A Mark In Time
Previous Tours => 2013 Privateering World Tour => Topic started by: Love Expresso on July 15, 2013, 08:10:48 AM
-
The Naples entry from Richard Bennett is especially harsh about the hard life on tour, dealing with incompetent hotel staff that is not able to turn the light on etc. etc... and about a very hard and long travel day and a strange gig with an almost invisible audience....
Whereas Guy Fletcher decided to talk about catering ONLY on this tour obviously - every question about technical issues, microphones, guitars and stuff is being shelved, "I will ask Glenn"-like, and then forgotten. Not a single mentioning of Jim or Glen, two pictures from Mark so far. Plus him being quite arrogant in his forum answers lately I wonder if this tour is REALLY that good.. Richard has repeatedly reported about technical issues, about his in-ears not working.
Do you follow these diaries on a daily base? What do you think?
I wish Guy would take the opportunity and step back from all those catering shots an give us some more pictures about what I guess the most are interested in. Why not interviewing other band members? For example Jim, about returning into this big tour business? Nigel, how was it joining in for some gigs?
The answer will probably pop up that we can be happy with what we have and should be grateful, but I tend to think that they are travelling on a really high level, and HAVE time-off enough. But I am not a muso and also not very much a traveller.
But why are they still scheduling things like they did for Naples with all the knowledge they have from 30 years of touring? Is there no Hotel in Naples to go to?
LE
-
Oh dear, poor Richard! I do think he suffers quite a lot on the road. I remember him saying in his notes from a previous tour that he has trouble sleeping, for various reasons and I can quite empathise with him on that! So combined with other annoying problems eg strange sleeping times, technical issues, plus all of the travelling and sometimes playing 6 gigs in a row, I can imagine how difficult it would be, especially for someone like Richard, who may not be too resilient!
I can imagine that minor problems such as with the card to enter the room, etc can be magnified several times at 5am in the morning, especially after all the travelling AND after playing a gig a few hours previously! I wonder how the rest of the band are holding up! I know Mark has said that you have to have the constitution of a truck and perhaps Richard doesn't have one! ;)
Maybe end-of-tour exhaustion is setting in now! :think
-
i gotta say, i fully understand Richard on this one.
if you travel as much as they do (read isaac's posts) you tend to like hotels to be the same,..but they never are, they always have a different issue. even the expensive ones, the ones, the ones where one would expect EVERYTHING TO FRIGGIN WORK AS YOU (or whoever) PAID SO MUCH FOR.
guy's food fetish is a bit boring by now, and i do miss the varied topics we used to get on earlier tours, but as for the replies...i would be much harsher in my replying, considering some of the unbelievable rude/daft questions.
-
Richard is pretty tired, his Rome-entry also mentioned he didn't leave his room that day.
I don't see the point of travelling this idiot schedule when you have a day off the day after. I always think it's insane to create a kind of jetlag because of travelschedule when not needed.
I have a flight from Charleroi-Belgium to Madrid in less than 2 weeks. Flight at 9.25. At least an hour before the flight I have to be there. That's 8.25. 2 1/2 hours drive from home, so I have to leave at 06.00. Traffic in Belgium and Holland can be insane, so I need an hour extra for trafficjams. Thart would be leaving home at 05.00 so wake up at 04.00-04.30.
Simple solution: booked a hotel at the airport and leave the night before: no trafficjam at night, no worries, a good night sleep, wake up at 07.30 and take the shuttle to the airport and have breakfast there. How easy it can be :D
They could have go back to Rome, wasn't too late, or have a hotel in Naples and fly midafternoon next day. Still some time off for everyone and now some are knackered because of this. Really strange.
-
I am similar to you, Ingrid. When we travel to Carcassonne next week, our flight is at 8am from Manchester, but we live in Leeds, so we would need to be at Manchester at 5am, plus 2 hours travelling from Leeds to Manchester, means leaving at 3am and waking up at 2.15 am! So we decided to travel to Manchester the previous afternoon, which means we now only have to wake at about 5.30am.
It will still be a long day ahead - flying to Toulouse and then a train to Carcassonne and the concert doesn't start until 9.30! I feel tired already! ;D I really don't understand the band's tough schedule and they are not spring chickens, most of them! ::)
-
Well, here I go! ::) Guy's diary has gone downhill from the days when we had videos and Danny was interviewing the other band members etc. He also has a catering issue - greedy guts! ;D Then there's the replies he gives which range from arrogant to bizarre now. Granted some of the questions are equal to this but that doesn't mean etc...
Richard has always been the same in his notes, but I think perhaps this tour has been particularly gruelling on him. Maybe his age is tolling on his physical ability to cope with all the travelling. He does look like he's aged about 10 years since the last tour! Sorry Ricardo. :wave
Speaking of travelling, the idea of having hubs in Milan and Paris and travelling to and fro doesn't help in this at all and isn't great for the fans either when they give us a reduced set list because they have to leave early for a take-off slot. :disbelief
In short , Guy's is a little poorer this year but I still read them both daily and am so glad and grateful that they're still there!
