Levellers Collective 2025 Acoustic Tour

Levellers Collective

Friday was a huge day for the folk-rock band Levellers, who released their outstanding new live album 'Collective / Live' to the world before headlining a sold-out show with their 'Collective' line-up at Cambridge Corn Exchange. The Levellers Collective is an extended acoustic-folk version of the band, which sees them team up with members of fellow Brighton group The Moulettes to re-imagine a number of Levellers' classics. The sextet of Levellers members (Mark Chadwick, Jez Cunningham, Charlie Heather, Jon Sevink, Dan Donnelly and Matt Savage) were joined by a trio of Moulettes (Hannah Moule, Oli Moule and Rae Husbandes) to create a nine-piece band of filled to the brim with musical powerhouses. The Corn Exchange is lucky enough to possess quite a large stage, and it certainly needed; between the nine musicians and the multitude of instruments each band member would play, the stage was certainly full, ready to provide the setting for a night of folk-driven excellence.

The band members were met with a rapturous reception upon taking to the stage, as a capacity Corn Exchange crowd eagerly awaited the night ahead. As soon as the first note of set opener 'Ghosts in the Water' rang out, it was clear this would be just that. A splendid 90-minute set flew by at a relentless pace, as the Levellers Collective ripped through a career spanning set which combined some of their biggest songs with some of their less appreciated songs; the latter of which often getting new life poured into them by the sensational reimagining this Collective format offers. There were some noticeable admissions on the night (namely 'What a Beautiful Day' and '15 Years'), but their omission paved the way for other incredible songs from yesteryear to receive a spotlight they may perhaps not usually get. In fact it was a duo of songs from the Levellers debut album that followed the opener and really got the crowd up in voice. 'The Ballad of Robbie Jones' was swiftly followed by 'Together All the Way', providing two singalong opportunities which the audience happily accepted. All that was left to do now to really take this night to the next level was a blistering anthem to get the seated crowd up on their feet.

Following further exploration through the deep catalogues of Levellers music we arrived at the classic track 'One Way', and the Corn Exchange crowd needed no second invitation to rise to their feet and begin screaming the chorus back to vocalist Mark Chadwick. This anthemic track remains as important today as it was over two decades ago when first released, and you need look no further for the passion this audience sang it back in to prove that. Steered by the showmanship of Chadwick the crowd reached a new level of energy that would falter for the rest of the evening. 

Mark Chadwick was not the only band member to have his moment in the spotlight however, as a number of extended outros, jam sessions and harmonious backing vocal opportunities meant all nine-musicians were truly as vital to this performance as each other, and all received deserved moments as the centre of attention. Perhaps the most notable of these came towards the end of the main set when musical mastermind Dan Donnelly took lead vocals to deliver a passionate rendition of the groups' 2020 track 'Four Boys Lost'. This was followed by a two-song pairing with Chadwick back on vocals that nearly tour the roof off the Corn Exchange. After an evening of sitting back enjoying the musical excellence on display, those in attendance were still noticeably waiting for a moment to get up and fully let go. 'One Way' provided the chance to stand up and take in the music more, but it was the main-set closers 'The Riverflow' and 'The Road' which really transformed the venue from seating to standing, as every aisle became filled with a sea of elated dancing folk-rock lovers.

The evening would not end there however, as the Levellers Collective re-emrged to deliver a triad of hits through their encore, featuring their takes on some high-velocity modern-folk classics 'Burford Stomp' and 'Down by the River 'O''. These not only kept the energy high allowing the audience to again put on their dancing shoes, but also further showcased to the full just how talented a group of musicians we were having the pleasure of witnessing. The songs are played at a rapid pace, and yet still a perfect harmony travelled through the Levellers Collective who effortlessly played these tracks like it was second nature, and that was very much the theme for the night. Despite being an amalgamation of two bands, and adding new twists to songs they've played hundreds of times, the Levellers Collective manages to act as one flawless musical adventure that turly does provide something for everybody.