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Mark King is probably the greatest bass player in the world. OK so he may have learned a trick or two from the
great jazz funksters of the 70s. Sadly, the likes of Stanley Clarke, Lenny White and John McLaughlin never needed commercial chart success to make it big.
King’s former 42’ers, Mike Lindup, Boon and Phil
Gould are doing other things today but much of their legacy from the band’s, now legendary, pop albums of the mid 1980s ‘World Machine’ and ‘Running in the Family’ are on show tonight.
Level 42 is
very much Mark King’s band today. He has drafted in two fine young musicians Nathan King (guitar) and Sean Freeman (sax) to take the stand alongside 42 stalwart, the incomparable talent that is Mr Gary Husband
(tonight on drums) and experienced session hand Mr Lyndon Connah (playing keyboards for just about everyone from Go West to Robin Trower)!
This show at the Derngate, relatively early on within the vast travelogue of dates the band have amassed for this two-month tour, is an immaculate, note
perfect greatest hits concert with one or two pleasant surprises thrown in for good measure!
The band’s 1988 heavy-handed hit ‘Heaven in my hands’ opens the show with young Nathan King picking up the
late great Al Murphy’s soaring lead lines to the note. Standard four / four time is maintained straight down line on ‘To be with you again’, up next.
Easing the tempo and loosening things up, ‘Love meeting love’, the first ever L42 hit follows next and flows majestically with its
splendid bass counterpoint and lilting jazz chords.
Also from the band’s early catalogue, ‘Micro Kid’ and ‘Follow me’ keep things moving and I’m sure are well received by many of
those fans who have come along wanting to hear more than just the hits!
Despite having to endure ‘Leaving me now’ – yes, sorry I never ever liked that one preferring 1987’s ‘It’s over’ if I
really do have to pick a ballad – we are treated to three more favourites from the ‘World Machine’ album in the shape of ‘A physical presence’, ‘I sleep on my heart’ and the title track. All played
with great passion and gusto, superb.
The ‘home’ straight includes ‘The Sun goes down’,
‘Starchild’, ‘Running in the Family’, ‘Lessons in Love’, ‘Something about You’ and ‘Hot water’, although ‘The Sunbed Song’ is something of an odd choice.
Loads of stuff missed out but
the trouble is where do you start, where do you finish? Keeping everyone happy is a fine art and Mark King certainly has the measure of the packed and appreciative house tonight. Twenty years on, the 42’ers have
lost none of their exacting entertainment value. Great tunes played for real, just like the first time round and sounding just as fresh.
Read this review and buy the DVD from the band’s website www.level42.com direct from Mark at his Isle of Wight postal box address!
Watch out for the next tour at the end of 2004 coming to a venue near you!!!
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