Live Review : FM + Mad Haven @ The Live Rooms, Chester on November 11th 2021

British AOR and melodic rock giants FM are in town with their first UK dates in nearly two years. It’s been a long time to wait since they last graced the stage on their Big 3-0 tour with Dan Reed Network and Gun, and tonight the tour that was postponed in support of their twelfth studio album 2020’s “Synchronized” finally gets underway.

Mad Haven are opening the show and this energetic 3 piece from North Wales are seizing the opportunity to kick the evening off with a bang. From opening track ‘Wait to Continue,’ they throw the encyclopaedia of Rock God shapes and poses at you from every angle. Possessing the kind of salon quality hair that we all either had, or wish we had, they were clearly enjoying their set. Their music reminded you of a kind of trad ‘80s no nonsense kick ass rock. Think Kix, with the sleazy edge of say Faster Pussycat, and you wouldn’t be too far off the mark. Songs like ‘Liar’, ‘Get Lost’ and ‘Never too Late’ certainly got your feet tapping and head moving, and by the time set closer ‘Where Did You Go’ finishes they’d done a sterling job in entertaining.

From the moment opener Synchronized starts, the crowd of mainly middle aged folk who, quite possibly, have followed the band all the way from those long gone days of pink suits are up for a party. The music of FM has a certain flavour for many, and almost like a vintage wine of the some 35 years or so now; it’s a taste that just gets better and better through the years. As there’s rather an extensive back catalogue to pick a set from it’s always going to be hard to please everyone, but tonight there could be no complaints. It’s an action packed hour and 35 minutes of gems and fan favourites like ‘Bad Luck’, ‘I Belong to the Night’, ‘Dangerous’, ‘Face to Face’ and ‘That Girl’. The single ‘Superstar’ from the latest album sits alongside the classics nicely, which in typical FM style is laden with glorious melodies and hooks. Steve Overland is without doubt hands down one of the best vocalists in the UK this side of Paul Rodgers, and the enforced lay off has certainly done nothing to spoil his vocal chords, and tonight that amazing range and soulful delivery are bang on. There’s no shortage of additional support from the audience to sing along and help raise the roof.

FM are in fine form and it’s a great gig. Power ballads like ‘Every time I Think of You’ take you back to the denim and leather days of 1989 and the excellent “Tough It Out” album. The title track gets an airing too. It’s no wonder that FM have stood the test of time, sure they might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there’s no denying their rightful place at the top of the AOR tree in the UK with such well-crafted songs to rival anything Journey and Foreigner have ever released. More recent favourite ‘Life Is a Highway’ makes a welcome return and the instrumental ‘Metropolis’ leads into an infectious ‘Over You’ keep the crowd on their toes, fist pumping and singing every word. It’s a powerful set and there’s ‘Wildside’ and old Planet Rock fav ‘Crosstown Train’ before the set ends with the chant along chorus of ‘Killed by Love’. There’s no way we can finish just yet and ‘Frozen Heart’ and ‘Other Side of Midnight’ duly oblige the encore duties before time’s called on a triumphant end to the first date of the 6 dates tour.