TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

I'm a huge fan, but was disappointed. Too low key for a headline set, not saying they didn't do what they did very well, just think it was the wrong time. Mid afternoon I'm sure it would have been great, well, very good anyhow. Not as much fun, in my opinion, as the acoustic sets they do at BD to open the festival.

Totally agree. Feared they would do the ‘We The Collective’ format but, as a headliner, would’ve preferred the more upbeat style especially as we were so cold we needed something a bit more livelier to jump up and down to (I won’t call it dancing as that would contravene trade descriptions). Spoke to a number of people on Saturday who also expressed similar disappointment.

Well I had no problems with the slot. I have seen them 3 times and not been struck on any occasion. I didn't repeat my past mistakes. I went to bed when they started and slept through it all very well.

Bloody awful, and disappointing as I was expecting more.

Very disappointed with the Levellers. I'm not disrespecting their musicianship, but the time and place for this acoustic set was not headlining on Thursday at Cropredy!

I'm not being deliberately provocative, but if I knew they were playing an acoustic set (and I'm not a particular fan - although I have enjoyed them at Croppers in the past - and I had no intention of being there), why is everyone else so disgusted that they were playing an acoustic set?  Asking for a friend...  ;D

Yes I thought they would play that too but hoped it would only be for part of their set. The reason why so many are disappointed (in my option) is that it was the headline slot and people wanted an uplifting set to end the day. Also it was bloody cold and,as I’ve said in an earlier post, we wanted something to jump around to to warm up

Not quite sure what I was expecting, but that set certainly wasn't it.

Self indulgent, pompous, and inappropriate for the slot it was in. We gave it an hour or so and then gave up.

Et moi aussi  :)

As I’ve posted elsewhere, the acoustic set was fantastic at Winchester Cathedral, but lost in a cold, windy field. Unfortunately both Mark and Jez (absent) were ill, so not surprising it didn’t really come off. However, they are recording a new record, and I think the acoustic reworking was a one-off this year. Still, a valiant effort...

I quite enjoyed the set (faint praise, I know), but sitting down and acoustic their usual attitude was missing.

I remember De Danaan sitting down and I think John Martyn but any other headliners.

I wasn't there but one questions if FC knew what was being booked as a headliner.
DW

Enjoyed the set, couldn't make the rescheduled acoustic tour so it was a added bonus for me. Can understand people not being happy and maybe should have been advertised as acoustic.

Maybe they thought to bring it down a bit after Kate? Just a thought....

Given they had a new album to sell, I was expecting them to do some of the set acoustic and then change to the usual halfway. I always think of them as one of the best festival bands, guaranteed to give everything a lift. Not this time though.

Where was it stated they were playing an acoustic set David? Not saying it hasn’t been said somewhere but I didn’t hear it announced.

For a headliner act I’m afraid they fell flat IMHO.

They didn't, but it seems everybody deliberately forgot that a) they've just released an acoustic album and b) just undertaken an acoustic tour of the UK.  Fairly big clues, I'd have humbly suggested.....

Not if you don’t follow them I would humbly suggest in reply  ;) :)

Seriously though I’ll admit I didn’t do my homework on them (as I did with some of the other acts-mainly those I didn’t know). That was because I assumed (I know, I know) I would get a band who knew how to headline a festival.

Unfortunately, an acoustic set on a Friday at Cropredy isn’t what was expected. I wouldn’t have had a problem if it had been say half and half, that would have been fine.

But recent outdoor appearances (Beautiful Day out, Caerphilly Castle) haven't been acoustic. I'd hazard a guess they either thought it would go down well at a folk festival or Jez's absence changed what possibly was going to be a half electric/half acoustic show.

I've seen them play acoustic before and it was nothing like that tosh. The guy sitting next to me said that wasn't The Levellers and my camping neighbour, a big Levellers fan, called it pretentious twaddle.

Was there anything you liked this year Nick?

Well he liked Al Stewart and is clearly a man with great taste.

Utter self-indulgence and tosh. What I expect from headliners is headline music. This was mostly lift music and that despite some fabulous musicians on the stage.

I think John Martyn had a pretty good excuse for sitting down ... wasn't he just about to have a leg amputated?
That performance (his music, not the amputation) remains one of my great Cropredy memories.

