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Guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick seems to have been everywhere recently. After FM’s December tour with the Dead Daisies and January dates with Band of Friends, his third solo album ‘Dead Man Walking’ was released to critical acclaim including in these pages by Jason Ritchie, and now he squeezed in this short tour in support – just in time to go on the road with FM on their triple header with Tyketto and Dare.
Indeed to add to the FM connection, keyboard player Jem Davis was part of his band, thankfully able to do so despite cancer treatment, and singer Steve Overland was in the crowd! I wonder if this was why he turned down some of his cheeky humour which seemed to be a little less in evidence tonight.
Jim and the Cavern will always have a little place in my heart. Back in semi lockdown in May 2021 this was the first live show of any significance I attended for over a year, and his cheery opening ‘a gig!’ spoke for us all that night. He returned last year with a full band- with the same rhythm section of Ollie Collins and Quo drummer Leon Cave who were present this time – and this show may have been the best attended of the three.
However despite having new product to promote, the openers were from last album ‘Ballad Of A Prodigal Son’ in the hard riffing title track and the shuffle of ‘No Such Thing As A Sure Thing’. He has a more than decent voice and the music was a very satisfying blend of blues and melodic rock. ‘Razors Edge’ was the first new songs while on the likes of the Robert Johnson tribute ‘61 and 49’ and ‘Ain’t Going Down Alone’, together with the Skynyrd-esque ‘Changed Priorities’, he showed his slide guitar prowess with some dirty sounds.
In contrast ‘Heavy Weather’ had a chugging feel like ZZ Top mixed with Dire Straits, and the boogie of ‘Full Time Occupation’ saw Jem visibly enjoying himself on an organ solo.
He opened the second half of the set with the title track of the new album which could have come from one of FM’s bluesier albums like ‘Aphrodisiac’ and a solitary but impressive slow blues in ‘How Blue Can You Get’ showed off his technical skill and feel, while as he himself said the atmospherics of another long song ‘Brave New World’ lent themselves to Pink Floyd comparisons. But there was also very enjoyable more straight ahead rock in ‘Got To Know’ and the appropriately titled set closer ‘Always On The Road’, either side of more impressive new songs in ‘Union Train’ and the dark bluesy riffing of ‘Road of Bones’.
Joking he would dispense with an encore to avoid having to climb the stage to the backstage room and back, he ended with the only cover of the set but a real gem, and an appropriate one given his role in Band Of Friends, and the recurring Rory Gallagher comparisons I had been drawing. His take on The G Man’s ‘I Fall Apart’ built into an epic from its gentle opening and ended with a cheeky line from ‘Stairway To Heaven’.
This was an absolutely flawless gig from someone who is far more than just an able sideman and a talented artist (and engaging live act) in his own right, with this perfect blend of blues and melodic rock.
Review and Photos by Andy Nathan
Album review (Dead Man Walking, 2023)
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