When mark was at his best?

[Eddie Fox]

Guys, we seem to be ignoring the fact that Mark's playing is heavily influenced by the band. As a four-piece DS allowed Mark to be more subtle and dynamic but as the band grew bigger he had to adapt. The OES tour band was huge, he had to focus more on speed, aggressive vibratos and bends, thicker tones and a heavier overdrive sound. I think it's fair to say Mark was in top form from 1977 to the SL tour.

From the KTGC tour on his playing has been drastically shifting toward a more economic approach to soloing. He's clearly less fluid and precise as well. Still Mark but not as exciting and impressive as he used to be. I know some fans prefer to live in denial and say he's still the same but he isn't.

[herlock]

I would tend to agree on paper.
Still, I don't know why, but Sion 2015 is the most played concert on my playlist. I don't know if it is emotional because it is the last I saw, the sound quality or the performance... TR is definitely slower than in 2005, yet it is very warm, clear, well balanced even with the karaoke mode, and I'm not sure it is "worse" than in 2005. Just different, maybe for the best. SOS, SAN, HFB, GH, YLT are very good on this gig. And I find BIA in 2015, albeit not played very often, the best since 1985: flute intro, synth, faster than in 1996/2001, retaking the good old Les Paul...and KOG in Paris was amazing.
I quite don't understand why so many people think 2015 was a bad year. Different, slower than early years, but clearer, more emotional. A good year to me !

[Jules]

Guys, we seem to be ignoring the fact that Mark's playing is heavily influenced by the band. As a four-piece DS allowed Mark to be more subtle and dynamic but as the band grew bigger he had to adapt. The OES tour band was huge, he had to focus more on speed, aggressive vibratos and bends, thicker tones and a heavier overdrive sound. I think it's fair to say Mark was in top form from 1977 to the SL tour.

From the KTGC tour on his playing has been drastically shifting toward a more economic approach to soloing. He's clearly less fluid and precise as well. Still Mark but not as exciting and impressive as he used to be. I know some fans prefer to live in denial and say he's still the same but he isn't.

That's the reason why nowadays the two most important musicians in his band are McCusker and McGoldrick, and the set is kind of adapted to songs where they can play, and, let's say it this way, he has to play less... Also, Nigel Hitchcock addition has a lot to do with this, every musician that is added means he has to play less or his guitar is less important in the songs.

I´m sure that if he has to choose between one of his keyboard players, or even Richard Bennett, or the Mc's, the Mc's will stay for sure.

[Mossguitar]

I would tend to agree on paper.
Still, I don't know why, but Sion 2015 is the most played concert on my playlist. I don't know if it is emotional because it is the last I saw, the sound quality or the performance... TR is definitely slower than in 2005, yet it is very warm, clear, well balanced even with the karaoke mode, and I'm not sure it is "worse" than in 2005. Just different, maybe for the best. SOS, SAN, HFB, GH, YLT are very good on this gig. And I find BIA in 2015, albeit not played very often, the best since 1985: flute intro, synth, faster than in 1996/2001, retaking the good old Les Paul...and KOG in Paris was amazing.
I quite don't understand why so many people think 2015 was a bad year. Different, slower than early years, but clearer, more emotional. A good year to me !

2015 was great!

[dmg]

I would tend to agree on paper.
Still, I don't know why, but Sion 2015 is the most played concert on my playlist. I don't know if it is emotional because it is the last I saw, the sound quality or the performance... TR is definitely slower than in 2005, yet it is very warm, clear, well balanced even with the karaoke mode, and I'm not sure it is "worse" than in 2005. Just different, maybe for the best. SOS, SAN, HFB, GH, YLT are very good on this gig. And I find BIA in 2015, albeit not played very often, the best since 1985: flute intro, synth, faster than in 1996/2001, retaking the good old Les Paul...and KOG in Paris was amazing.
I quite don't understand why so many people think 2015 was a bad year. Different, slower than early years, but clearer, more emotional. A good year to me !

Let's not base a whole tour on one single show now!  Compared to the next tour 2015 probably will be a good year anyway.

HFB - time to drop it.  Only a handful of good versions from the entire tour.
YLT - never been a good live song - album version far exceeds this.  Poor on the OES tour and even weaker now.  Merely an excuse for NH to get in the limelight.

TR was dropped later in the tour anyway.  The reintroduction of OES is a nice idea but poorly executed and not welcomed at the expense of TR.

[Mossguitar]

I would tend to agree on paper.
Still, I don't know why, but Sion 2015 is the most played concert on my playlist. I don't know if it is emotional because it is the last I saw, the sound quality or the performance... TR is definitely slower than in 2005, yet it is very warm, clear, well balanced even with the karaoke mode, and I'm not sure it is "worse" than in 2005. Just different, maybe for the best. SOS, SAN, HFB, GH, YLT are very good on this gig. And I find BIA in 2015, albeit not played very often, the best since 1985: flute intro, synth, faster than in 1996/2001, retaking the good old Les Paul...and KOG in Paris was amazing.
I quite don't understand why so many people think 2015 was a bad year. Different, slower than early years, but clearer, more emotional. A good year to me !