-
I can imagine them having hubs. A short hop with a plane and being able to stay in one hotel gives more rest than changing hotels.
-
I don't read Guy's diary on a daily basis anymore. But how much he focuses now about catering is revealing about Guy's personality. I would suggest that if his diary become boring it is because this tour is boring and himself seem to be bored : a kind of "metro-boulot-dodo".
And do they really use the best available hostels or even MK's team has to deal with budget limitation?
Are the days when DS was staying at the George V palace over?
-
most of the hotels they are staying in are absolute top of the line. not all, but really most.
-
Hotels are indeed most top of what is in the environment. What I see is that they choose hotels that are more cozy, not the standard 5 star chain hotels
-
Hotels are indeed most top of what is in the environment. What I see is that they choose hotels that are more cozy, not the standard 5 star chain hotels
I see
This is not the image I got maybe because to me the top of the top is 5 star "palace" or "grand luxe" that you can get in France.
But there are not many Palace available.
-
Funny enough, Guy's entry from today is quite interesting with some great pictures (without any food!)
and some critical words about the in-ear-stuff..
LE
-
see LE. all is good :-)
-
yes these guys are not in the 30s but in the 60s
I really don't know how they do it
In the OES tour they often played several days in the same city so no problem
now they play basically almost every day in a different city and they are much older..
it's too much, they should have many more free days
But days off cost
-
MK is 63, Richard is 61,Glenn is 59 that's the (around) 60's group
Jim I don't know
John is 40, Mike 42, Guy 53, Ian 50
Guy doesn't complain about being tired. Ok a lazy day in between but I suppose we all have lazy days sometimes :D
-
They should travel by bus (a 5 star comfort bus) as they did il the early days ! And aircrafts for long distance travels !
-
Once again Bob shows he has the best touring organization.
His next fall tour is a pure gem : he stays a couple of days in each visited city. :thumbsup
-
Once again Bob shows he has the best touring organization.
His next fall tour is a pure gem : he stays a couple of days in each visited city. :thumbsup
Smaller venues, higher prices?
-
Once again Bob shows he has the best touring organization.
His next fall tour is a pure gem : he stays a couple of days in each visited city. :thumbsup
Smaller venues, higher prices?
In Geneva same prices, same venue but only one show.
Not sure about the other venues.
-
They should travel by bus (a 5 star comfort bus) as they did il the early days ! And aircrafts for long distance travels !
Can imagine they don't!!! I don't want a 5*-star (or 6*or higher) bus for a trip longer than 2 hours. And I have been in them with champagne, wines and whatever more was available. Takes way too much time.
What they do is smart, only last nights trip I really can't understand, but it was a last minute decision to travel like this because the airportslot was earlier than expected (so yes, bad organized or changes in Italy, which I also can understand). Otherwise they would have a flight from Naples and be in Taormina before 12.00
-
It's fair to say that they had obviously some changes and some "italian" problems indeed - Isaac also has not delivered his latest post yet because of that... and he takes it serious! So the venue was changed very late. Not one of the best days of the tour to sum it up.
Interesting posts on this thread!
LE
-
MK is 63, Richard is 61,Glenn is 59 that's the (around) 60's group
Jim I don't know
John is 40, Mike 42, Guy 53, Ian 50
Guy doesn't complain about being tired. Ok a lazy day in between but I suppose we all have lazy days sometimes :D
Ian Thomas is 50? Acts more like 15!! :P
-
Thanks for this thread! I've not read much of Richard before (is it for his friends and family or really for the general public?), Guys catering blog is a tad dull.
-
Thanks for this thread! I've not read much of Richard before (is it for his friends and family or really for the general public?), Guys catering blog is a tad dull.
It's for the fans as well. You can click above. Different sites (mk.com, Guy, Richard and Isaac's blog are links in this forum.
-
MK is 63, Richard is 61,Glenn is 59 that's the (around) 60's group
Jim I don't know
John is 40, Mike 42, Guy 53, Ian 50
Guy doesn't complain about being tired. Ok a lazy day in between but I suppose we all have lazy days sometimes :D
LOL I never thought MK was the eldest among the group. Maybe Jim is? Richard looks older than Mark I think. ;D
-
Well, here I go! ::) Guy's diary has gone downhill from the days when we had videos and Danny was interviewing the other band members etc. He also has a catering issue - greedy guts! ;D Then there's the replies he gives which range from arrogant to bizarre now. Granted some of the questions are equal to this but that doesn't mean etc...
I guess we should give Guy the benefit of the doubt but anyone who posts this:
>Thanks. Whilst we understand certain songs will always be missed, the songs played are decided based solely upon OUR wishes.
certainly has arrogance issues.Anyone who works in the entertainment industry knows you have to give the paying public what THEY want and not be a bunch of self indulgent arses.I know Guy gets asked lots of silly questions but surely he can realise how foolish this attitude is?
I enjoy reading Richard's notes.He has a more relaxed attitude to it and this makes them more appealing(at least to me!)
It would be interesting to read John or Mike's thoughts but they are (still) stuck in Marbletown!
