#07 DTRW TOUR - May 05 2019 - Navarra Arena, Pamplona, Spain #SPOILER#

[quizzaciously]

Can we not just enjoy this tour for what it is, not what we want it to be? If you want a live dire straits jukebox go see DSL or one of the other many 'poor old fakers'....

We have no other choice... I enjoyed my show very much, can't even pretend I'm unhappy. I'm happy, BUT, always this "but" comes into the picture... But for the most part it was predictable (me and you Richard, good luck — seriously?) and overall too short with long songs and long outros. The audience was over-the-top, Mark nearly cried on stage. Everyone's cheering, screaming, Mark's crying, I'm crying, everybody's crying. But Mark plays Going Home and that's it, you go home.

[quizzaciously]

There may be no formula for writing songs like Mark, but if you want to do tours like Mark, do the following:

1. You and me Richard, Good Luck
2. Pick songs with long outros to let the musicians jam along some sort of vamp for as long as possible
3. Pick songs you already rehearsed for previous tours, but which got rejected for some reason
4. From the new album take songs which literally nobody expects to hear live and
5. Take the most unexpected song from #4 and make it an opener
6. Pick songs based on difficulty level, despite the fact that you have Richard the Good Luck who can play anything including solos and already did that with songs like 5:15 a.m. and the first part of Telegraph Road
7. Have a dedicated percussion player in the band, but give the cowbell to flutist
8. Play half of the show while sitting, despite the fact that in 2010 you played the whole show while sitting and nobody has complained

Bonus tracks:

1. Throw away a 15-minutes song that a lot of people wants to hear and replace it with nothing
2. Change the opener from date to date for no apparent reason

[Stiglar]

I'm so excited to see mark this tour, I've seen a few shows over a few tours so I have my memories, I see this as a way to say goodbye and enjoy the music.

I think he's working really hard to get through these shows, sure he's "only" 69 (still pretty up there!) But no one knows how people age especially someone who has spent a long time on the road, touring , playing , working etc,

As i've said in the past, I feel like Mark's playing has been on a slow decline since 2010 for whatever reason (and there could be many many reasons for this aside from lack of practicing) He doesn't need the money that's for sure. He could've stopped touring 20 years ago. He is pushing through (at least partially) for the fans so whatever he can give us that he feels comfortable with i'm happy with also.

It will be an emotional end to this tour, And I hope that mark continues with some sporadic shows at the RAH or elsewhere, I just hope he has another album or 2 left, I feel like he has an endless supply of great songs out there and I hope to hear as many as possible!

[schmonka]

A short while ago

There will definitely be a woollen lap blanket in the back of the car somewhere and like all "old people's cars" there will be a bunch of flowery cushions in the back too!   

[Fletch]

Its not the criticism of any of the actual content that bothers me quizzaciously. Its the attributing of various motives to those decisions as if MK and co are sat seeking to piss us all off and are doing so deliberately when its quite obvious that they are putting their hearts minds and souls into this tour. Its fine to say 'I don't like this, this is not for me'. Its quite another thing to lay accusations of laziness, short changing the fans, etc....

Insightful. This reminds me of the Some Kind of Monster documentary where Lar's is asked about the Napster fiasco and he replies sarcastically, "Hmmm life seems too easy at the moment, I'm gonna try and become the most hated man in rock'n'roll.."

[Shangri-La]

Criticism is caring, personally I don't care about praise. If something's good everybody know it's good, it's like reviewing a movie Schindler's List, it's like what to review there? It's one of the best movies in the world. With music, though, it's hard to judge, but I've never seen setlist problem being such a problem, with the exception maybe for Bob Dylan, and Mark's been transforming into Bob slowly, but surely lately.

Its not the criticism of any of the actual content that bothers me quizzaciously. Its the attributing of various motives to those decisions as if MK and co are sat seeking to piss us all off and are doing so deliberately when its quite obvious that they are putting their hearts minds and souls into this tour. Its fine to say 'I don't like this, this is not for me'. Its quite another thing to lay accusations of laziness, short changing the fans, etc....

Every tour I always say there's no smoke without fire. Every tour generates lots of harsh words and disappointment, but it's not supposed to. Guy Fletcher isn't supposed to warn people from asking setlist questions as if it's a violation of law, but the sheer amount of unsatisfied people always baffles me.

Human beings in their right minds are always seeking for advantages, benefits and easy routs. Mark isn't going on tour to lose money and health, he's going on tour to make money and stay healthy, nothing wrong with that. The problem is when his abilities and fans desires can't meet. As I said, the demand for Mark's songs is so huge and he delivers so little, so naturally there's tribute bands and "hate" everywhere. It's woe from wit, and it happens because of our love towards MK, not against it. I'd say, after this 85-shows stadium tour Mark will shake his setlist like crazy and everybody will be happy at last on more intimate shows, like Mark himself always wanted it to be. Playing pubs and theatres, huh?

Call it short changing the fans, laziness, but cutting not the longest shows in the world and rushing the shows because of an airport issue before the day-off is not the best behavior either. I once was on a classical guitar recital with one 60-years-old man playing Bach for 4 hours and with 4 intermissions. And I can tell you playing Bach on guitar for an audience of 2.5 thousand people is not playing pentatonic scales on a signature Gibson Les Paul and singing songs while on a luxury trip with your private jet and an orchestra.

