Performers using a teleprompter

[xxFordiexx]

Can you imagine how tough it must be to remember all the lyrics live on stage, particularly for someone like knopfler who writes so many words sometimes? It still amazes me. Anyway providing he never stops performing I couldn't care less if he ever had to use one. I doubt he ever will to be totally honest though, the day he does would probably the day he hangs up his guitar for good. Knopfler really is the lyric master to be fair.

[vgonis]

I wouldn't mind the use of an aid, (after a certain age people use aids and pills in order to please... ) but dmg's point is solid, though.
I believe that I wouldn't really mind the occasional slip of the tongue or blank mind, just the feel as twm states for Dylan. Of course, for me, Bob is the exception of the rule, since I really try very hard to figure out what he is singing. So i don't see the need for lyrics for Dylan. Perhaps he is just looking for what joke to say.
Seriously now, the key phrase is "pay to see them play the guitar and sing". If we were casual concert goers, we would decide to go to a concert partially based on the ticket price and we would expect a certain level of performance. So, based upon our standards and expectations from other artists, we might be very disappointed or extremely thrilled from a performance that is just average for the artist. On the other hand, since we are not the ordinary fans, we can be both thrilled for seeing the artist live and at the same time objective with the performance, because we have plenty to compare with.( Glad to see him but today's concert was really crappy. Remember Royal Albert Hall in 1996? That was really something!    )
Or maybe it is the other way around?    

[goldenheart96]

Well, I can see the need of promter in Springsteen's case, as he changes the setlist quite a lot. What amazes me is that Dylan doesn't use one (or does he?) with the extreme setlist changes that he does.

Oh, I didn't know Springsteen uses a teleprompter  
And I'm surprised Dylan doesn't, as he always appears to be a litte confused onstage.

I was, however, very surprised to find out Jon Bon Jovi needs one when I last saw him and his band last year...

Generally speaking, I find it very human if someone mixes up the lyrics, also, it helps you to distinguish your bootlegs 

[Fieneke2]

Mark isn't 27 anymore and all that matters to me is that he keeps happy and healthy and will be able to continue playing the guitar as long as it feels good to him! Every new album and every Tour is a present for us, because as you know every time it might be his last one! Of course I hope we can enjoy his beautiful songs and music for many years in future!

So just like many others, I wouldn't mind if Mark needs a teleprompter or other tools to be on stage and share his music with all of us as long as he can!

Fieneke

[twm]

Further on-line comment on this subject in general:

http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/teleprompters-for-musicians-cheating-or-helping

Please note, within this, the following statement:  Some fans go to multiple shows during a tour, and nobody wants to hear the same songs every night.. This is then followed by: Heck, the musicians don

[PixelPerfect]

yeah, I think we'd all like to hear some never-before-played-live songs once in a while, or at least a little more variety (I'm still upset about no So Far From the Clyde). But the benefits of MK and his band's playing the same songs over and over again means that they are constantly improving the arrangements and execution of the songs. EVERY song played live in 2011 was better than in any past tour I've heard them in; I'm serious (except maybe the Dire Straits ones; that's always arguable).
So I can appreciate the benefits.

[ds1984]

EVERY song played live in 2011 was better than in any past tour I've heard them in; I'm serious (except maybe the Dire Straits ones; that's always arguable).

IMO HFB 2008 sounded better. Freakin' version in Paris, after already excellent ones in ADam. By the the time they reached the RAH it had already not the same taste. And I still have a preference for Marbletown early live version from 2008. For SAN, I still *can't* cope with the 2011 extra instrument on it and STP has lost the 2005 feel.

* : edit : "can't" instread of "can"

[superval99]

For me, most of the songs on the 2010 tour were the best.    HFB (Bournemouth especially)   STP with the  beautiful "conversations" between Matt and MK and some fantatic Marbletowns and SANs, not to mention all the rest!   

[Love Expresso]

For me, most of the songs on the 2010 tour were the best.    HFB (Bournemouth especially)   STP with the  beautiful "conversations" between Matt and MK and some fantatic Marbletowns and SANs, not to mention all the rest!   

+1

Yeah, Matt will be missed...

LE

[ds1984]

I forget about Matt. Well he is very subtle and we have been so used to his style (that can be close to Alan) that this has been a bit of a shock listening the different style of Jim when he took the seat back. But in 1996, SOS piano break apart, Jim's playing was fine for me.

[PixelPerfect]

IMO HFB 2008 sounded better. Freakin' version in Paris, after already excellent ones in ADam. By the the time they reached the RAH it had already not the same taste. And I still have a preference for Marbletown early live version from 2008. For SAN, I still *can't* cope with the 2011 extra instrument on it and STP has lost the 2005 feel.

* : edit : "can't" instread of "can"

Man, I forgot about that Paris 2008 HFB; none sound like it at all. Lol, and by the "extra instrument" in SAN, you mean the flute right? At least it was much lower in the 2011 mix than in the Simfy recordings, and the guitar solos were top-notch. But speaking of Matt, I just remembered my favorite performance from him with MK: Our Shangri-La from Lille 2005. It's crazy when I think about it, but I must say he actually stole the spotlight from Mark in that song.