Leveret at Edinburgh Tradfest 2025: Folk, Spontaneity & Charm

Leveret, consisting of well-regarded English folk trio made up of Andy Cutting (melodeon), Rob Harbron (concertina), and Sam Sweeney (fiddle), are each respected musicians in their own right. Known for their subtle, highly skilled instrumental interplay, they focus on traditional English tunes, often digging into obscure or overlooked material, as well as original compositions.

What sets Leveret apart is an emphasis on spontaneity: their live sets are famously unplanned, with no setlist, relying instead on the musicians’ deep trust and musical intuition. This approach has earned them a strong following among audiences who appreciate the freshness and authenticity of each performance.

A Night of Musical Intuition and Audience Connection

The trio are also kind to one another, as indicated when opening with Harbron’s simple, sun-kissed ‘Aphelion’, plucked from his 2022 solo album A Week in June. A jaunt back in time to the trio’s first album found them paying tribute to ‘Cossack Square’, before sallying forth to 2023’s Forms for ‘Mr. Lane’s Minuet’ — one of the group’s finer and most touching numbers.

Along the way, they proved happy to chat with the audience: you don’t hit many a trad-gig where the crowd go so far as a little light-hearted heckling – as well as requests.

“What sets Leveret apart is an emphasis on spontaneity: their live sets are famously unplanned, with no setlist, relying instead on the musicians’ deep trust and musical intuition.“

It’s probably no surprise that an Edinburgh crowd would ask for ‘Dundas’, which followed on – though the inspiration for the song is not standing atop that great pillar in St.Andrew’s Square. Penned by Harbron (all three are composers, but Harbron is probably the group’s strongest tunesmith), the combination of memorable melody and gently swelling arrangement is a delight.

Sliding into the more urgent ‘Robbers Road’ and finishing the pre-intermission with Rachel Darling’s gently magisterial ‘Snow on the Tracks’ found the band at their crowd-pleasing best.

That said, I would have enjoyed a little more dynamism in the sound design throughout – and particularly in this finale. Leveret create a sophisticated, yet simple soundscape, but if you’re not careful with the mix, the distinction between some numbers can be lost.

A Second Half Full of Charm, Craft, and Audience Requests

The ‘second half’ found the band in fine spirits, and they carried on as they began, jaunting through a mix of Breton Dane via Andy Lechter, ‘Northern Lass/The King’s Barrows,’ through jigs, hornpipes and finishing with their first live performance of Cutting’s ‘Miss Lindsay Barker’ for an encore (a request from the audience again). Between each track, the banter continued — there’s no denying the three are a pleasure to spend time with. Despite their individual standings in their chosen industry, there’s no obvious ego in play.

“That said, I would have enjoyed a little more dynamism in the sound design throughout – and particularly in this finale.“

Ultimately, it’s a pleasure to watch three such talented musicians essentially jam their way through a gig — though the compromise is not eking out the most drama and variation from the set. There’s also such a strongly pastoral feel to the group’s work that I’d rather experience them in daylight, surrounded by green space, and with a pint of cider in hand.

That said, as concerts for Leveret fans go, I can’t imagine it could have been any better.