One way of life - and that's your own

On Friday I went to see the Levellers play an acoustic set at Buxton Opera House. I felt slightly regretful and guilty because I had been given their new album to review for Sloucher, and I hadn’t got round to it for a variety of domestic reasons. I could have been better prepared for a set of new material, but I needn’t have worried because all the old favourites were there too. The lovely Moulettes opened for them – and joined them on stage later. Accomplished musicians with great arrangements, they were very suited to the acoustics of the Opera House. For those of you not familiar with Buxton Opera House, it’s a little gem of a theatre designed by Frank Matcham. Ornate, intimate, gilded, it is home to opera festivals , Gilbert and Sullivan festivals, tribute bands, comedians, local theatre groups and the rest. I had seen the Levellers there in 2008, just before their massive Royal Albert Hall event. It was a wall of sound, with a sea of fans crashing against it. A bit of a shock to my system but very exciting. It’s the only time I have seen girls on the shoulders of boys on the shoulders of bigger boys! They reached up to the level of the circle. The Opera House staff seemed to cope without being heavy handed. Last Friday’s crowd weren’t quite as acrobatic, but they were certainly as enthusiastic. About three songs in there was a surge to the stage, mostly men of a certain age. Jim Morrison once drawled on a live recording something along the lines of “So this is New York – only the guys rush the stage’. I had seen something similar a few years ago when the Beat played Buxton – all those middle aged Ska boys dancing like there was no tomororow, and no yesterday. All the favourite songs were sung, the audience punched the air, sang along, dreadlocks flew and great time was had by all. It’s a mixed age audience too – children and parents – maybe even grandchildren. Perhaps it’s the influence of the festivals they have played at. I rediscovered the Levellers when my son Charlie came across them as a young teenager. Memories of the songs, their collective political stance and their support of the travellers in the late 80s and early 90s. I don’t know if they are still working as a collective, but I bought a t shirt from the incredible didgeridoo player at the interval! And he certainly blew a few cobwebs out of the carved woodwork and dusty velvet of the Opera House. It’s wild rebel music, raising the roof, ‘Out Demons Out’ as the Edgar Broughton Band would have screamed. I love the energy and enthusiasm. It’s not my tribe but it’s great to see their tribe in action. We were home in time for Jools Holland, but I couldn’t cope with seeing the Beach Boys and John Lydon. I saw the Beach Boys when ‘Good Vibrations’ was in the charts and I don’t want to think of the nasty behaviour that’s going on over a brand name. I missed the Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, tried to see them at Wigan Casino (and got picked up on suspicion of selling drugs – another story and we weren’t) and can only think of an advert for margarine when I see Mr Lydon now. Thank goodness the amazing film about George Harrison was on BBC4 again.