The Levellers continue their 30th anniversary celebrations with a UK headline tour, including returning home to the Brighton Dome on Thursday 22nd November, following the release of their Top 20 album ‘We The Collective’ earlier this year, which saw the band transform classic tracks into new acoustic arrangements, resulting in their highest chart position in twenty years and widespread critical acclaim.
The UK tour will be their full electric show where they will be playing all their hits and live favourites from the last 30 years.
From their early gigs in Brighton in the spring of 1988 — in venues such as The Richmond and The Zap — Levellers were a ‘gang band’ that attracted an instant following. Then as now, just like their heroes The Clash, they represented a potent brew of activism and hedonism. Their music appealed to the head, the heart and the feet in equal measure. The self-styled ghetto kings of downside town, Levellers never looked back. And on and on the river flowed.
Over the years Levellers have worn many masks; most self-made, some imposed upon them. Pastoral folk-punks, poster boys for the underdogs, Top of the Pops-bothering pop stars. But while their status has evolved over the decades, the basic humanity underpinning their music has remained constant. Often political, occasionally angry but always big-hearted, their songs became instant anthems.
Joining The Levellers on the tour is kindred spirit Seán McGowan who leaps into Winter 2018 with a spirited new single ‘Romance Ain’t Dead’ – Watch the video HERE.
Arriving with an adorably animated video (featuring a certain punk-poet protagonist in cartoon caricature), Seán’s latest single ‘Romance Ain’t Dead’ is a ska-tinged scorcher sure to warm the cockles right through the winter months.
Opening-up about ‘Romance Ain’t Dead’, Seán says:
“Romance Ain’t Dead is a song about escaping the mundane. I spent so many hours people-watching and day-dreaming whilst working in retail. Hoping for a bit of adventure and spontaneity. It’s a hard one to sing but satisfying to play!”
Seán McGowan released his “outstanding” (8/10, Louder Than War) debut album ‘Son Of The Smith’ via Xtra Mile Recordings label earlier in 2018. A year Seán surely won’t be forgetting soon, the young and talented punk poet has pin-balled across Europe performing with his heroes Billy Bragg, Will Varley, Skinny Lister, and Frank Turner; worked with coveted songwriter and producer Get Cape. Wear Cape Fly.; released a string of infectious singles including earworm ‘Cuppa Tea’; and even performed to a momentous sold out crowd at Southampton’s legendary Joiners venue in his hometown.
Order the ‘Son Of The Smith’ album on CD, LP and digital HERE.
Order The Levellers albums HERE.
Grab your Brighton Dome gig tickets fast as there aren’t many left – BUY HERE.
More on The Levellers HERE.
More on Seán McGowan HERE.
