Levellers with Pama Intl.

Reggae, skiffle-punk, costume drama and gruesomely gorgeous folk punk: ladies and gentlemen, Levellers are in town. With support from comedy trio Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs, and reggae act Pama International, the show tonight is a magical, theatrical ride through musical genres that only Levellers could have put together. First on is the hilarious Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs, proving that music is an art of entertainment not to be taken too seriously.

Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs combine odd, hobo costumes with quirky, cockney and crazy riffs: think Bill Bailey’s early work with the Rubber Bishops and you might be able to imagine the setting. With a skiffle board, homemade guitar and bass - big-stick-with-string-attached – the band is charmingly witty, and actually capable of some upbeat, fine tunes. But then anyone who can hit a Guitar Hero guitar with a metal spoon providing a perfect beat to a cockney cover of American Idiot is a musical genius to say the least.

The night then takes a charismatic turn to reggae as the next band Pama International take to the stage. Fitted in suits, Pama International is a fine set of stylish young gentlemen who pick the evening up with class. The amazing lead vocals overpower the numerous other musicians on stage, leaving the audience immersed in the lyrics. After a band like Hobo Jones, Pama International, lack the crucial crowd conversation, but instead belt out another couple of potential reggae classics. As a reggae act, Pama International was an unsuspected support slot for Levellers, but this interesting twist is exactly what live performances are all about.

There is fire in the air as Levellers take to the stage: the whimsical hippie stereotype completely abolished as the band rock right through their set. The circus seems to have come to town with each unique band member dressed and playing a crucial role in the show. Bassist Jeremy Cunningham is a long-haired madman who clearly loves to perform and leadsinger Mark Chadwick stands proud at the front as his band rock out their classic hits.

There is a freelance didgeridoo player dressed to fit Levellers circus performance, and as he struts across the stage pulling faces, didgeridoo in hand, the whole performance is turned into a spectacle. One Way, Beautiful Day and Liberty Song compose the highlights of the set, and although they don’t perform Just the One, the band have provided the soundtrack they have been fighting years for. Levellers may have spent years campaigning for great causes, but tonight it’s all about the music, and Levellers maintain their status as beguiling live performers.

Edinburgh’s HMV Picturehouse is a classic venue, hosting all of the big names throughout the city’s live music scene. Tonight saw Levellers take to the stage with their energetic, almost-Celtic rock music. With support slots from the comical Hobo Jones, and reggae act Pama International, the night was a fun, intriguingly unique performance, and a great combination of flouting musical genres.