellers can still please a crowd.

But with the passage of time, their energy and spark has undoubtedly diminished.

On tour until August 15, details: levellers.co.uk