Let's not base a whole tour on one single show now!  Compared to the next tour 2015 probably will be a good year anyway.

HFB - time to drop it.  Only a handful of good versions from the entire tour.
YLT - never been a good live song - album version far exceeds this.  Poor on the OES tour and even weaker now.  Merely an excuse for NH to get in the limelight.

TR was dropped later in the tour anyway.  The reintroduction of OES is a nice idea but poorly executed and not welcomed at the expense of TR.

We obviously live in very different worlds musically. And that’s perfectly all right YLT was a good idea and was greatly played during the last tour. Chris White ruined it a bit for me with Dire Strats, but apart from that, I have always liked the live versions of that song.

OES was a great idea and I liked very much how they played it on the last tour.

I couldn’t care less about the setlists. All I care about is that he still plays. But I always like it if he plays a song I haven’t heard for a wile. When it comes to MK, it’s the sound, the feel, the tone and the voice I am after.

[Eddie Fox]

Guys, we seem to be ignoring the fact that Mark's playing is heavily influenced by the band. As a four-piece DS allowed Mark to be more subtle and dynamic but as the band grew bigger he had to adapt. The OES tour band was huge, he had to focus more on speed, aggressive vibratos and bends, thicker tones and a heavier overdrive sound. I think it's fair to say Mark was in top form from 1977 to the SL tour.

From the KTGC tour on his playing has been drastically shifting toward a more economic approach to soloing. He's clearly less fluid and precise as well. Still Mark but not as exciting and impressive as he used to be. I know some fans prefer to live in denial and say he's still the same but he isn't.

That's the reason why nowadays the two most important musicians in his band are McCusker and McGoldrick, and the set is kind of adapted to songs where they can play, and, let's say it this way, he has to play less... Also, Nigel Hitchcock addition has a lot to do with this, every musician that is added means he has to play less or his guitar is less important in the songs.

I´m sure that if he has to choose between one of his keyboard players, or even Richard Bennett, or the Mc's, the Mc's will stay for sure.

You said it all. I'm still not sure if Mark is still able to deliver outstanding guitar playing on a regular basis but chooses not to or simply can't do it at all though. Perhaps he can't be bothered putting himself through all the practice that's required to reach that level again?

All I know is that despite his playing being unique and delightful his solos are much poorer now and he does need to rely on the band to keep up with the songs, especially older stuff.

[rmarques821]

I would tend to agree on paper.
Still, I don't know why, but Sion 2015 is the most played concert on my playlist. I don't know if it is emotional because it is the last I saw, the sound quality or the performance... TR is definitely slower than in 2005, yet it is very warm, clear, well balanced even with the karaoke mode, and I'm not sure it is "worse" than in 2005. Just different, maybe for the best. SOS, SAN, HFB, GH, YLT are very good on this gig. And I find BIA in 2015, albeit not played very often, the best since 1985: flute intro, synth, faster than in 1996/2001, retaking the good old Les Paul...and KOG in Paris was amazing.
I quite don't understand why so many people think 2015 was a bad year. Different, slower than early years, but clearer, more emotional. A good year to me !

Let's not base a whole tour on one single show now!  Compared to the next tour 2015 probably will be a good year anyway.

HFB - time to drop it.  Only a handful of good versions from the entire tour.
YLT - never been a good live song - album version far exceeds this.  Poor on the OES tour and even weaker now.  Merely an excuse for NH to get in the limelight.

TR was dropped later in the tour anyway.  The reintroduction of OES is a nice idea but poorly executed and not welcomed at the expense of TR.

I disagree with Hill Farmer's Blues. It is, in my opinion, his best solo song. The Padova 2015 version is the best I've ever heard.
Your Latest Trick is a great song played live, the On The Night version is fantastic. However, I agree with you when you say it is weak now. Perhaps it lacks Paul Franklin on pedal steel guitar.
Telegraph Road got dropped because he just can't play the whole thing anymore and the On Every Street introduction is another "excuse" for him to play less, I think. (And it lacks pedal steel guitar)

[ybot]

We should give a grant to rithm guitar players who backed mark
I believe 1985 1986 were his best live gigs due to a help of Jack Sonni too. And 1988 at Mandela with EC
Phil Palmer was not at Jack's level
Hal Hindes was supposed to be great too.

You may listen to Jack rithm guitar at BIA live gigs
I might depend on sound mix too . The same gig with a louder rithm guitar or louder leading guitar can make a change and the recording quality