Wembley 85 official release on DS YouTube channel

[Jules]

The video needs a to correct the saturation.

[iorch82]

Sultans Of Swing



If the multitrack still exist, I would erase Alan part on the first half.

Can't agree at all! I really like the way those synths push the 2nd solo into the interlude. Hands down much more organic that the robotic 92 versions or let's pretend we're the 1979 DS incarnation for a few minutes. Both BIA and SOS peaked in this tour if you ask me.

[Hoops McCann]

Just saw this. This does appear to be a pre-broadcast source. Disappointing that they're not uploading it to YT at a higher bitrate though. The original recording was obviously to videotape given the amount of ghosting, so can't expect much in terms of video quality. Now if only they would upload Ride Across the River or PI...

[herlock]

PI will defintely be uploaded, since it was in the original TV show.

As for RATR, I think the chances are near zero. Just like for Alchemy, they keep the final product (the edited film) in their vaults, not the rushes that were partially used to make the film. Just like we will never see a release of Porbotbello Belle from 1983...

[Hoops McCann]

Ah, I forgot we have PI. I meant R&J. Yeah, it was meant to be tongue in cheek. The only way we'll see the missing pieces is if someone who worked on the edit and had the forethought to save it comes forward with it. Hope springs eternal. 

[hunter]

Is it just me, or do the shows from this tour feel dated now?

[herlock]

Well they are dated, this was the 80s and it sounds, the overdriven to death drums are horrible, and the synths (all over the place) are very cheesy...

But the thing is, I love cheese 🤣

I find this tour more emotional than the previous (a bit too rough and academic) LOG tour, and the subsequent (too polished and less passionate) OES tour. The sweep spot...

[dmg]

Is it just me, or do the shows from this tour feel dated now?

The filming of it is somewhat dated!  All the slo-mo, the split screen images of the band and negative-style imaging is just weird now.  Still, it is better than the filming of All the Roadrunning DVD!

As for the music:  I don't feel it's dated no.  The On Location Tour I think certainly does and to a lesser extent the Love Over Gold tour also does.  I think it's mainly because we are blessed with hindsight and know how the songs have developed over the years.

[2manyguitars]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

[ds1984]

Of course sound is dated. The 80's were the awful time of synth everywere.

[hunter]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

Shifting opinions indeed. As I got increasingly less enamored with Mark's solo work (simply too low key and, frankly, dull), I could always get my "fix" by listening to and watching the Wembley and Sydney shows. Nowadays, I feel they tried to hard to make the DS music work on the big stages. The band sound and look corny to me now. Mark especially just doesn't have the charisma and stage persona that those stages require of a frontman. Your mileage may vary, of course. Clubs and max theatre-sized venues are where Mark thrives and where his music feels right.

[dmg]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

Shifting opinions indeed. As I got increasingly less enamored with Mark's solo work (simply too low key and, frankly, dull), I could always get my "fix" by listening to and watching the Wembley and Sydney shows. Nowadays, I feel they tried to hard to make the DS music work on the big stages. The band sound and look corny to me now. Mark especially just doesn't have the charisma and stage persona that those stages require of a frontman. Your mileage may vary, of course. Clubs and max theatre-sized venues are where Mark thrives and where his music feels right.

Interesting what you say regarding the frontman thing.  It's something I've considered before but never really delved into too deeply because it doesn't bother me in the least.  Mark is effortlessly cool as he doesn't leap around, swear constantly, jump into the crowd or bring any onto the stage.  He is all the more likeable and charismatic to me for all that.

When I look at other bands/artists and see their antics I just cringe as I see their attempts to endear themselves to the audience.

[herlock]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

Shifting opinions indeed. As I got increasingly less enamored with Mark's solo work (simply too low key and, frankly, dull), I could always get my "fix" by listening to and watching the Wembley and Sydney shows. Nowadays, I feel they tried to hard to make the DS music work on the big stages. The band sound and look corny to me now. Mark especially just doesn't have the charisma and stage persona that those stages require of a frontman. Your mileage may vary, of course. Clubs and max theatre-sized venues are where Mark thrives and where his music feels right.

Interesting what you say regarding the frontman thing.  It's something I've considered before but never really delved into too deeply because it doesn't bother me in the least.  Mark is effortlessly cool as he doesn't leap around, swear constantly, jump into the crowd or bring any onto the stage.  He is all the more likeable and charismatic to me for all that.

When I look at other bands/artists and see their antics I just cringe as I see their attempts to endear themselves to the audience.

+1000
For once, we agree, dmg 🙂
It really stroke me in 2019 when I saw Mark on stage, I remember thinking: here is an old man, walking slowly, wearing pyjamas, barely moving... some would think that he is as charismatic as a mussel. But personnally, I find him cool as hell. He doesn't need to pretend.
In the old days he had a lot of energy on top of that - that was the best charisma!

[Robson]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

Shifting opinions indeed. As I got increasingly less enamored with Mark's solo work (simply too low key and, frankly, dull), I could always get my "fix" by listening to and watching the Wembley and Sydney shows. Nowadays, I feel they tried to hard to make the DS music work on the big stages. The band sound and look corny to me now. Mark especially just doesn't have the charisma and stage persona that those stages require of a frontman. Your mileage may vary, of course. Clubs and max theatre-sized venues are where Mark thrives and where his music feels right.

Interesting what you say regarding the frontman thing.  It's something I've considered before but never really delved into too deeply because it doesn't bother me in the least.  Mark is effortlessly cool as he doesn't leap around, swear constantly, jump into the crowd or bring any onto the stage.  He is all the more likeable and charismatic to me for all that.

When I look at other bands/artists and see their antics I just cringe as I see their attempts to endear themselves to the audience.

Exactly! I wanted to write it but dmg did it better

[hunter]

I think some of the sound choices are a little dated, the awful electronic drums, some of the synth choices.

However these songs also need to be seen as an evolutionary process. Some of us will like the baby versions, some the older, more mature ones. We ourselves will have shifting opinions....

Shifting opinions indeed. As I got increasingly less enamored with Mark's solo work (simply too low key and, frankly, dull), I could always get my "fix" by listening to and watching the Wembley and Sydney shows. Nowadays, I feel they tried to hard to make the DS music work on the big stages. The band sound and look corny to me now. Mark especially just doesn't have the charisma and stage persona that those stages require of a frontman. Your mileage may vary, of course. Clubs and max theatre-sized venues are where Mark thrives and where his music feels right.

Interesting what you say regarding the frontman thing.  It's something I've considered before but never really delved into too deeply because it doesn't bother me in the least.  Mark is effortlessly cool as he doesn't leap around, swear constantly, jump into the crowd or bring any onto the stage.  He is all the more likeable and charismatic to me for all that.

When I look at other bands/artists and see their antics I just cringe as I see their attempts to endear themselves to the audience.

I have also always liked MK for that reason, but because of the crazy success of BIA, the band suddenly became "pop stars" and played on the same stages as mega acts of that time. You need stage presence like Springsteen, McCartney or Tina Turner to really pull that off. In hindsight, I just don't think that that "suited" the band and the music. And as we know, later on Mark wanted to get away from all that.

(Of course I don't expect die-hard MK nuts like Robson to agree with any of this    )