Live
Level 42: Leas Cliff Hall - FOLKSTONE 26/10/08
There are very few bands I can get excited about seeing live that have been going as long as this outfit.
They’ve had several changes mind you. The Gould brothers long gone - Alan Murphy dearly departed. Various others have passed through their ranks, but the beauty is Level 42 are still going with all guns firing - as tough as ever.
Mark King, still manages to inject his boundless energy into the equation which makes this band always a thrill to see live. However, to my my mind (and my colleague with me, L42 aficionado and demon bass player Mr Matt Hooper) the challenge that will always face them is - what material do they choose from their impressive back catalogue of eleven albums?
L42 are many things to many people. On the one hand they are a unique jazz funk band for the soul boys, who are happy to hear their quality instrumentals. But on the other hand they are a product of the 80’s and get lumped in (which pains me to say) with the likes of T’pau, Rick Astley, Living in a Box, Thompson Twins etc. Unfortunately the 80’s spewed out all kinds of putrid pap, but for all intense and purposes they were unequivocally, the right band but most definitely in the wrong era!
Taking to the stage,like stormtroopers with their familiar thunderbirds 5-4-3-2-1! Saw the boys kicking straight into the ever so jaunty 'Fashion Fever' followed by 'For Ever Now.' Resplendent with Lindup’s choppy organ and a sturdy, soulful sax solo from Sean Freeman bolstering this evergreen evenly. The pace was picking up!
Next up the catchy 'Turn It On' saw old thunderthumbs kicking in with his finger popping slamming slap coupled with his toe-curling string bends. This formidable virtuoso fretter was back and funking it large in Folkestone! Stir in a couple of nods to
Johnson, Clarke and Graham (Good name for a solicitors’firm!) and top it off with his effusive, soulful time feel, gives you the perfect recipe to forming an originator in his own right. Mark King has been roaming the Giants Causeway for many a year and has always been standing tall!!
Younger sibling Nathan, a dastardly good guitarist, adds panache to the sound and his tasty slide gave 'Take Care Of Yourself' added depth and dimension. I only wish the soundman had boosted his volume (don’t let your older bro take all the limelight son!) but generally the overall sound was good in this vast seaside hall.
Choice highlights of the evening? Four part harmonies plus MK looping himself and going into a funk frenzy with his Status bass lit up like a xmas tree and the master’s silhouette in the white light, looking like a Jedai Knight fighting alone on the stage-magnificent stuff, King!
I must also name check Mike Lindup, King’s perfect folly and partner, another crowd pleaser/exciter extraordinaire who can whip up and work the crowd like a circus ringmaster! His deft touches on all things keyboard really are the icing on the cake
to this riotous sound, propelled by the engine of the unassuming yet outstanding drummer Gary Husband.
So a well balanced set from this potent crew, perhaps a few more instrumentals from back in the day could be included on the next tour for those who are seriously into their Jazz Funk. (BTW peeps Blues and Soul were the first to award Mark King 'Best Bass Player'- way before any of his other accolades) but guys one slight criticism please get back into your jeans and funky shirts – we don’t want you looking like out of work city boy brokers - ditch the new image! For Criss sakes!! Good to see you back and in fine form and as ever always amazing to witness………..
Photograph by kind permission of Joel Anderson
Words Emrys Baird
