They release albums at regular intervals but touring has always been FM’s lifeblood. They dipped their toe back in the live environment with selected shows last year, but this twice postponed London show was part of a tour to promote new album ‘Thirteen’.

However, for a band big enough to play Shepherds Bush Empire on many recent London shows, the turnout was very disappointing with the balcony closed, and a makeshift seating area created on the floor, the rest of which was hardly bursting – a worrying indicator for live music generally.

Another band seeking to make up for lost time in the reformed Grand Slam were a very well-matched support and one with an FM link as keyboardist Jem Davis was doing double duty. Appropriately for the band that was originally Philip Lynott’s post-Thin Lizzy vehicle, opener ‘Gone Are The Days’ reminded me of the latter’s ‘Do Anything You Want To’ while sole remaining original member Laurence Archer then cranked out a classic riff to ‘Nineteen’ which of course the Irishman later released as his final single.

The set mixed newer material from the ‘Hit The Ground’ album such as the title track with old stuff, Laurence excelling on guitar on ’Dedication’, maybe with that suppressed anger that his song was taken without his consent for a Thin Lizzy compilation.

Mike Dyer is quite a character with a vocal delivery not far removed from Lynott and enjoyably expressive body language, though his quip ‘I’m sweating more than Prince Andrew’ was perhaps the wrong analogy as that was the one thing the now disgraced Duke of York claimed not to be able to do!

Moving swiftly along, ‘Crime Rate‘ was a real revelation as the band and in particular bassist Rocky Newton and drummer Benjy Reid created a menacingly smouldering, bluesy atmosphere over which Laurence built his solo, while ‘Crazy’ was more straight ahead. The solo called to mind ‘Are You Ready’ and comparisons kept recurring with both Lizzy and UFO – aided by the image of a baseball capped guitarist crouched studiously over a flying V – but in my biased book that only added to their appeal.

The set ended with two of Grand Slam’s originals in ‘Military Man’ – its lyrics particularly poignant right now- which got a really good reception, doubtless many being familiar with Gary Moore’s version; indeed many, as I did, might have seen the great Irish guitarist play it in 1985 when a certain new British AOR band called FM was in support! The epic ‘Sisters of Mercy’, with its Emerald-like riff, concluded a 45 minute set a cut above what you would normally expect from a support.

For FM, there was instantly a warm and reassuring feeling as, after an intro tape, Steve Overland opened with a trademark ‘who-oah’ and another ‘oh-yeah’, introducing a lively ‘Synchronised’, the title track from the 2020 album they never got to tour, before the twin guitar intro to the evergreen ‘Bad Luck’, as early as I have ever seen it in an FM set, with all the melodic hooks that somehow failed to make it a big hit (along with all their other singles) back in the day.

But the first half of a substantially revamped setlist was a bold decision to focus on the current and more recent phases of their career, beginning with a fun ‘Life Is A Highway’ with an intro that mixed Survivor’s ‘High On You’ and Van Halen’s ‘Panama’, while the first of a trio from the new album was a gem in ‘Waiting On Love’, Steve’s ever superb vocals topping off a chorus that was pure AOR bliss.

However ‘Crosstown Train’ was rockier with Jim Kirkpatrick’s wah-wah solo showing his bluesier instincts and he again shone on the lazy feel of newie ‘Long Road Home’, which equally showcased Steve’s soulful vocals. The surprise of the night (for those who hadn’t been following setlists from the start of the tour) was ‘Crack Alley’, for me one of the few highlights of their third album ‘Takin It To The Streets’ and one which had rarely if ever been played before.

After ‘Killed By Love’ with its ‘who-oah’ chorus made for participation, they belatedly moved onto early material with the crowd only too keen to take over parts of ‘Frozen Heart’ before after Steve joked they’d play another song from the 1950s, ‘Dangerous’ boasted a driving rhythm, with added colour from Jem’s keyboards, and a pair of massive hooks on the bridge and chorus. My delight at hearing it was only tempered by being unable to understand, 36 years on, why it was somehow excluded from debut album ‘Indiscreet’.

The old favourites then came thick and fast with ‘That Girl’, ‘Tough It Out’ and ‘I Belong To The Night’, all delivered faithfully to the originals but sounding all the fresher for an enforced rest and received rapturously.

Indeed the atmosphere was boiling nicely and did not let up when they took a trip back to their first reunion album ‘Metropolis’ with Jim’s eponymous guitar intro leading into ‘Over You’ with that rolling rhythm and harmony lead guitar break. Finally they brought things right up to date, ending the main set with the standout cut from ‘Thirteen’ in ‘Turn This Car Around’ which came over just as well live as I hoped it would.

The show had also emphasised how an FM live set focuses on the songs, as they are thickly packed in, not overly extended beyond their studio life and with a minimum of chat and set pieces. Yet the joy the band exude with their smiles and synchronised movements greatly adds to their attraction as a live act.

The encore began with a synth solo slot from Jem leading into ‘Story Of My Life’ which has become the ultimate showcase for Steve’s voice, as he sang it initially alone then with band members joining primarily to add vocal rather than musical backing.

There was then a surprise from previous setlists as ‘Blood And Gasoline’ made a return, all the more welcome to hear Jim tackle a solo that was made for his soulful guitar tone, before the traditional closer in ‘Other Side Of Midnight’, the crowd singing along to another debut album AOR anthem with the band – including Jem upfront with his keytar- pulling the poses.

A band singing and playing as well as ever; excellent sound and lighting; a refreshed set list with the perfect blend of old, more recent and new; and prolonged absence making both the heart grow fonder and the smiles on and off stage broader. All those factors combined to create the biggest buzz I have had after an FM show for a long time.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Session - 1 December 2024

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 17 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 19 November 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 25 November 2024

KING KRAKEN Chainsaw Saviour (indie)
BEBORN BETON American Girls (Dependent Records)
SMASH INTO PIECES Maze Of Feels (indie)
WELSH WOLF When You Cry (indie)
DREAMING OF CITRA Bitter (indie)
OFF LIGHTS Love You Sober (indie)
THUNDERMOTHER Dead Or Alive (AFM Records)
SKAM Selfish Friend (indie)
SORRY X Bring Me To Life (SBG Records)

Featured Albums w/c 25 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)