New DS Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023!

[herlock]

But even back in the early 80s, things were pretty orchestrated and "rigid", which I remember Tommy Mandel saying. Mark playing almost identical solos every night, etc. I'm curious why that was so important to Mark. Is he simply a control freak? Or was it a matter of reducing the risk of "off nights"? Sacrificing some spontaneity to ensure consistently high standard? Or, both? 

By the way, the other day I watched Telegraph Road from Alchemy and then from On The Night. The difference in energy and joyfulness is unbelievable.

TR in 83 had unique passion in vocals.
In 92 the lyrics became pretty lifeless, and the song quite ruined (cut intro, pedal steel everywhere, sax solo instead of guitar). The end solo is amazing, out of the world, but it does not fit the song - more a show off exercice than anything. Still very enjoyable to listen to, though.

[Chris W]

I'm curious why that was so important to Mark. Is he simply a control freak?

Yes, I think he wanted to control the show as much as possible. In the end I feel the 8 people on stage were providing a vehicle for Mark to express himself through his songs. We were not there to express our own musicality.
Do bands at this level have 'off nights'? I don't think so. There is possibly a difference between a great show and an outstanding show, but I don't think there was any fear that the audience would go away feeling cheated.....ever.

[Love Expresso]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

I could have bet that you would have chosen the vinyl edition. Could you tell me more about the quality issue with the alchemy records? Praises are pretty high over all about the vinyl quality.

LE

[dustyvalentino]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

I could have bet that you would have chosen the vinyl edition. Could you tell me more about the quality issue with the alchemy records? Praises are pretty high over all about the vinyl quality.

LE

I was put off by some noisy vinyl on the solo box to be honest.

Multiple complaints in the Discogs comments

https://www.discogs.com/master/3295336-Dire-Straits-Live-1978-1992


And some people reporting the same thing on Hoffman

New Dire Straits Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023

I do love records but ultimately it doesn’t make sense to me to pay £200 for a potentially flawed product when I can get perfection for a quarter of the price.

[ds1984]

I would'nt say the OL tour is musically the best tour but definitively the most interresting.

Frome that point every tour featured more and more people on stage.
Whas it because they had more money that allowed it, because of bigger place to play, because of more and more versatility and complexity needing more people to perform it?

Dire Straits by 1992 was a heavy truck and the first solo tour sounded way lighter.
Don't get me wrong I like both, PONO live was notihng but fantastic.

[ds1984]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

I could have bet that you would have chosen the vinyl edition. Could you tell me more about the quality issue with the alchemy records? Praises are pretty high over all about the vinyl quality.

LE

I was put off by some noisy vinyl on the solo box to be honest.

Multiple complaints in the Discogs comments

https://www.discogs.com/master/3295336-Dire-Straits-Live-1978-1992

And some people reporting the same thing on Hoffman

New Dire Straits Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023

I do love records but ultimately it doesn’t make sense to me to pay £200 for a potentially flawed product when I can get perfection for a quarter of the price.

Going back to vinyl media is choosing to go on the muddy road while you could have stayed on a motorway...

[Love Expresso]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

I could have bet that you would have chosen the vinyl edition. Could you tell me more about the quality issue with the alchemy records? Praises are pretty high over all about the vinyl quality.

LE

I was put off by some noisy vinyl on the solo box to be honest.

Multiple complaints in the Discogs comments

https://www.discogs.com/master/3295336-Dire-Straits-Live-1978-1992


And some people reporting the same thing on Hoffman

New Dire Straits Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023

I do love records but ultimately it doesn’t make sense to me to pay £200 for a potentially flawed product when I can get perfection for a quarter of the price.

Thanks for directing me to these reports. Interesting that they are so different as some people totally praise the quality as our member Darling Pretty did. I will have to sleep over the decision.

LE

[Chris W]

Going back to vinyl media is choosing to go on the muddy road while you could have stayed on a motorway...

With tolls. The price of the vinyl set was double the CD.