I'm sorry but we're just not on the same page on this. So many of those criticisms are suppositions based on what can be seen and inferred from outside the bubble.  None of us knows the real reasons, the real stresses that exist behind the scenes and I state categorically that until proven otherwise MK deserves to have his artistic choices respected. Do you honestly think at 69, with millions in the bank that he's on tour for money? Odds are in fact that the tour overall may run at a loss....

As for shortening of the shows can we hold mk personally responsible for the judgement of management, promotors, local venues etc?

Can we not just enjoy this tour for what it is, not what we want it to be? If you want a live dire straits jukebox go see DSL or one of the other many 'poor old fakers'....

Great conclusion

[Silvertown]

WAM!!!

Great, thank you Guy for reading the forum! This a good opener!

I am happy that Mark is still doing a tour, because after Tracker tour I tought that it might be the last one. It is not relevant to compare him to other people and thing. He is still my hero.

And please stop writing setlist questions on Guy´s forum.

[Jules]

I used to be critic with the setlist choices and the poor organization of the tour where the audiebc6is always the less important but... This is MK last tour and judging what I saw, I'm not sure if he will manage to end it. If he does, which I hope he does, it would be a great achievement for MK.

I fear that behind the decision of leaving the touring is something else we don't know. I still remember when Clapton confessed his disease how shocking it was.

I know that I have to enjoy the 4 remaining concerts I have tickets for. And I hope I end using all that four tickets.

I'd like to hear new songs in that 4 shows, yes, but with Once upon a time in the West and Silvertown I have enough of surprises.

[superval99]

Just reading through all of the comments about last night's show.   I'm sorry that TR has disappeared again from the set, but not surprised at all.  If MK feels he is not doing justice to the song, then it is best it is dropped, at least for a few shows anyway.   Who knows, maybe it will return somewhere. 

Regarding MK's age - 70 in a few weeks time.  Most of those complaining on this forum are around 30 years younger than he is and don't have a clue about what could be ahead of them in the future.   I am probably one of the oldest on this forum and a few years older than MK, so I know what I'm talking about.  I know my fingers are not what they used to be, for example!  This is his final tour and I have already said that he may have taken on too much with such a long tour, but the fact that he is doing this tour for the fans is to be applauded and I intend to take in every note and enjoy every minute - I will probably shed a few tears too!    Thank you MK!   

[Silvertown]

Regarding MK's age - 70 in a few weeks time.  Most of those complaining on this forum are around 30 years younger than he is and don't have a clue about what could be ahead of them in the future.   I am probably one of the oldest on this forum and a few years older than MK, so I know what I'm talking about.  I know my fingers are not what they used to be, for example!  This is his final tour and I have already said that he may have taken on too much with such a long tour, but the fact that he is doing this tour for the fans is to be applauded and I intend to take in every note and enjoy every minute - I will probably shed a few tears too!    Thank you MK!   

Wise words. And some people have more diseases at the age of 50 than some at the age of 70. So it is not relevant to compare to other artists. In addition, Knopfler´s playing style is quite challenging and even a small coordination problem causes major harm for his right hand technique.

Based on the Yoube videos Mark´s appearance is at least a bit better than in the beginning of the tour. And I think he feels quite okay, because he wanted to attempt Why aye man again last night.

[vr46mk]

With WAM back it's a really good setlist despite TR being dropped so let's hope it was just temporarily. But I'm afraid it could be permanent, why else drop one of the most certain songs in the average setlist....

We will get a new indication tonight how things are...

[hunter]

With WAM back it's a really good setlist despite TR being dropped so let's hope it was just temporarily. But I'm afraid it could be permanent, why else drop one of the most certain songs in the average setlist....

Well, he did in the US during the Tracker tour also. Maybe he was starting to having issues already then. Was that when he started shaking his hands a lot?

I'm don't blame him for dropping anything, for health or artistic reason, whatever the case may be, but in my opinion he fails to compensate accordingly.

[crimmer]

I think the same 2manyguitars

 

[2manyguitars]

There may be no formula for writing songs like Mark, but if you want to do tours like Mark, do the following:

1. You and me Richard, Good Luck
2. Pick songs with long outros to let the musicians jam along some sort of vamp for as long as possible
3. Pick songs you already rehearsed for previous tours, but which got rejected for some reason
4. From the new album take songs which literally nobody expects to hear live and
5. Take the most unexpected song from #4 and make it an opener
6. Pick songs based on difficulty level, despite the fact that you have Richard the Good Luck who can play anything including solos and already did that with songs like 5:15 a.m. and the first part of Telegraph Road
7. Have a dedicated percussion player in the band, but give the cowbell to flutist
8. Play half of the show while sitting, despite the fact that in 2010 you played the whole show while sitting and nobody has complained

Bonus tracks:

1. Throw away a 15-minutes song that a lot of people wants to hear and replace it with nothing
2. Change the opener from date to date for no apparent reason

You don't like his touring decisions, I get it, that's fine. So don't pay for it then, don't go.

It is what it is, I just don't get all the griping. Do you think mark is going to come on here and suddenly have an epiphany because of your critique? Hardly likely.

[Silvertown]

I think the same 2manyguitars

 

Yes!