This was always going to be a great gig. How could it not be, with Levellers bringing Levelling the Land to the stage in full, alongside some of their other classics? With both the band and the album sitting firmly in my personal top five, expectations were high. Thankfully, the night delivered in spectacular fashion.
Thirty five years on, Levelling the Land feels more relevant than ever. Given the state of the world today, its themes of rebellion, injustice and standing up for what you believe in remain as powerful as ever. There could hardly be a more fitting time for the band to take this landmark album back on the road.
Davey McManus opened proceedings with a solo acoustic set, delivering songs including “Time Machine”, “Cigarette Burns on Your Heart” and a personal favourite, “Shoot Your Neighbour”. Let’s just say I’ve had a few nights when that might have been the song of choice! LOL.
Next up, The Meffs unleashed their frantic brand of Britpunk with an 11 song set, kicking off with “Business” (pun intended!) Tracks like “Fight” and “Broken Britain, Broken Brains” kept the energy high, while covers of X-Ray Spex’s “Identity” and The Prodigy’s “Breathe” added extra fire to an already explosive performance.
Then came Levellers, opening with “One Way” a song that has defined my life. From that moment, Vicar Street became one enormous singalong. Song after song, the crowd roared back every word as the band delivered a performance of sheer class. Having seen them numerous times, I can honestly say this ranks among their very best.
With Levelling the Land delivered alongside classics such as “Julie”, “World Freak Show” and “Hope St”, there were highlights aplenty. A particularly fantastic version of “This Garden” saw The Meffs return to the stage, with Lily taking over vocal duties to brilliant effect.
The only missed opportunity? Closing with “Beautiful Day” in Dublin’s Liberties felt like the perfect moment to bring out Imelda May for a special guest appearance. It could have made an already memorable night truly unforgettable.
Still, that’s a minor gripe. Levellers proved that 35 years on, their music, message and live power remain undiminished. A brilliant night from start to finish.
Davey McManus photos:
The Meffs photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Business
Stamp It Out
What a nightmare
Fight
So Modern – Keep Up
Identity (X‐Ray Spex cover)
Breathe (The Prodigy cover)
Broken Britain, Broken Brains
Disorder – Wake Up
Like Gravity
Clowns
Levellers photos & set-list:
Set-list:
One Way
The Game
Fifteen Years
The Boatman
Jig
Liberty Song
Far From Home
Sell Out
Another Man’s Cause
The Road
The Riverflow
Battle of the Beanfield
Julie
World Freak Show
Carry Me
Dirty Davey (McDermott’s 2 Hours cover)
Hope St.
The Cholera Well
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This Garden
The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band cover)
Beautiful Day
Photos & words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic