Gig Review: Level Up Festival 2022

We love ska punk at CPRW. We also love nothing more than going to our favourite venue, the New Cross Inn in South London, for an evening of ska punk. What could be better? An all-dayer obviously. But what could be better than that? A three day festival full of the best ska punk bands in the UK, as well as a couple from further afield. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me. You can improve it some more? Loads of friends will also be there? Well that sounds like the dream to me!

That dream is actually a reality thanks to the wonderful people from Be Sharp Promotions, Fishlock Promotions and El Topo Bookings. July 2022 saw the long-awaited return of Level Up Festival. A festival that contains all those things mentioned in the opening paragraph. This is going to be quite a long review so I’m keeping intros to a minimum. On with the festival!

Friday

After the line-up and day splits were announced it was pretty clear that the promoters were going big on Level Up 2022. After three long years they seemed intent on welcoming the UK ska punk community – the proper ska punk community, the ones who go and see ska punk bands that weren’t formed in America thirty years ago – back to Level Up Festival with a bang. The four bands lined up for the opening night was just nuts. Unfortunately, on the day of the festival that bloody Covid struck again and the four bands became three. Sadly newcomers Till I’m Bones had to pull out due to their drummer getting sick. This was a shame as I, and a lot of other people, were very excited to see them. They were also due to announce the release of their second single Snakes at the festival – that’s now out and you can listen at all the musical places. Being true supporters of the DIY ska punk scene, some of the healthy members of the band still came along and they would get the opportunity to play a part in the night’s fun.

So, the band tasked with opening the entire festival were Filthy Militia. I told their lead singer Frosty I was going to write horrible things about the band as he made us exercise during the set and broke us for the entire weekend. I can’t do that though as, for one thing, that’s not the kind of site CPRW is but more importantly it wouldn’t be true. Filthy Militia played an incredible set. I last saw them back in February at the launch of their brilliant second EP, Coping Mechanism. That was the best I’ve ever seen them but I think they topped that set at Level Up. It was such a fun (and exhausting) way to begin the weekend. The addition of Lead Shot Hazard’s Tom on guitar allowed Frosty more freedom to dance around and be a frontman and just gives the band an even bigger sound and presence. Highlights of the set were Differences (which is one of the best ska punk songs released this year) and Land Of The Dead, where Jak and Charlotte from Till I’m Bones joined the band to sing and play saxophone respectively. During Land Of The Dead, Frosty joined the crowd to lead what was basically a ska punk exercise class where he had us all doing squats. It was knackering for my old man knees but a great way to warm up for the rest of the night.

 

Next up, we had the co-headline sets of Call Me Malcolm and The JB Conspiracy. The two bands had been on a tour around the UK and had been wowing crowds everywhere. Call Me Malcolm were first to take to the stage and were treating us to their three pronged horn section with Mark (saxophone), Lewis (trombone) and Lloyd (trumpet) all at NXI for the show. It had been eight long months since Malcolm played at NXI which, pandemics aside, is almost unheard of. This was a homecoming for the band and anticipation was high. Of course, they smashed their set – as, to be honest, every single band that played the weekend did. I’ve seen Call Me Malcolm play so many stunning sets at NXI over the years that I’m running out of ways to talk about them. The band and the venue combine to make ska punk magic every single bloody time. Playing favourites from their last two albums as well as a couple of deep cuts from their debut, there was something for everyone. Always liking to bring out a special treat for NXI, they delivered big. Before they started summer banger Restore Factory Settings, the horn section took their mics into the crowd where they were joined by The JB Conspiracy horns as well as Charlotte Till I’m Bones and Eve Filthy Militia/Lead Shot Hazard. The sound of those opening brass notes were incredible. They gave me goosebumps – it was such a big moment! I had short people problems and couldn’t really see what was going on in the crowd but it was still such a special moment that will be talked about for years to come. Naturally, the band finished on All My Nameless Friends and got one of the biggest reactions of the night. What a way to welcome Call Me Malcolm back home!

Then it was time for ska punk royalty The JB Conspiracy. Since the band released the epic Beginnings album last year, they’ve been popping up playing shows everywhere. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them a few times since its release and each and every time they’ve been nothing short of spectacular. I’m not sure there’s a current ska punk band in the UK that can match JBC for pure musicianship. They write such technical sounding songs with multiple and complex layers and whenever I’ve seen them live they don’t seem to miss a single note. It’s so gosh darn impressive. The hour long set was comprised of many songs from Beginnings but the band didn’t forget their early favourites from This Machine and The Storm. A big highlight for me was what I think was a rare outing for Say Goodbye – it feels like a long time since I’ve seen them play that song. The band continued the theme of getting folk from other bands to join them on stage, as Eve once again took to the stage to help out with saxophone on one song and Luke from Call Me Malcolm joined them to play my favourite song from Beginnings – The Long Road To Zurich – on guitar. The JB Conspiracy have this amazing way of connecting with the crowd. Throughout their set the crowd was moving around in absolute pandemonium. The Inn was extremely warm at this point and there were a lot of sweaty ska punk fans around. I’m sure each and every one of them couldn’t have been happier dancing and singing along with the band. That’s exactly how I felt. What a way to finish the first night of Level Up Festival 2022. What a glorious return and the weekend was really only just getting started!

Saturday

The next day we arrived back at New Cross about thirty minutes before the opening act of the day was due on stage. There were a few people milling around outside the venue early which was fantastic to see. One of those people was Paul from Be Sharp Promotions. We had a quick catch up about the night before and spoke about the day ahead of us. He listed off a bunch of things that he thought could go wrong but he couldn't have predicted one thing that might have meant cancelling the entire day…

The first act of the day was Fidget of Fidget And The Twitchers playing an acoustic set. Interestingly they decided to perform the entire set on the floor rather than the stage. This was a great decision as it immediately made the crowd engage more than they perhaps would have if they'd have been on the stage. What also really helped endear Fidget to the crowd was covering Reel Big Fish's classic Beer. This got the New Cross Inn singing early. Fidget also played some stripped back acoustic versions of the Twitchers songs and performed them with such gusto, I can only imagine what they're like full band. Hopefully it won't be too long before I get the chance to see them.

Now for the dramatic part of the day. During Fidget's set armed police turned up and taped off the area between NXI and Chick Chicken (the takeaway next to the NX hostel). Nobody had any idea what was happening at the time but I know this wasn't on Paul's list of things that could go wrong during the day…

Whilst everyone stood outside the venue trying to get a peek of what was going on, Baldhead and the Dreads were getting ready to play. The band have become big favourites at the venue over the past few years and we couldn't wait for what nonsense they had in store for us. At the last Level Up Festival in 2019, the band dressed up as Paul Smith. This time they stuck a photo of Paul on the New Cross Inn logo behind the drum kit. During the set, the band made jokes thanking everyone for coming inside to watch them rather than what was happening outside and they wanted to get through the set quickly so they could go and be nosey as well. The band can be very self-deprecating about themselves at times and they really shouldn't be. They write a great combination of fun, smart and silly lyrics that always make me smile. They rolled out all the favourites from both their EPs. They teased playing the "hit" Smoke Weed, Pet Dogs a couple of times during the set before finally playing it as their penultimate song. During the song, drummer Tommy wore a dog mask which drew a laugh from the crowd as well as the band. He'd also organised a sign with the lyrics for the chorus – like anyone in the room needed them! They finished the set with an old favourite, New Cross Inn, where the band all swapped instruments to perform the song. It was pretty chaotic but I wouldn't expect anything less from Baldhead and the Dreads.

 

Next, things got a bit serious when the force known as Redeemon took to the stage. Redeemon are a band that really push the genre of ska to its limits with their own brand of “metaliska” and they are always such a treat to witness live. As they were getting ready to play, I thought to myself how the Saturday of Level Up was a day showcasing many of the different, varied sounds of ska punk. I don’t know if the organisers had planned it that way or that’s how it worked out but either way it was pretty cool. This was my third time seeing Redeemon in a year and each and every time I’m completely floored by them. The level of musicianship that’s on display here is something quite special, the guitars and brass sections shred equally and frontman Pook’s vocal switches from guttural screams to kind of singing is a thing of beauty. The whole set was intense but in the best possible way. Whenever I’ve seen Redeemon play I’ve always been completely mesmerised by what’s going on. They’re one of those unique bands that when they play it’s more than just a live set of music, it’s an experience. Redeemon released their debut earlier this year through Pookout Records and I strongly suggest you give it a spin.

Representing El Topo Booking and Belgium this year were Prize Dink Camp. Fronted by our old friend Folkert who has played every Level Up in a different band, I was keen to witness his latest project live. Prize Dink Camp are a three-piece who, instead of having a bass player, focus very heavily on keys and synths to create their own unique sound. Being from Belgium and being one of the newest bands on the line-up, not many people really knew a whole lot about them before the set began – but everyone was talking about them afterwards. I spoke with Folkert earlier in the weekend and he mentioned being a bit nervous that people wouldn’t watch as it was dinner time and nobody really knew them. This proved to be false as the band drew a sizeable crowd. With the Belgian contingent down the front of the stage, their enthusiasm for the band spread around the room and it wasn’t long before a lot of people were dancing. I believe that the band had only played a handful of shows at this point but you really wouldn’t have known with an accomplished and enthusiastic performance. Playing songs from their debut EP, Memez, Dreamz and Limousinez, as well as from their brand new full length, Unity Sausage, this set was one of the most fun and biggest surprises of the weekend. It also earned the first and only human pyramid of the weekend. And this wasn’t the last of the Belgians that we would see today…

After quickly getting something to eat, we returned to the Inn as Manchester ska legends Harijan were just beginning their set. This was a very rare trip down to London for Harijan, so it was important to take the opportunity to see them. Lead singer Mike has such a distinctive voice that almost works as an extra instrument as well as a vocal. It’s a lot more gravelly than what you might usually find in ska punk and it really sets Harijan apart. I was interested to see how the South London crowd would take to Harijan and I was very pleased to see that it was enthusiastic. The crowd began to skank almost immediately and didn’t stop throughout the entire time the band were on stage. Mike looked so overjoyed by the whole experience and that was also great to see. He danced around the stage with a huge smile on his face as his band performed one of the tightest sets of the weekend. The level of musicianship was first class. If any folk at Level Up weren’t really aware of Harijan before the weekend, I'm sure they’re now big fans. Harijan will be making the journey back down south soon when they play Wotsit Called Fest in Hastings in September.

 

Returning after the last Level Up in 2019 were Brazilian ska punks Abraskadabra. The band were just starting a month long UK and European tour where they would be playing a whole host of gigs and festivals. Since their last appearance in the UK, the band have released an excellent new album named Make Yourself At Home on Bad Time Records (distributed in the UK by Pookout Records) and have certainly gained some new fans in the UK since then. Because of this, it felt like there was a high level of anticipation in the crowd as they began to sound check. And as soon as they started the set it became very apparent that there was so much love in the room for Abraskadabra. From the opening notes we all began to dance and sing. You couldn’t help it. You just got swept away with what the band were doing. This felt like one of those Level Up sets that people will talk about for some time. I can’t really even put on a finger on one particular thing that they did that made it feel so special, they’re just a really good band – fantastic songwriters, musicians and performers. When you combine all of those things you know you’re on to a winner. Something crazy, and a little bit of a spoiler for a festival review that’s to come later, this wasn’t even the best Abraskadabra set I saw this summer yet this was a big, big highlight.

The penultimate band of Level Up Saturday were Andy B And The World. Playing what I believe was just their third or fourth performance as a band and their second at the New Cross Inn, I was super excited to see them again. If you’re unaware, Andy B And The World is the project of former Fandangle bassist Andy Baker. He set out to write and record an album featuring different musicians and singers from all over the world. He achieved this goal and produced one of the best albums of 2021. There was never any plan to perform shows as Andy B And The World but after some encouragement he put together a band for the occasional gig. Much like Abraskadabra before them, there was a big feeling of anticipation before the set. This would have been the first time that a lot of people at the festival got to witness the amazing spectacle that is Andy B. It was nice to see the room start moving as soon as they started playing and it was great to hear songs from The First One played live. It wouldn’t be an Andy B And The World set without some special guests taking to the stage. Andy’s former Fandangle bandmate Tommy made an appearance, as did Aaron from Make It Better Later, but the biggest surprise was when Al from [Spunge] took to the stage to sing Changes, as well as a special version of [Spunge] classic Kicking Pigeons which the crowd went off for. That was one of the top Level Up moments. Andy is also hard at work on two new albums and he took the opportunity to record some crowd vocals. Everyone in the room shouted “yeah” and will be on one of the new tracks. This was the most fun way to warm up for the evening's headliners.

London’s Popes Of Chillitown were the band chosen to headline the Saturday night. Over the years they have become stalwarts of the New Cross ska punk scene and it’s always a special moment when they take to the stage. Before the set we were outside as it was quite warm and we needed some air. We re-entered the venue and it was packed so we settled for a spot at the back of the room. I actually enjoyed this a bit more as there was a little room to dance and whenever someone opened the door I got a dose of fresh air. As I stood watching the band doing their thing I thought about all the times I’ve seen them over the years and I realised I’ve never ever seen them play a bad set – never even an average set. It’s always the best set I’ve ever seen them play. They are amazing each and every time. The band are so good at just working a room and building a crowd up. They played what’s arguably their most well known song, Wisdom Teeth, third in the setlist which blew my mind. This really got what was already an excitable crowd moving. From then on there was skanking, mosh pits, stage dives and crowdsurfing a plenty. From my view at the back of the room I could see everything that was happening and it was such a cool sight to see. The Popes are seriously at the top of their game right now and I can’t wait to see where they go next. With new material in the works, the band are set for an exciting year. Get out to see them whenever you can.

It was now time for the after party. Returning from 2019 were the El Topo Allstar Band. These guys went down an absolute storm in 2019 and we were all excited to see them back. I won’t write too much about them as I was too busy dancing and singing to really remember too much but what a time it was. They played Rancid’s Timebomb four or five times as well as covers of Eminem, Britney Spears, Smashmouth, an attempt at Africa by Toto, Backstreet Boys, Haddaway and Bloodhound Gang. The set was a mess but in the best possible way. It was full of fun throughout and I can’t wait for them to return in 2023.

 

Sunday

The Sunday of Level Up started in a leisurely fashion for us. It started with me purchasing some football stickers and then going to the New Cross House pub across the road from NXI for a Sunday roast. It seemed like a few people had had the same idea as us as we noticed some more attendees of the festival in the pub. It was an excellent way to start the day and fuelled us for a final day of ska punk fun.

We arrived at NXI with plenty of time to catch up with friends before the day’s opening band Boom Boom Racoon started their set. The Bristol based band are a band I’ve seen a few times since life began again and it’s always a pleasure. Despite being from Bristol, they very much feel like a NXI band due to the friendships they have made with many of the regulars over the years. The set mainly featured songs from their most recent album, Songs From The Before Times…& Some More, which got great receptions. Every time I see the Racoons I seem to say that that was the best time I’ve ever seen them and this is another of those times. They played a blinding set which got the party started early for the day. Finishing with a spirited rendition of their Vengaboys parody, Boom Boom Racoon really blew out any cobwebs the early risers for the day might still have had.

Next to take to the stage were the wonderful Plot 32 from Leeds. Seeing them soundcheck earlier in the day, I noticed that they were short of their bass player Gaz so Cat Swan was filling in instead of playing guitar. I’d last seen Plot 32 play one of my favourite sets of MPF in April and I was excited to see them again. It wasn’t long into their set until I found myself having a skank and I was very pleased to see I wasn’t the only one. Frontman Stash has so much charisma on the stage and looks like he’s having the best time of his life throughout the set. I did worry his trousers were going to fall down a couple of times though, which would have made for a memorable Level Up moment. The set was comprised with what I think was every song they’ve written so far (aside from the ode to Colin Furze) with the highlights for me being Go Hard Or Go Home, Issues and Favourite Things. There had been some chatter before the festival (mostly between me and Baldhead’s drummer Tommy) about whether or not Plot 32 would do their Vengaboys cover as Boom Boom Racoon have their parody. I can confirm they did and everyone loved it. The punks do love the Vengaboys. I was so pleased to see Plot 32 back in London, hopefully it’s not too long before they’re back again.

Lead Shot Hazard were next to take to the stage. This was the debut performance for recent addition Snowy on the trumpet, adding some more to what’s already a pretty formidable brass section. This may well have been the best I’ve seen Lead Shot Hazard. This was a seriously strong set from the NXI veterans. I’ve seen them play some really good sets over the years but there was something I can’t explain about this one that really set it apart from previous times. Everything was on point and it was great. Before their set I had noticed that Frosty had many Lead Shot Hazard T-shirts taped to him. During the set the band sent him into the crowd for everyone to claim a free T-shirt. Why on earth Frosty agreed to do this is beyond me but fair play for always being such a good sport. Unfortunately, Lead Shot ended the streak of Vengaboys songs but they did play their cover of My Friends Over You by New Found Glory which always goes down a treat. They finished the set with the awesome Between Hell And Highwater which I always love to see live.

 

Leicester’s Last Edition are notorious at NXI for breaking the venue last time they played Level Up. Luckily this didn’t happen again and the band could get through their set incident free. Last Edition are always such a fun band to see live and normally I would have a lovely skank to the upbeat ska pop punk sound but, after Plot 32 and Lead Shot Hazard, I think my body had hit a bit of a brick wall and I just didn’t have the energy left. Perhaps the roast dinner wasn’t a smart idea as it left me with a bit of a food coma! Something that always astounds me whenever I get the opportunity to see Last Edition live is saxophone player Sam. I don’t understand how they manage to make a one person brass section sound so big but they always manage it. They often do it whilst also playing keyboard as well, which is a whole extra level of mind blowing. If memory serves me correctly the set was mostly filled with newer songs that the band have written and recorded, songs like Half Drunk At Half Time, Good Luck and Shorts Until September are all welcome additions to the band's set list. Last Edition are throwing their own ska punk weekender in October in Leicester, go here to see all the details. Spoiler, the lineup is stacked.

3dBs Down were one of the bands I was most excited to see over the entire weekend. Their most recent album, Get Your Retaliation In First, is one of my favourites of recent years and I’ve only had one opportunity to see them live since it was released so I was keen to grasp this latest opportunity with both hands. We almost didn’t get this chance as drummer Joe somehow broke their foot the day before but they were determined to play the show anyway. Kudos to Joe for that. 3dBs Down offered something slightly different to the majority of the bands playing at Level Up as they are more of a punk band with ska elements rather than a full on ska punk band. This meant that a few people were slow in really getting into 3dBs but by the end of the set they had the room dancing. It was great to see a band win the crowd over like they did, it really shows just what a good band they are. The thing I really love about 3dBs is their ability to write hooks and sing harmonies. They sound great on record but to pull them off live as good as they do is something quite special. The band have been around a long time now and you can tell just because of just how in sync they are with each other. As well as playing many of my favourite tracks from Get Your Retaliation In First they also debuted their brand, brand, brand new track Unconvinced – it’s a banger, go and check it out. 3dBs don’t play many shows anymore but when they do it’s always a highlight of whatever bill they find themselves on. At the time of writing this, the first wave of MPF 2023 bands have just been announced and, oh boy golly, I’d love to see 3dBs play that festival.

