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One of my favourite gigs of last year was when FM guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick played The Cavern bar in suburban South-west London. The occasion was special enough, being my first show after the 2021 lockdown was relaxed, but the musical quality was almost as impressive, making this return visit a must for me.
That occasion had been a solo acoustic show, but this time he was accompanied by a full band with some real pedigree, including current Status Quo drummer Leon Cave and his FM bandmate Jem Davis on keyboards. Sadly the attendance was less than last time, with more competition than in those days when owner Noel Nevin had been heroically keeping the Cavern going, almost uniquely among London gig venues. While there were flashes of his chirpy humour, stories and tales were also distinctively shorter in this new format.
He opened with a quartet of songs from his excellent recent album ‘Ballad Of A Prodigal Son’ in the insidious riffing of the title track, ‘No Such Thing As A Sure Thing’- with Jem playing the harmonica- and the first of many songs in which he showed the talent as a slide guitarist that is rather under utilised in his day job, ‘Ain’t Going Down Alone’ and the Robert Johnson-inspired ‘61 and 49’, the eponymous crossroads where he sold his soul to the devil.
Though the bulk of the set was blues rock originals including ‘Changed Priorities’, ‘Full Time Occupation’ and the Alvin Lee- like boogie of ‘Heavy Weather’ he did finish the first set in style with a cover of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, always a bold one to carry off. His guitar technique was superb, though to focus on that solely would be to neglect the fact he is a fine vocalist in his own right.
Sharing a similar musical background, he has written and played together with Bernie Marsden and their collaboration ‘Dead Man Walking’, which has been playlisted on Planet Rock, opened the second set in storming fashion. There were then two lengthier songs in an old Eddie Floyd cover ‘Five Long Years’, a slow blues where the guitar and piano interplay was reduced almost to a standstill before picking up pace again, and the dreamy ‘Brave New World’, also with a touch of Floyd but in this instance Pink.
‘Always On The Road’ was more straight ahead with Jem’s keyboard playing (which seemed more prominent for most of the second set) really providing added swing and groove and set closer ‘Got To Know’ was in the same mould and highly enjoyable in a catchy fashion.
Jim has recently played with Rory Gallagher alumni in Band of Friends and between those two was a cover of one of his more obscure songs, ‘I Fall Apart’, a slow number but turning into an epic with a superb winding solo. It seemed even more fitting as the great Irishman was an influence that had struck me more than once during the evening as a comparison.
A solitary encore again made a great fist of one of the standards in the Allman Brothers ‘Whipping Post’, turning into a jam that even featured a bass solo from Ollie Collins. Those who stayed away missed a treat as, supported by an excellent band, Jim Kirkpatrick showed off the talents that can appeal to fans of melodic rock and blues rock alike.
Review and photos by Andy Nathan
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