Happy to have been there or sad that it's over?

[NicoMK]

Today, I've been going through the 1996, 2005 and 2010 tours, which are my favorites along with 2008. 1996 because that baby tour brought so much joy and excitement with an amazing setlist of rare songs like Darling Pretty or The long highway ; the other tours because they had Danny in the band, which meant all to me... anyway...

Some days I feel blessed to have attended so many shows during so many years ; others like tonight, I feel so sad that it's over that I feel like I could cry.

And you, are you happy to have been there or are you sad because it's over?

[ds1984]

Happy to have been there before it was too late.

[Robson]

I am very happy that I have been to all MK concerts (in my country) I used to be very sorry that it is over. Today I understand.

[Kris-b]

Both, I am very late to Mark‘s music, so I have only seen him at the last tour. I feel sorry for what I missed before but are  grateful that I have seen him play live in 2019.
I understand his reasons not to tour again. But would go anywhere for another live gig!

[qjamesfloyd]

I am very happy to have seen Mark live, but sad I never got to see Dire Straits live.

[superval99]

I feel very fortunate that I have been able to attend concerts on all of MKs solo tours, so I am not sad, but I understand why it was necessary for Mark to stop touring.   I do miss the concerts, especially meeting the other fans.

[peterromer]

I have seen him and the band here in Denmark since 1992 (OES), and every time ever since as solo.
I appreciate all the events, the magic and great, great music. Including all the versions of songs that was way better live than on the albums.
We all know it was coming sooner or later, so instead of being sad just be glad you were there to experience either him and/or the band.   
Luckily we have soooo many live albums and digital recordings to remember or visualise all the concerts. 

[Jules]

Both.

MK tours had been a great excuse to travel abroad, get to know cities I haven't been before or go back to cities I love, and the best excuse ever to meet good old friends from different countries of Europe, and that's over now, so I'm very sad because of that.

[cannibals]

Happy to see MK on every solo tour he did. Only the one with EH i did not see. Too bad i have not seen DS. I will never forget that MK and Guy signed my tourbook in 96 after the concert outside the venue in Arnhem. It's over now but let's face it. MK looks old. I don't think a new tour would do him any good. At least not in a way he used to do tours. Perhaps a small one would be nice but we now know that's also not going to happen. I don't think he will ever perform on stage again. Also not for a one off kind off thing like Paul Simon is doing.

[Adz]

I feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced all the tours from 1992, except the one with Emmylou Harris. They have all been wonderful experiences, and like many of you, I was lucky enough to see more than one concert per tour. Getting close up to Mark on the short Golden Heart tour, a tour where I'm sure he wondered if he still had a fan-following after Dire Straits, the charity shows in 2002, the preview show for Tracker at Elstree studios in 2015, I can't help but feel almost blessed to have seen these as well as the regular concerts.

In 1992 I did notice how touring can affect people. At the beginning of the OES tour, Mark and the band were all bright and full of energy, compared with the end, where Mark looked incredibly weary. How a man now in his mid-70's, with whatever health issues he may have, would cope with a world tour, I just don't know. Personally, I think we have Covid to thank once again for taking something from us; he was telling us at the start of the last tour that it was over, but at the end he was wanting to keep on going. I think if life had been normal, he might well have done a (possibly shorter) tour in 2021. I just hope he can get on top of whatever health issues he has. He certainly deserves to be happy for all the joy he has given us.

[straitsway75]

I consider myself very lucky to have seen him live from 1992 until 2019 (no GHT) what a beautiful story, his music and his shows represent among the most beautiful and dearest things that life has given me.... for the who knows about the future, maybe we won't see him on a tour but I dare to dream in a small context, maybe with Steve, Guy, Danny, Robbie, Marcus... not playing straits but oldies, just for the pleasure of being on stage for a while hour and then we all go drinking... I dream while Water Of Love resonates in my room...

[JF]

You can't call Darling Pretty a "rare" song as it was the main single of the album, thus obviously had to be played on tour 

I am sad that it's over.
I attended only few shows (6 in total from 1992 to 2019) and I wish I would attend so much more, but that's life....

[KnopfleRick]

Every time I have seen Mark live has made me very happy and still makes me happy when I think about it.
I tried to catch him every time he visited my country and also saw him with Emmylou. To have the chance to see Mark and Emmy live was such a treat for me.
I'm certainly sad that he's no longer touring, but that's life. But as long as he is making music life is good! 

[ds1984]

As an afterthough I am happy he has stopped before he had become too much of an embarrassing performance.
Of course I miss him so much.

[2manyguitars]

Sad, very sad, but grateful for so many live memories from literally all over the world. The parts of this planet I wouldn't have seen if not for MK doesn't bare thinking about.
I'm also finding that many of the songs on ODR reflect a kind of wistful nostalgia that feed into much of what we're feeling.