Unfortunately I missed Pat’s Idle Jets, arriving late but in time to hear Pat and the band do the business with Jeff Finlin.   The line-up had Pat Buchanan on lead guitar, Kevin Hornback, bass, Kevin Rapillo as replacement drummer (and doing a fine job) and Jeff on acoustic/electric guitars and vocals.

This was the re-launch of the Turks, now cleaned, tidied and ventilated due to council and neighbour interference.   The pub has had its ups and downs but it’s on the way to full recovery, better acts instead of the usual suspects being the way forward.

Jeff, Pat and the Idle Jets I’d seen at the Hurtle Parrott gig near Edinburgh.   Jeff had only one song that day but it was enough to turn heads and he certainly made good use of the opportunity.

I must have arrived at the beginning of the set as Jeff was into ‘Love and Happiness’ which is also the opening track on his ‘Original Fin’ album.   The delivery was impeccable, his nasal Dylan-esque vocal sounding less Dylan now and more Finlin.   ‘Love and Happiness’ has all the mystery of ‘Desolation Row’.   ‘Waiting On A Flood’, ‘June’, ‘Weight of The Flame’ were as cool as The Band.   ’Eighteen Tons’, ‘The Perfect Mark of Cain’ all sounding fresh and dynamic.  Pat Buchanan enjoyed the gig as much as anyone, his guitar playing punctuating and decorating Jeff’s lyrics so well it’s difficult to imagine him playing with any other band.

The evening should have finished with a fine version of The Beatles’ ‘Glass Onion’, but this was not to be as the crowd called for more and more and more, four encores in all, and all I can say is that they were well deserved. 

Jeff Finlin is not someone you can tire of easily, he writes excellent songs with thoughtful lyrics and strong melodies.   You wouldn’t be taking any chances by buying ‘Original Fin’, the album grows with every play, and try to see him live next time he’s across with Pat and the Jets.   The audience (including The Stranglers’ Baz Warne) were as enthusiastic about the Idle Jets’ set, which included Finlin, and I don’t find that surprising at all.

Get Rhythm
Issue # 2, April 2001
 

http://www.getrhythm.co.uk See Photographs page for Get Rhythm photographs from this show.  Thanks to c j holley.