[dustyvalentino]

Going back to vinyl media is choosing to go on the muddy road while you could have stayed on a motorway...

With tolls. The price of the vinyl set was double the CD.

Quadruple here in the UK.

[dustyvalentino]

I also got the box for Christmas and I’m working my way through it.

I’ve got Rainbow on now. It’s worth the price of admission alone.

I got the CDs and they sound beautiful. I’ve read reports about issues with the Alchemy vinyl quality.

I could have bet that you would have chosen the vinyl edition. Could you tell me more about the quality issue with the alchemy records? Praises are pretty high over all about the vinyl quality.

LE

I was put off by some noisy vinyl on the solo box to be honest.

Multiple complaints in the Discogs comments

https://www.discogs.com/master/3295336-Dire-Straits-Live-1978-1992


And some people reporting the same thing on Hoffman

New Dire Straits Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023

I do love records but ultimately it doesn’t make sense to me to pay £200 for a potentially flawed product when I can get perfection for a quarter of the price.

Thanks for directing me to these reports. Interesting that they are so different as some people totally praise the quality as our member Darling Pretty did. I will have to sleep over the decision.

LE

Seems there is some inconsistency. I guess if you buy from Amazon it your can replace without much hassle but the CDs sound perfect to me so I’m happy with them.

[hunter v2.0]

To get vinyl sound quality that matches good digital sound quality, you need to invest an insane amount in the gear (turntable, pickup, arm, RIAA, etc.) plus the records themselves must be top notch (audiophile pressings). I've heard some systems like that, where only the pickup costs almost £10k. Amazing. But the cost ... And the maintenance. No, thank you. Entry- and mid-level vinyl gear and ordinary pressings are a waste of time, unless sound quality is less important and you simply enjoy the "vinyl experience".

[Jules]

I spent the morning listening the Tripping the live fantastic cd from McCartney, it's been quite a long time ago since I listened to it last time...

Wow Chris, yes, most of the songs are straight rock and roll, but some of them, specially the Macca solo songs and The Wings ones, some had some very tricky arrangements and great breaks and different fills here and there in the same song, I think I never heard it paying detailed attention to the drums parts. I totally understand everything you said when talking about playing the Macca songs!

I recommend this listening to everyone.

[hunter v2.0]

I spent the morning listening the Tripping the live fantastic cd from McCartney, it's been quite a long time ago since I listened to it last time...

Wow Chris, yes, most of the songs are straight rock and roll, but some of them, specially the Macca solo songs and The Wings ones, some had some very tricky arrangements and great breaks and different fills here and there in the same song, I think I never heard it paying detailed attention to the drums parts. I totally understand everything you said when talking about playing the Macca songs!

I recommend this listening to everyone.

+1

Awesome live album.

[Love Expresso]

To get vinyl sound quality that matches good digital sound quality, you need to invest an insane amount in the gear (turntable, pickup, arm, RIAA, etc.) plus the records themselves must be top notch (audiophile pressings). I've heard some systems like that, where only the pickup costs almost £10k. Amazing. But the cost ... And the maintenance. No, thank you. Entry- and mid-level vinyl gear and ordinary pressings are a waste of time, unless sound quality is less important and you simply enjoy the "vinyl experience".

True but also a discussion as old as the CD is. Technically there is no doubt about the difference and that CD is "better". I would however not judge it with "better" or "worse" but  with "different". Since I started to listen to vinyl again I listen to much more and different music and definitely enjoy it much more than during the last CD decades. You could describe it with "the vinyl experience" as you did but it is definitely more than just the way and act of listening.  I got the  BIA double vinyl  from 2013 for Christmas and listen to it on a daily base since and I just LOVE the sound of it. It's just different. I couldn't bother to listen to the BIA CD for years and it's almost like a rediscovery. The words vinyl people use to describe the difference are true. CD is a wall, vinyl is a landscape.

LE

[hunter v2.0]