The rise that Codename Colin have had over the years of Level Up Festival has been monumental. I remember them opening one of the days of the festival one year and now they’re last support before two genuine UK ska punk legends – it’s quite the rise for the band from Hemel Hempstead. It’s completely deserved though as the band keep on working hard, playing loads of shows and continuing to get better and better. They’re also fantastic people. Frontman Charlie has become an absolute master of working a crowd, leading the New Cross Inn in a series of big sing-alongs. This might have been one of the most rambunctious Codename Colin sets I’ve ever seen with the amount of people in the pit skanking away with nothing but joy in their hearts. At one point during the set Frosty joined the band on stage to do some singing, which was a nice moment. The camaraderie between all of the bands playing the festival, and the others in the UK ska punk scene, is something so special and it’s always so nice to see everyone supporting everyone else. Codename Colin have become one of my favourite live bands in recent times and it was great to see them play to so many people on what was a big night at the New Cross Inn. Love to see it.

 

So, there were two bands left for Level Up Festival 2022 and when you think about UK ska punk there aren’t many bands bigger than what we had left. Sonic Boom Six and Random Hand will have inspired many of the acts who played over the entire weekend. The two bands were such an integral part in keeping the UK ska punk scene going over the years and getting the chance to see them share a stage once again in 2022 was a very special moment. First up were Sonic Boom Six who were making their Level Up Festival debut. This wasn’t their first time at NXI however, making their first appearance at the venue in 2021 for Till The Fest. That was a superb set from the band and this was no different. SB6 are party starters, plain and simple. They’re also very good at tailoring their set to the crowd they’re playing too. This was a ska punk crowd so the band made sure to play a set that would be full of crowd pleasers. This meant that the set was full of classic Boom songs such as Monkey See Monkey Do, All In, Bigger Than Punk Rock and Meanwhile Back In The Real World, as well as newer ska tunes like No Man No Right and My Philosophy. The pit turns into a full blown riot as the crowd go crazy for the band. Watching them you realise just how many big tunes the band wrote over the years and they all sound as fresh and current as they did back when they were written. Laila and Barney are the perfect combination of front people, working seamlessly together throughout the set. I guess that’s to be expected after being in a band together for so long now. This felt very much like a headline set from the band but there was still the small matter of Random Hand to come.

I’m at a loss with what I have left to say about Random Hand. They are one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and blow me away each and every time I’ve seen them. I’d previously seen them earlier in the year when they played Seething Is Believing in full at Islington Academy and I was now looking forward to what would be a best of set. I was surprised that I, and the rest of the crowd, had any energy left after three days of ska punk but we did. Random Hand brought every last ounce of energy out of us for one final dance. In the sweatbox that NXI had become, we danced, we sang, we sweated (a lot) and we had the absolute time of our lives. Robin remains one of my favourite frontmen in punk rock. The man oozes charisma during the songs and is extremely funny in between them. The band played a career-spanning set, I’m pretty sure they played everyone's favourite Random Hand songs and they also played a brand new one from an upcoming release they’ve been recording. It’s been seven years since we’ve had new music from Random Hand and, on this evidence ,we should be extremely excited for what is to come from the band. It’s always great to see a band play at the top of their game and that’s what we got with Random Hand. Alongside Robin, the rest of the band, Dan (guitar), Joe (bass) and Sean (drums), were as tight as ever as they bounced around the stage, helping work the crowd into a storm. There were great some sing-alongs during the set, particularly for Not A Number, Play Some Ska, Scum Triumphant, Bones and set closer Anger Management. Random Hand are back in New Cross for Till The Fest Two in October and that promises to be another special moment.

 

That brought an end to another fantastic Level Up Festival. Level Up Festival is such a beloved weekend for the real ska punk fans of the UK and it had been very much missed during the pandemic. It’s a chance for the ska punk family to reconnect, dance and share some amazing moments from our favourite genre that is so often belittled. In recent years, ska has been making moves and is once again growing in popularity. Level Up was where the die hards, the fans who never stepped away because it’s “uncool”, gathered to celebrate this thing that we all love. All the thanks and love has to go to all the bands who have kept the genre alive, as well as Be Sharp, Fishlock and El Topo for all they’ve done for the scene. Level Up 2022 was a fantastic time. It was a festival I hadn’t realised I would miss so much and it filled me with smiles from start to finish. I can’t wait for Level Up 2023 next July. To quote Adam Davis of Omnigone, “Ska now, more than ever.”

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.