Level 42 relives glory days of the 80's
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The 80s is not always strange hairdos and half-baked music from mediocre performers like Debbie Gibson or Motley Crue. Proof of their mediocrity? Motley Crue's Tommy Lee survived the 90's only with the help of sampling and ProTools.
However, some of the performers from the decade can pull off everlasting glory. Level 42 is one of the few, and on Tuesday night, Jakartans were lucky enough to see their second performance after more than 14 years.
Originating on the Isle of Wight, England, Level 42 was formed in early 1980 by bassist Mark King and the Gould brothers, guitarist Roland "Boon" and drummer Phil, and keyboard player Mike Lindup. In the course of more than two decades the group has changed their lineup more than eight times.
In their latest lineup the only original member is King. Sean Freeman is on saxophone, Lyndon Connah on keyboards and vocals, Nathan King -- the younger brother of Mark -- on guitar and vocals, and Garry Husband behind the drum kit.
They came to the fore funneling jazz and funk with the signature of inventive synthesizer, and percussive "thumb- slapping" from drummer-turn-bass player Mark King. Some say that the bass taking the lead over the guitar is what gave Level 42 their authenticity.
From 13 albums released mostly by Polydor, they have sold more than 30 million records in their musical career. Their debut single Love Meeting Love topped the U.K. chart during the summer of 1980. The biggest success for Level 42, however, came in 1985 when the single Something About You. It once again reigned supreme in the U.K. chart and this time Europe while successfully landing a No. 5 spot in America, a first for the band.
Apart from those chart toppers, songs such as Children Say, Lessons in Love, Heaven in My Hand and Forever Now were must- listen-gems for the 80's generation.
For reasons that remain undisclosed, the band was officially disbanded in 1994 after the release of their latest album Forever Now. And for reasons that Mark King only gave an elusive answer, the band regrouped for a Europe and Asian tour.
And after more than 20 years of playing music, King showed no signs of fatigue. King said he still did the job they like the best, playing good music for good listeners.
What transpired during Tuesday night's sell-out performance proved that the 80's glory was still there. In the course of more than an hour the crowds were genuinely electrified. They cheered, sang and danced along.
As for the band, they did not have a chance for the concertgoers even to take a break from enjoying the music to the fullest.
The first song on their set list Almost There was barely five seconds old when the crowds started to leave their seats, something which lasted until the show was over.
Aware of the fact that the concertgoers were acquainted only with his virtuosity, already in the second song Love Games Mark gave the younger members a chance to unleash their musical talents. And the new members could breath new life to Level 42's hits from the 80s.
Garry Husband should be credited for his powerful drum playing, one of the elements constituting the night's brilliance. And Mark was still the King, he was the one who delivered all of the band's energies to the crowd. Although his mastery of electric bass at times was drowned by the too-thick selection of sound, the show was truly his. Even spoils from his bass plucking could turn into a crowd-pleaser.
After the tenth song Starchild they pulled off an old trick of leaving the stage, while the crowds still wanted more. Yes, they came back to the stage for the last spark of the gig.
And when it all ended, the concertgoers left the Senayan Indoor Tennis Court in dismay.