#17 DTRW TOUR - May 19 2019 - Utilita Arena, Newcastle, UK #SPOILER#

[Knopflerfan]

It’s been a while but I only got back from my trip away late last night, so here is my review of the Newcastle show.  Same setlist as Leeds.  Tragically the same airport-like security as Leeds, this time with airport-like queues.  A sad indictment of our times.  To the show itself and I was hoping for BIA instead of Piper, or even OES for Silvertown but not to be.  Not a fan of this venue.  Not great acoustics, not well organised inside, ugly building and not a nice location.  It’s the music you go to it for though and the sound from my seat was not very good.  My seat was another aisle seat, however unlike in Leeds not centrally located but as far to the left of the stage as the floor area goes.  Perhaps this had to do with the poor sound but Mark’s guitar sounded piercing sharp, losing its fine tone.

WAM played and I thought good, but not Leeds good.  CBC and again I can’t understand the reception this gets from the audiences here in the UK - immensely popular.  StP was a pretty poor version with Mark outshone by the sax playing I thought.  Nice cheer when he sang the line “I am a Geordie boy.”  I’m thinking this show is not as good as Leeds until Once Upon a Time which was the best I’ve heard from the tour.  R&J was much the same (but no mistake this time).  Nice versions both Leeds and Newcastle actually, although the outro solo is much shorter than it used to be.  During his MM speech a lady kept shouting “Mark you’re wonderful” from the area just behind me to the left.  He didn’t entertain her.  Interestingly when he spoke to the audience he said: “you get that same old feeling every time you’re moving down the line.” 

Bonaparte, just like in Leeds, I think Jim’s accordion is too high in the mix and he seems behind the rest of the band and playing away on his own!  For the encores I didn’t run like a bull because from my seat it would’ve been pointless.  Great MFN which received a terrific reception and the Toon Army anthem GH which they lapped up.

Overall I thought his playing wasn’t as intense as it was in Leeds but a couple of versions were better such as Once Upon a Time, R&J and GH. 
 
Saying goodbye was difficult at Newcastle knowing it may be the last time some of us will see each other again. People who have become friends online and in person.  I’m always overwhelmed whenever we meet up by the kindness of the regulars on here I’ve met over the years and I know that even if this is the last tour we will meet again.  We have made an informal arrangement to have a AMIT meet somewhere (probably London) if he does call time on touring.  Really sad today knowing I’ve only got Glasgow to do now.

Fantastic words as ever dmg, it is sad and I have to admit it was sad saying goodbye. But what with our enjoyable meet ups in Edinburgh and a Forum get together should the Master stop all together then things can look rosy for us all...

[dmg]

Hi dmg!   Thanks for both of your reviews.    I really enjoyed both of my shows, but I'm feeling rather flat and sad at the moment.   I hope you enjoy the Glasgow show and I'm now looking forward to Verona, but I know it will be bittersweet.   It was great meeting up with you and the other AMITERS and it would be lovely to have an annual reunion if the touring ends.   

Thanks Val and Knopflerfan.  Hope to see you in the not too distant future. 

[superval99]

Hi dmg!   Thanks for both of your reviews.    I really enjoyed both of my shows, but I'm feeling rather flat and sad at the moment.   I hope you enjoy the Glasgow show and I'm now looking forward to Verona, but I know it will be bittersweet.   It was great meeting up with you and the other AMITERS and it would be lovely to have an annual reunion if the touring ends.   

Thanks Val and Knopflerfan.  Hope to see you in the not too distant future. 

dmg - I look forward to seeing you in Edinburgh some time during the summer!   

[crimmer]

nice too see you both val and dmg , think I preferred the playing at leeds too Newcastle, probably due too newacstles sound but was fun , rah last night was fun in the stalls on the side row three right by john , felt I was on stage , looking at everyone at the front enjoying it, and ingrids dancing for postcards was awesome

so , so far
1)Leeds my favorite ( think the playing was the best ive heard above the other nights )
2)Barcelona , poorest playing out the lot but didn't know set and didn't know where it was going next and had a treats and longer set

3)joint  Newcastle was enjoyable but sound and being on isle hard got distracted with people and up and down too there seats loved extended Blaydon races before wye aye man, and money for nothing, and going home in the toon  and felt sailing to philadelphia want as good as leeds

3) joint rah last night, love my seats felt I was on stage with the band just behind john and mike , the sound cutting out through most corned beef city , and start of sailing to Philadelphia, reapted a verse during speedway , my bacon roll was good watching the whole albert hall from stage side clapping and singing have you got my roll ,my bacon roll, loved brothers was back in the set, great money for nothing, and also watching Ingrid dancing by herself for postcards was awesome ,

[Simon (formerley known as Simon)]

Hi Val,
Glad you had a good time. The latest concert always seems "best" but there definitely seemed to be something special about last night's show.
The atmosphere was "indefinably different". I sent Guy a couple of photos which he has kindly added to his diary entry

I saw you walk past from my seat but didn't have the opportunity to say hello. Ingrid stopped near me & was looking around for some other AMITers so I had a chat with her before she returned to her seat for the show. Amazingly the  2 seats next to us in row E remained empty throughout the show, so presumably someone must have been unable to come after being allocated tickets!

I must have been directly behind you Camerado - the 2 empty seats in row E were tempting from row F :-)

[Simon (formerley known as Simon)]

Every time he tours it seems to me to be the best ever and at Newcastle as always it was the best once again.

By the time the band were walking off stage I was so immersed i thought they must have only played half a set and were having  a break as it seemed to fly over.

