Why did Mark Knopfler ruin these songs on the last tour?

[herlock]

And STP was also the best ever.
Only for Going Home I felt that the brass section was too much.

[superval99]

And STP was also the best ever.
Only for Going Home I felt that the brass section was too much.

Yes, STP was amazing.  Perhaps too much going on in SAN, though, for my taste and I didn't like the brass section in Piper.

[Pierre]

I loved the concert I got to especially Sailing with Danny on vocals, Bacon and MFN, but I didn't get to have Silvertown and Heart full of holes this is Nimes festival for you, 14 songs and lights on.

[Beryl]

Guitar playing had to be somehow disguised indeed. Springsteen has done that with his music as he gets older: more people, much covering with soloists. MK has used that in 2019 and made it pretty succesful. But you can't argue his playing in 2019 is by very far his worst ever. The gap with 2015 is abysmal. It can be seen in those songs where there is no chance of fooling anybody. Just listen to a 2019 Brothers in Arms, a not very difficult song to play for him in terms of technique, and you'll see huge sloppiness and a suprisingly unknopflerly way to combine voice and guitar, which is one of his more celebrated trademarks (in BiA he was so stressed with his guitar parts between bars that he almost didn't make it to the mike to sing the verses, and sometimes you could not hear his voice). Hey, 2015 had even some decent Sultans!

[ds1984]

Mark playefd enough solo to make us aware of the state of his skill. With or without horns.

[KnopfleRick]

You can all complain as much as you want... My feel is that (not all nights, but some nights, like Bordeaux) 2019 versions of the rockers (WAM, MFN, SAN) were the best ever and that the brass section did not replace the guitar (which was still good) , it complemented it.
I also loved BIA, even if I have to admit that the end solo was too simple.
OUATITW could have been better, but hey, that was much better than nothing, first time played since 1983!
And we got Silvertown, at least for some nights...
And we got My Bacon Roll and Matchstick man, which were great live...
All in all a wonderful farewell tour, I don't know why people dislike it that much!

 I fully agree with you! 

[dustyvalentino]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

The sax on the 2015 tour was only used on certain songs. (STP, Wherever I Go, I Used to could etc.)
Not arranged into every song

Ok, but no one has answered my question.

[Robson]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

The sax on the 2015 tour was only used on certain songs. (STP, Wherever I Go, I Used to could etc.)
Not arranged into every song

Ok, but no one has answered my question.

Because neither the trumpet nor the saxophone have ever replaced the guitar.

[dmg]

And STP was also the best ever.
Only for Going Home I felt that the brass section was too much.

Yes, STP was amazing.  Perhaps too much going on in SAN, though, for my taste and I didn't like the brass section in Piper.

Indeed.  Piper was spoiled by the brass section as it took Mark's beautiful final solo and he ended up playing rhythm to them!  I was so saddened by that at Newcastle.  I kept expecting him to play but he just played some licks in between.  It made it such an anti-climax and I felt everyone else was expecting to hear him come in too.

[dmg]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

Piper off the top of my head.  I think the point is that the brass section were backing up his solos rather than replacing them, or that he was able to play shorter solos and hand over to one of the brass players or folk players and they could take turns for a solo such as in WAM or STP.

[herlock]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

Anyway, I never found Piper good live. Even in 2010, the end solo was kind of slow and lazy. The album version has a lot of drive and energy. One of these songs for which the studio version is unmatched!

Piper off the top of my head.  I think the point is that the brass section were backing up his solos rather than replacing them, or that he was able to play shorter solos and hand over to one of the brass players or folk players and they could take turns for a solo such as in WAM or STP.

[dmg]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

Anyway, I never found Piper good live. Even in 2010, the end solo was kind of slow and lazy. The album version has a lot of drive and energy. One of these songs for which the studio version is unmatched!

Piper off the top of my head.  I think the point is that the brass section were backing up his solos rather than replacing them, or that he was able to play shorter solos and hand over to one of the brass players or folk players and they could take turns for a solo such as in WAM or STP.

The studio version is hard to beat for sure but the Phil's accordion makes a difference I think.  2013 versions were best IMHO, Helsinki being a standout.

[dustyvalentino]

There weren’t that many sections where a guitar solo was replaced with trumpet was there? (There was already sax on the previous tour)

Piper off the top of my head.  I think the point is that the brass section were backing up his solos rather than replacing them, or that he was able to play shorter solos and hand over to one of the brass players or folk players and they could take turns for a solo such as in WAM or STP.

“Backing up” is hardly masking mistakes. I think too much is being made of this. If the purpose of the brass was to cover up the deterioration of his playing, the brass players failed in their task.

[ds1984]

Everybody is entitled to his opinion and it is normal that they differ.

I liked the brass section and my only regret is Mark never went further to Rythm and Blues sound - of course this is just my personal taste.

I liked the folky addition in 2008 but 2010 and Mike McGoldrick inclusion was a step too much.
Don't get me wrong, as a performer I have nothing against him, he's a fantastic player but I didn't like his flute being added on too many songs. Overused.

And that choice lasted on after tour. With the exception of TR, 2008 was almost perfect and I deeply miss a Sbd release from that tour.

Keep in mind that 2019 has been his farewell solo tour and the inclusion of MFN was a big surprise for me.
The overcrowded stage was a bit like DireStraits (yet unannounced) own farewell tour as well.

 
 

[2manyguitars]

Everybody is entitled to his opinion and it is normal that they differ.

I liked the brass section and my only regret is Mark never went further to Rythm and Blues sound - of course this is just my personal taste.

I liked the folky addition in 2008 but 2010 and Mike McGoldrick inclusion was a step too much.
Don't get me wrong, as a performer I have nothing against him, he's a fantastic player but I didn't like his flute being added on too many songs. Overused.

And that choice lasted on after tour. With the exception of TR, 2008 was almost perfect and I deeply miss a Sbd release from that tour.

Keep in mind that 2019 has been his farewell solo tour and the inclusion of MFN was a big surprise for me.
The overcrowded stage was a bit like DireStraits (yet unannounced) own farewell tour as well.

I totally agree with you DS, my problem is with the whole title of this thread. Its akin to the question 'when did you stop beating your wife'! Its prejudiced.

A better or more appropriate question would be 'Why did MK make some musical choices on the last tour that I didnt like', or something similar.

MK has never 'Ruined' anything.....