Soundbreaking: Mark Knopfler on guitars

[Eddie Fox]

Am I the only one who finds it intriguing that Mark plays so fluidly in these videos but since the end of his SL tour he sounds so damn bored when he plays solos live?

No, I'm with you! But I think it depends on the song. And it all goes down to the setlist thing again and again...
On one hand we have killer solos in Kingdom Of Gold, in other hand overplayed Sultans and Telegraph

I saw him live for the last time in 2005 and he knocked it out of the park but after that tour it's been painful to endure SoS, TR and BiA. If you don't wanna play it don't play it at all, that's how I feel. It's a shame because videos like this prove that he still got the touch.

[Lis]

I first started going to his concerts in 2012, so I don't have the early days to compare against; however, I don't get the impression he is bored during his solos.  First of all, I think it depends on the mood of the show -- for example, I've been to some shows during the 2015 European tour, where I was not so impressed.  But recalling St. Julien in 2013, and every show of his 2013 NA mini-tour, and the Vancouver and Seattle shows of 2015 -- WOW!!!!!!  No one was bored, least of all MK.   

[Eddie Fox]

I first started going to his concerts in 2012, so I don't have the early days to compare against; however, I don't get the impression he is bored during his solos.  First of all, I think it depends on the mood of the show -- for example, I've been to some shows during the 2015 European tour, where I was not so impressed.  But recalling St. Julien in 2013, and every show of his 2013 NA mini-tour, and the Vancouver and Seattle shows of 2015 -- WOW!!!!!!  No one was bored, least of all MK.   

I was talking about guitar solos specifically. I mean, if you listen to previous versions of SoS and BiA prior to Kill to Get Crimson fluidity, passion and that unmistakable sense of cleverness were still there but things changed after that. I don't know, it doesn't feel like he's constructing the solo anymore, he's just there throwing notes in the air, many times making mistakes he would never make back then. And then, all of a sudden, there comes Mark playing Playtime Deluxe like he was 30 all over again. It feels like he can still play great but some songs just don't do it for him anymore and he plays them just because he kinda has to. I know he says that he still enjoys playing Sultans and stuff but I don't think it's true at all.

[dmg]

I agree with what you say Ed and it probably has a lot to do with getting older as well as losing interest and less practice.  It was pretty evident last tour that he was playing much better come the end of June, a clear indication that he simply doesn't practice prior to touring nearly at a high enough level.

Lis also has a point in that he plays well if he's in a good mood.  This has always been the case over the years and these days it can really make a difference.

A few people have mentioned his hands trembling which has led me to thinking perhaps he likes a drink?  I must admit that he isn't playing as creamy smooth as he used to, possibly a consequence of this.

[jeffreyvr]

I don't believe it has got something to do with drinking, just the effect of getting older I think- that in combination in losing interest after playing the same songs every other night. I hate that I look for his hands shaking now, I see it even in this interview when he applies the slide to his finger. https://youtu.be/OG__SwkV3wg?t=10m43s

[superval99]

A few people have mentioned his hands trembling which has led me to thinking perhaps he likes a drink?  I must admit that he isn't playing as creamy smooth as he used to, possibly a consequence of this.

 It's much more likely to be age-related or rsi than drink.    I saw him in Manchester on the last tour - 2nd concert and I thought he played extremely well.  I did notice on the video, though, that he gives his right hand a bit of a shake occasionally during solos.

[schmonka]

If the average guitar solo's are a result of getting bored and playing the same set not just every night but tour after tour....WHY NOT SHAKE UP THE SETLIST??!!!

Ooops - did I just go and open another can of worms!!??  ha-ha!

[Love Expresso]

I think it has a lot to do with feeling safe in knowing the chords, and knowing the lyrics. I think we might expect too much of him in saying he should be able to change songs more often... In 2015, he even shook up the lyrics of Sultans (!) very often. What we call "comfort zone" might be his safety net and an important thing for him to make it possible at all.

The band can play those sets while sleeping.. more than once I thought the person on sage struggling the most and having trouble following the band is Mark himself!

LE

[Crusty]

He always say in interview that he enjoys to play on the stage, but it look like he become bored very fast. And old songs he play from duty, of course. Maybe he say something else, but he is lieing  Also he does not want to be a guitar superstar more now. For old songs he must be super guitar man, so combination to play "boring songs" and be in role he "must be" is very bad.

[holaknopfler]

A few people have mentioned his hands trembling which has led me to thinking perhaps he likes a drink?  I must admit that he isn't playing as creamy smooth as he used to, possibly a consequence of this.

 It's much more likely to be age-related or rsi than drink.    I saw him in Manchester on the last tour - 2nd concert and I thought he played extremely well.  I did notice on the video, though, that he gives his right hand a bit of a shake occasionally during solos.

Indeed, listen to HFB from Cologne 2015; brilliant without a single missed note. He can still do it.

[Love Expresso]

Would you judge Cologne 2015 a good and recommendable recording, Hola? Also soundwise? I have some 2015 recordings and they all sound dull and much worse than 2013 to my ears. But I never liked the complete 2015 tour anyway. His worst tour ever.

LE

[marki]

Yet, the best they've had so far...

[dmg]

Yet, the best they've had so far...

Maybe Guy got paid more. 

I agree with LE and thought the recordings were pretty bad.  On the whole they actually make the concerts sound worse than they were and the very few audience recordings out there are far more representative of the tour.  Woodinville is probably the best recording IMO.

[superval99]

Yet, the best they've had so far...

I agree with LE and thought the recordings were pretty bad.  On the whole they actually make the concerts sound worse than they were and the very few audience recordings out there are far more representative of the tour.  Woodinville is probably the best recording IMO.

I agree that on the whole the 2015 recordings were of much poorer quality than 2010 or 2013.   I find the Newcastle concert too painful to listen to, but I am enjoying the Manchester one which seems better sound and performance.    The concerts I listen to most are from 2010, especially Manchester and also some of those from 2013.   

[rmarques821]

Regarding the shaking and the mistakes he usually makes nowadays, it's normal and understandable, I suppose.
He is almost 70, we can't expect him to be able to play like On Every Street tour when he was on his 40's.

To be honest, I think it won't take long before SoS stops being played live because he just can't play the twiddly bits at the end...just look at the Sevilla 2015 concert where he completely fucked up. But it's completely normal, considering his age and other factors. Time catches up to all of us.

I am just glad he is still recording new songs and touring, even if he doesn't need to.