I know Danny Cummings will disagree but I felt a little sad .. for me and for him. He should have been playing that drum kit. No one plays the outro to Speedway better than the power horse himself. Go take a listen to the final 2 mins of any of his performances of this song and compare it with the other 'great pretenders' . The energy and the reading of the tempo and timing are purely magical :-)

Sad not to hear a slightly different set given it was MKs 'hometown' though. Just one different song to the rest of the UK tour would have made it that little bit extra special.

I was beginning to think we may not see him again until this show. I now believe he is still 'peaking' although on a different level and from a different perspective. I am also glad he only dipped in twice to DTRW.

Here's looking to 2021. Same time same place Mark :-)

[3Strats]

Hi Val,
Glad you had a good time. The latest concert always seems "best" but there definitely seemed to be something special about last night's show.
The atmosphere was "indefinably different". I sent Guy a couple of photos which he has kindly added to his diary entry

I saw you walk past from my seat but didn't have the opportunity to say hello. Ingrid stopped near me & was looking around for some other AMITers so I had a chat with her before she returned to her seat for the show. Amazingly the  2 seats next to us in row E remained empty throughout the show, so presumably someone must have been unable to come after being allocated tickets!

I must have been directly behind you Camerado - the 2 empty seats in row E were tempting from row F :-)

If you were in row F seats 21 & 22, yes, that was me taking loads of photos in front of you ! ( half of which were blurred as I expected & went straight in the recycle bin) I'll be posting a link when they are all edited.

[3Strats]

I finally got my photos from Newcastle edited. I make no apology for the number I took, as because I was sitting further back than usual I expected a lot to be too blurred to use, especially when I was using the compact camera that the photo policy dictates. They are a bit grainy as I had to use a high "film speed" (ISO) but I think they are acceptably sharp. 

Photos with captions saying which song was being played
here: http://dtvaviationimages.co.uk/mark-knopfler-tour-photos/down-the-road-wherever-tour-2019/

Just the photos: (for those who are annoyed by people who take too many photos and note which song was being played!)
here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtvaviationimages/albums/72157708765082687

[dmg]

I finally got my photos from Newcastle edited. I make no apology for the number I took, as because I was sitting further back than usual I expected a lot to be too blurred to use, especially when I was using the compact camera that the photo policy dictates. They are a bit grainy as I had to use a high "film speed" (ISO) but I think they are acceptably sharp. 

Photos with captions saying which song was being played
here: http://dtvaviationimages.co.uk/mark-knopfler-tour-photos/down-the-road-wherever-tour-2019/

Just the photos: (for those who are annoyed by people who take too many photos and note which song was being played!)
here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtvaviationimages/albums/72157708765082687

Thanks very much - brings back some great memories.  Mark looks quite emotional in that last photo there - that's a great shot.

[3Strats]

I finally got my photos from Newcastle edited. I make no apology for the number I took, as because I was sitting further back than usual I expected a lot to be too blurred to use, especially when I was using the compact camera that the photo policy dictates. They are a bit grainy as I had to use a high "film speed" (ISO) but I think they are acceptably sharp. 

Photos with captions saying which song was being played
here: http://dtvaviationimages.co.uk/mark-knopfler-tour-photos/down-the-road-wherever-tour-2019/

Just the photos: (for those who are annoyed by people who take too many photos and note which song was being played!)
here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtvaviationimages/albums/72157708765082687

Thanks very much - brings back some great memories.  Mark looks quite emotional in that last photo there - that's a great shot.

Thanks DMG. :-)

[Pondlive]

I finally got my photos from Newcastle edited. I make no apology for the number I took, as because I was sitting further back than usual I expected a lot to be too blurred to use, especially when I was using the compact camera that the photo policy dictates. They are a bit grainy as I had to use a high "film speed" (ISO) but I think they are acceptably sharp. 

Photos with captions saying which song was being played
here: http://dtvaviationimages.co.uk/mark-knopfler-tour-photos/down-the-road-wherever-tour-2019/

Great photos, thanks so much for sharing.

May I ask what compact camera you are using? My pictures with my Fuji fine pix are rubbish in concert lighting conditions.

Cheers Pondy

Just the photos: (for those who are annoyed by people who take too many photos and note which song was being played!)
here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtvaviationimages/albums/72157708765082687

[3Strats]

Great photos, thanks so much for sharing.

May I ask what compact camera you are using? My pictures with my Fuji fine pix are rubbish in concert lighting conditions.

Cheers Pondy

Yes. It was better when we were allowed to use a DSLR camera & decent zoom lens, and because you held the camera up to your eye it was no more obtrusive than holding a compact camera at arms length to see the screen ! - but I suspect they stopped DSLRs because of the better picture quality and people selling the images.

It's all about zoom size, how much light the camera lets in at it's widest setting (shutter speed), and megapixels.  I bought a Canon Powershot A720 IS  for the 2010 tour (8 megapixels) and had to use ISO800 because of the light- the photos were so grainy (even from the 2nd row) that they were almost unusable.

I bought a Canon Powershot SX260HS which has 12 megapixels & a x20 zoom before the 2013 tour and the more recent technology and more megapixels gave the results you see in the photos from this and the last 2 tours. I used ISO400 on most of the last 2 tours but had to use ISO800 on the current tour as the light levels seemed lower-  this has made them a bit more grainy.

The technology has have improved a lot since I bought this camera, so If you can afford something with  20 megapixels and a 10x zoom (or better) you should be able to get very good results as the modern cameras deal with low light better and have a finer grain at any given ISO setting.
I'd still rather be able to take my DLSR though 

[Robson]

"Mark told the audience how great it was to be back in his home town and quoted some lines from Southbound Again and then said something like "I hate quoting myself" and the audience responded, laughing...

 Before which song?

[Robson]

I know. Before Matchstick Man:) Thanks