Steve Overland and Jim Kirkpatrick need very little introduction to audiences at Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre. Their annual December residency has become one of the highlights of the venue's calendar, with fans travelling from across the UK to experience something increasingly rare in today's world of arena rock – two world-class musicians, two acoustic guitars and a room small enough to hear every note, every harmony and every story.
On Sunday 20th December, Steve and Jim return for a very special Afternoon Matinee and Evening Performance, bringing with them one of the finest acoustic rock shows on the touring circuit. For those lucky enough to have experienced these concerts over the last three years, they'll know this is far more than an unplugged version of FM. It is an intimate celebration of two remarkable careers, where decades of songwriting, musicianship and friendship are distilled into an unforgettable afternoon and evening of music, laughter and stories from life on the road.
Steve Overland is quite simply one of Britain's greatest rock vocalists.
Now more than four decades into an extraordinary career, his voice has become one of the defining sounds of British melodic rock. Rich, soulful and instantly recognisable, Overland occupies that rare company alongside Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers, David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes – singers whose voices have not only survived the passing years but somehow grown even richer with experience.
His journey began in East Anglia with Wildlife, the band he formed alongside his brother Chris. After attracting the attention of Adam Faith they signed to Chrysalis Records before moving to Led Zeppelin's legendary Swan Song label, under the management of the iconic Peter Grant. Those early years established Steve as one of Britain's outstanding young vocalists before he and Chris formed FM in 1984.
What followed was one of the great success stories of British AOR.
Albums such as Indiscreet, Tough It Out, Takin' It To The Streets, Aphrodisiac and Dead Man's Shoes became classics of the genre, producing timeless songs including Frozen Heart, Bad Luck and Let Love Be The Leader while earning FM tours with Bon Jovi, Tina Turner, Foreigner, Gary Moore, Magnum, Meat Loaf and many more. Their huge choruses, immaculate harmonies and Steve's unmistakable voice became the blueprint for British melodic rock.
Following their celebrated reunion in 2007, FM entered an astonishing second golden age. With Jim Kirkpatrick joining on guitar in 2008, the band embarked on a remarkable creative run, releasing acclaimed albums including Metropolis, Rockville, Rockville II, Heroes and Villains, Atomic Generation, Synchronized, Thirteen, Old Habits Die Hard, and most recently Brotherhood, proving that FM remain one of the few classic rock bands still producing new music capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with their legendary early catalogue. Their 2024 album Old Habits Die Hard marked the band's 40th anniversary and was widely praised as one of their strongest releases in years, while Brotherhood has continued that remarkable momentum.
Yet it is perhaps within the intimate surroundings of Barnoldswick that Steve's extraordinary gift becomes even more apparent. Without the wall of amplifiers and arena production, every lyric, every nuance and every soaring chorus reminds audiences exactly why he remains one of the finest singers Britain has ever produced.
Alongside him stands one of the country's most respected guitarists.
Over the last twenty-five years Jim Kirkpatrick has quietly built a reputation as one of the UK's premier blues-rock musicians, celebrated for his sublime slide guitar, melodic phrasing and tasteful musicianship. Equally comfortable playing blistering electric rock, intricate fingerstyle acoustic passages or soulful blues, Jim has become one of the most sought-after guitarists on the British scene.
Since joining FM in 2008 he has become an integral part of the band's modern identity, not only as lead guitarist but as one of its principal songwriters. Together with Steve Overland he has co-written many of FM's modern classics, including Hollow, Bring Back Yesterday, Crave, Story Of My Life, Shape I'm In and numerous tracks that have become staples of BBC Radio 2 and Planet Rock playlists.
Away from FM, Jim has enjoyed a remarkable and varied career. He spent many years touring and recording with acclaimed singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore, before embarking on a long and highly respected collaboration with the late Bernie Marsden, one of Britain's greatest blues guitarists. Their partnership extended across numerous tours and recordings, with Bernie becoming both mentor and friend. Following Marsden's passing in 2023, Jim has continued to honour that musical legacy while further developing his own flourishing solo career.
Jim also continues to perform internationally with Band of Friends, joining Rory Gallagher legends Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O'Neill in celebrating the music of one of rock's greatest guitar heroes. His own solo albums, culminating in the outstanding Dead Man Walking, have firmly established him as a songwriter and frontman in his own right, earning glowing reviews and confirming that he is no longer simply regarded as one of Britain's finest sidemen but as one of its leading contemporary blues-rock artists.
Together, Steve and Jim possess a musical chemistry that cannot be manufactured.
Between the songs come tales from life on the road: recording sessions, festivals, sold-out theatres, friendships with some of rock's biggest names, and the stories behind the songs that have become part of the soundtrack to thousands of lives.
The audience is not simply watching a concert—they become part of the conversation.
That is why these performances have become so special at Barnoldswick.
With only a handful of rows separating the audience from the stage, there is nowhere to hide. Every harmony is crystal clear. Every guitar line rings with breathtaking clarity. Every lyric carries the weight of experience earned across more than eighty years of combined professional musicianship.
Just two masters of their craft, sharing the songs that have defined their lives.
In an age where so much live music strives to be bigger, louder and more spectacular, Steve Overland and Jim Kirkpatrick remind us that true greatness often comes in its simplest form.
Two extraordinary musicians. Two unforgettable performances. One very special Sunday at Barnoldswick Music & Arts Centre.
On Sunday 20th December, the voice that has become one of British rock's greatest treasures joins forces with one of the country's finest guitarists for an afternoon and evening that promises passion, humour, virtuosity and songs that have stood the test of time.
For lovers of great music, it doesn't get much better than this.
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