Last Big Tour... Say Goodbye

[Silvertown]

Why do you all say MK has arthritis? Keith Richards’ hands are completely messed up now and he still plays. Paul Simon retired at 77. Springsteen is also 70 this year... I think MK is completely out of physical shape and perhaps he is indeed suffering from some chronic disease, but his touring retirement has nothing to do with age.

That's the reason he gives, "I'm an old man, this is a goodbye"

I think that he finds touring pretty hard (and it is). In addition, I had a feeling that he has worked quite much before the tour to get the songs to this level.

[Grumpydwarf]

That's the reason he gives, "I'm an old man, this is a goodbye"

Yes, but he gives this reason with a purpose which is to say it’s his last tour. He could have announced that before the start of the tour to sell tickets faster, but preferred not to hype it up. Nevertheless, it’s his choice (which can be derived from many different factors) but age is just an made up excuse. In a way it’s even stranger considering that the live rig has been completely redesigned, the band has been augmented and he’s playing stuff which he threw to the bin before (Once upon a time in the west? Why? Money for Nothing? Why?).


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[Love Expresso]

Age a made up excuse?  How would you know? Are you Mark Knopfler? His playing gets lesser and worse and he knows it so he adds a brass section to the band plus Danny as his contribution and cooperation with Ian worked out fine. He does that to justify the concert as he always had a very good feeling for delivering good value for the ticket prices. You can be cynical and say the new members are there to cover his weakness in playing if you are inclined to do so. I am not. I thank him for being this kind of guy with a good working mentality. More band members means bigger stage. Time brings new development on the technical side. He always was up to date with his stage sound and the last tour was four years ago.

The choice of songs is clearly decided by the fact that it IS a farewell tour, no doubt for me. There is a melancholic note to most of the chosen songs and it works out pretty well, it's touching and believable.
 He cannot deliver a proper Sultans anymore so just changed it with another classic from the  DS bands beginning that he IS capable to play plus which can feature the new band as good as possible. It's really that easy.
Money for Nothing fits perfectly into this set idea as a nod to the rocking days. Plus it gives Guy a thank you to put the spot on him singing and playing that famous synth pattern. Silvertown Blues fits as a goodbye song lyrically as it closes a circle from those times back then and is a track from his most famous solo album STP. All pretty obvious and clear to me. Mark is not one of those who will tell us it's the last time out there for five times like other artists do.

LE

[Grumpydwarf]

It’s more plausible that age is an excuse (why would he say that his back hurts or that he has lupus or whatever) than your claim that a brass section serves the purpose of covering up his inability.

In fact, you described the reason why he disbanded DS in the 90s: unable to fulfill god-like expectations.


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[Grumpydwarf]

Oh, another thing: Tunnel of Love is not about the Spanish City theme park, it’s about his life choices. A life of circus, ghost trains and one arm bandits and torture tattoos that seems so pretty to him, like the Spanish City when they were kids. Who’s they? And yet, a very sinister song about a path of entertainment with loss of love, which is also the reason why it opens the first album without his brother, keeps popping up as a request.

Nevertheless, he can’t really please the fans. He wants to be a piper until the end and you want him to solid rock, pointing one finger at his decrease in speed playing while getting three other fingers pointing back at you. He gave up speed playing a long time ago. But listen to his vibrato.

He’s just sick and tired of the circus that never pleases. This is the end of Mark Knopfler the performer. Wait for the novel or for whatever new stuff he is getting into.


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[Jules]

 

[dmg]

I think LE pretty much nailed it.  Mark is out there on this tour doing his very best at his age for us, and be in no doubt this is a farewell tour.  Most of all though, in typical fashion it is being conducted with dignity and not sold out on the basis of it being a farewell greatest hits tour.

Ironically the brass section brings new life into old songs and he should've got it sooner!  We'd never have had Once Upon a Time back in the set without the trumpet.

[Silvertown]

Ironically the brass section brings new life into old songs and he should've got it sooner!  We'd never have had Once Upon a Time back in the set without the trumpet.

Yes! Lads have brought great arrengements!

[crimmer]

I think LE pretty much nailed it.  Mark is out there on this tour doing his very best at his age for us, and be in no doubt this is a farewell tour.  Most of all though, in typical fashion it is being conducted with dignity and not sold out on the basis of it being a farewell greatest hits tour.

Ironically the brass section brings new life into old songs and he should've got it sooner!  We'd never have had Once Upon a Time back in the set without the trumpet.

yes agree with this , I was at Barcelona and was abit sad when I saw mark walk on stage and how hes aged and slowed down , but loved new arrangements , why aye man i really liked!! , sailing to philadphia , matchstick man, silvertown blues, nice too here Bonaparte again , and bacon roll sounded great with solo at end. it was like Christmas and you didn't know where the setlist was going next, rudy pensa and  Monteleone were in the audience too

[Grumpydwarf]

Ironically the brass section brings new life into old songs and he should've got it sooner!  We'd never have had Once Upon a Time back in the set without the trumpet.

Listen to the album version. The intro is already a trumpet, but it’s played with a guitar. It took him a long time to realize he could send the guitar to the background it deserves.


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[Knopflerfan]

I think LE pretty much nailed it.  Mark is out there on this tour doing his very best at his age for us, and be in no doubt this is a farewell tour.  Most of all though, in typical fashion it is being conducted with dignity and not sold out on the basis of it being a farewell greatest hits tour.

Ironically the brass section brings new life into old songs and he should've got it sooner!  We'd never have had Once Upon a Time back in the set without the trumpet.

yes agree with this , I was at Barcelona and was abit sad when I saw mark walk on stage and how hes aged and slowed down , but loved new arrangements , why aye man i really liked!! , sailing to philadphia , matchstick man, silvertown blues, nice too here Bonaparte again , and bacon roll sounded great with solo at end. it was like Christmas and you didn't know where the setlist was going next, rudy pensa and  Monteleone were in the audience too

Yes indeed I agree with what's been said too. Thankyou Mr Crimmer for your input especially with regards Rudy and John being in the audience...

[superval99]

I've enjoyed listening to all that I've heard so far, especially the new arrangements with the brass section.  A few of my favourites are Matchstick Man, My Bacon Roll, Heart Full of Holes and, of course, Silvertown Blues.  MFN and Once Upon A Time sounded great after all these years too.   Can't wait for Leeds and Newcastle now and meeting amiters.

I'm glad that MK didn't announce this as a farewell tour like some rock stars do, but he's done it in his own understated way.   I wish him well for the rest of the tour. 

 

[Knopflerfan]

I've enjoyed listening to all that I've heard so far, especially the new arrangements with the brass section.  A few of my favourites are Matchstick Man, My Bacon Roll, Heart Full of Holes and, of course, Silvertown Blues.  MFN and Once Upon A Time sounded great after all these years too.   Can't wait for Leeds and Newcastle now and meeting amiters.

I'm glad that MK didn't announce this as a farewell tour like some rock stars do, but he's done it in his own understated way.   I wish him well for the rest of the tour. 

 

Totally agree...heart full of holes is personally really exceptional....

[sultan78]

I still think Sultans will turn up somewhere along the way, it's his signature song.

[Grumpydwarf]

I think you are missing the point. I don’t see this as a farewell tour, I see it as “I may be too old to tour again, we’ll see. In the meantime, I bid you farewell ‘til the next time I’m in town”.

He did a musical. May be he’ll write a book.


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