Level 42 The Corn Exchange, Cambridge.
30 November 2004.

“Hang on a minute! I’ve got an awful feeling that I’ve left my recently purchased copy of ‘Level 42 live at the Apollo’ in the pub!” OK folks, we have a post-gig crisis!
   “Well we’d better go back and break down the door,” say Richard, Trina, Malc and Dunc, collectively! Phone calls are made and eventually the latches slide open to reveal the after-hours drinkers inside but sadly no forgotten L42 merchandise. 

All this, after a kebab break, then suddenly from the depths of the pouch of my sweatshirt, the aforementioned future collector’s item is plucked back into reality.
   The show has ended prematurely, a rather sad 10.05pm, yes can you believe it? Then again none of us are getting any younger! We have been to the pub.

Mark and boys have just made a triumphant return to Cambridge’s Corn Exchange for a strictly just 16 songs set, which followed last year’s format of oldies, goldies and latter day hits as featured on ‘Live at the Apollo’.
   This current Level 42 line-up is certainly proving to be a highly accomplished and versatile unit with band stalwart, Gary Husband on drums, Lyndon Connor on keyboards, and the promising and excellent young partnership which is Sean Freeman on sax and Nathan King on guitar.
   A full house in the Exchange greets the band when they arrive on stage. The sound is polished and precise as Malc’s favourite tune ‘Heaven in my hands’ gets us underway.

There’s a gorgeous selection of tracks from ‘World Machine’ back to back. ‘Lying still’ is still my favourite L42 album track but is delivered in lighter fashion tonight, still poignant as ever nonetheless. ‘Physical Presence’ follows the title track, triumphant, resolute and exacting.
   Overall, the set selection is an improvement on last year, with ‘take it or leave it’ tracks like ‘Follow me’ and ‘Leaving me now’ omitted. Once again, ‘The sunbed song’ seems an odd choice for the encore given it was a B-movie song from the band’s last, but not forgotten, studio album. Tonight, it includes references to ‘Turn it on’ and Mark’s ‘Influences’ solo album.

Next year’s show, we all very much hope there is one, might usefully employ missing gems like ‘Love games’, ‘The Chinese Way’, ‘Are you hearing what I hear?’ and countless others.
   The trouble is with over a dozen albums worth of material, what to include and what not to? Hurry back, Level 42! You are still the tightest unit in the entire universe! Let’s face it folks, it’s music you just can’t leave behind!
 
Set list: Heaven in my hands; To be with you again; Eyes waterfallin’; Micro Kid; True believers; Lying still; World machine; Physical presence; Take care of yourself; The sun goes down (living it up); Starchild; Running in the family; Lessons in love; Something about you; [encores] The sunbed song; Hotwater.
 

To go back to the reviews menu click here

More reviews ... 2010 reviews here ... 2009 reviews here ...
2008 reviews here ... 2007 reviews here ... 2006 reviews here ...
2005 reviews here ... 2004 reviews here ... 2003 reviews here ...
home howardtowers.com Email