From Matt Savage on Facebook

"Thanks everyone for your kind words.
For everyone else I would like to add that we originally planned to do a full electric set but
Jeremy (our bass player) couldn’t play this particular evening, for health reasons, so we agreed a solution that meant we could still play at cropredy instead of cancelling the show.
We did the best we could under difficult circumstances and I’m sorry some of you didn’t enjoy it and feel the need to air your discontent so publicly without knowing the full facts.
I’m hoping you all had a good time at cropredy and the sun shone for you all.
Hats off to fairport and all the team for making people happy for all these years.
Much love x"

People can know the full facts and still be disappointed.

Did Jez become ill suddenly? If it was known earlier maybe we could have had an announcement somewhere (online or otherwise) that the group would be playing an acoustic set then at least we would have been a bit more prepared and maybe a bit more appreciative

I really enjoyed the set - a different take on their tunes.

(Some people should be ashamed of themselves for being so rude)

Is the Levellers music so complicated a proficient dep bassist couldn't be found?

DW

There were quite a few decent ones around, backstage.

Isn't it down to the group to make known the facts?

I think even if I'd known the facts, I still wouldn't have enjoyed the set much. I prefer the set at BD, when it is just the band without those strings.

I'm not especially a fan but the part of the set that was broadcast on Radio Oxford was rather lovely. If it was all like that, I might be interested in investigating the recent album which I believe is all in this style?

Al - yes, it's all that style. It is a great record- took me a few listens, but some excellent stuff on there.

Not a good year but I loved Oysterband , Brian Wilson, Travelling Band , Al Stewart, Sam Kelly and Merry Hell. Will that do ya?

As someone who never really heard the Levellers or knows much about them I really liked what I heard.
I am all for bands trying out new things. And for me what I heard worked well.

I don‘t dance though so maybe that‘s why....

I think that the acoustic style did suck the energy out of some of the songs at the beginning of the set, but it improved as it went on, IMHO.  I'm not a huge fan of the Levellers, so I enjoyed hearing some of the songs in this style rather than full volume when you can't hear the words.  But given the weather, some jumping around might have been welcome too!

I have seen the Levellers loads of times, and loved them. Even when the played the Bluebell Railway in their acoustic incarnation, they still had energy. This set lacked energy. Musically it was brilliant, and I would have enjoyed it in a concert hall, but I wanted to bounce. I accept it was inevitable due to illness, but I was disappointed.

Paul

What he said!

I try and see the Levellers at least once a year and saw them perform this set at Bexhill a few weeks ago, I was I admit somewhat surprised when I saw them setting out the chairs and then performing the acoustic set as I was expecting, as indeed were many other a full fat festival set.

On the plus side the performance here was better than a few weeks ago, that was the last gig they performed at before Crop, as it now appears illness hit them and caused them to cancel the remainder of the planned performances.  I think its worthy of note that they felt strongly enough about Cropredy that they came and performed the set they did.

Personally I think the acoustic material is really strong and the album is well worth purchasing.

On the negative side I would tend to agree that the accepted line up and perform ace would have gone down much better on what was a increasingly chilly evening, and I think they would agree with that assessment.

I was looking forward to seeing them play electric as it was only my second time seeing them but they did a very decent job playing acoustic - my only objection was that their set missed a few of what I would say are their classic songs! Unless I didn't recognise them in the different style...

Well, we're obviously in a minority here, and also in the back half of a rather cross field. Yes, we wanted to jump around. Yes, I wanted nostalgia for Glastonbury '94. But this is the set that has stuck with me the most from this year's festival. Elegiac and powerful, seen in the context of much tragedy in the band this year, and supremely crafted. Levellers songs were revealed as quietly transcendent - and the Collective album has been in constant rotation in this house ever since. Yes, next time I want them to leap about - but this honed and transcendentally intense performance was the only appropriate show for them this year. Haunting. And it worked for us!

For me it was like pouring Ice into an already very cold drink.

Its the energy and anger that made the Levellers one of my favorite bands ,"one way of life" played by a chamber orchestra was just very dull and insipid. I am sure it was all very clever and very nice.

Never did I think I would ever describe a levellers festival performance as clever and nice, that was more of a parody than anything the Bar Stewards did , the difference was that it was not funny, or fun.

I’ve seen the Levs a few times and enjoyed their energy.
This time I enjoyed the totally different take on their songs.
Respect - especially considering what the band has been through recently.

Does anyone know what’s happening with Jeremy?