-
Traveling non-stop is tough, so I kind of get Richard's frustration. I just returned home to the US after 3 consecutive shows in Italy and I was exhausted. That said, the band travels in absolute luxury - chauffeured Range Rovers, private jets, fancy hotels, premium wine and food etc. etc. so it cannot be that bad. I was constantly chasing buses and trains, and staying in cheap hotels. And I caught up with Issac and Jeroen in Naples and asked them how they did it - they said it was super hard, esp when you don't have a rock star's travel budget and don't speak the local language.
As much as I love the band, I agree that Guy does sound arrogant every now and then..."it is OUR SET LIST" he says. Yes, but loyal fans pay hard earned money for tickets and we don't mean badly when we ask for more variety. I said so on his forum but he still didn't get it...hmmph!
-
I only read Richard's these days. I like his take on preceedings. Guy actually bores me at times if I'm honest but lets be fair we are lucky peeps to get a peek from either of these guys. They don't have to do it.
-
As much as I love the band, I agree that Guy does sound arrogant every now and then..."it is OUR SET LIST" he says. Yes, but loyal fans pay hard earned money for tickets and we don't mean badly when we ask for more variety. I said so on his forum but he still didn't get it...hmmph!
Yes Guy, it is your setlist, but it sucks. It is boring.
WII is a powerless opener, Piper is lovely but not as a closer.
The last 45 minutes or so are the same as the last 2-3 tours.
The tour is good, the band near perfection with Jim back and Ian on drums. (Like him very much)
But the set is nothing new, nothing special, and nearly always the same. O.K. now and then a good change, but that's it.
Fans go mad because he plays DOTDS. Nice tune on the record, but no reason to go nuts only he plays 1 new TUNE.
He should have played more from Privateering. Go Love, Today is okay, Bluebird or whatever.
Every night something new. Instead: So far away again, TR again, Oh no: Romeo: I will get me a beer... :smack :P
I went to Bremen, I enjoyed it until the autopilot after Postcards set in...
Marble
Speedway
Telegraph
So far
Piper
I went to Zwolle: same and imagine: without SOS!!! what????????
O.K.
I went to Cologne (thanks Love Expresso)
O.K. with Nigel, who did not play much Sax. I missed the sax what Chris added to Romeo.
SL and GH at the end were O.K. but until that songs: same set-- ------------------------
Questions?
This tour is O.K. but did not blow me away. By far not
-
As much as I love the band, I agree that Guy does sound arrogant every now and then..."it is OUR SET LIST" he says. Yes, but loyal fans pay hard earned money for tickets and we don't mean badly when we ask for more variety. I said so on his forum but he still didn't get it...hmmph!
Yes Guy, it is your setlist, but it sucks. It is boring.
WII is a powerless opener, Piper is lovely but not as a closer.
The last 45 minutes or so are the same as the last 2-3 tours.
The tour is good, the band near perfection with Jim back and Ian on drums. (Like him very much)
But the set is nothing new, nothing special, and nearly always the same. O.K. now and then a good change, but that's it.
Fans go mad because he plays DOTDS. Nice tune on the record, but no reason to go nuts only he plays 1 new TUNE.
He should have played more from Privateering. Go Love, Today is okay, Bluebird or whatever.
Every night something new. Instead: So far away again, TR again, Oh no: Romeo: I will get me a beer... :smack :P
I went to Bremen, I enjoyed it until the autopilot after Postcards set in...
Marble
Speedway
Telegraph
So far
Piper
I went to Zwolle: same and imagine: without SOS!!! what????????
O.K.
I went to Cologne (thanks Love Expresso)
O.K. with Nigel, who did not play much Sax. I missed the sax what Chris added to Romeo.
SL and GH at the end were O.K. but until that songs: same set--------------------------
Questions?
This tour is O.K. but did not blow me away. By far not
Knopfler is never..... NEVER gonna please every fan. Such a massive catologue of songs and I'm going to have to disagree that he should play what the paying public want. If that was the case the gig would last 8 hours plus. Anyone who plays music, or has any creative part of coming up with songs would understand that it's a very personal thing. It's actually all about playing what you enjoy as a musician. I don't buy the "paying audience" thing.... Never have done. Sorry, I don't mean to sound off but I honestly can't understand that mentality. We should be utterly pleased that knopfler goes out and tours still and gives so much pleasure to the world of music. The only thing I can suggest is if you don't like the sets etc.... Don't bother going. As a musician myself I honestly couldn't think of anything worse than trying to please everyone.... Of course even tougher for Knopfler after 35years+ of performing and material.
-
What about trying to please the majority then to create a great atmosphere and make sure most fans go home feeling content, happy and on a positive high? :)
I kind of hear what both of you are saying.
-
Of course he will never please everyone.
And I am happy that he puts out a new album every 2 years and tours so much.
I LOVE THEM ALL.
But when you tour every 1-2 years why play always the same?
We pay the tickets. He plays nearly always to the same guys.
They will not hear it again also. I cannot describe it but this tour did not touch me.
THE KTGC tour touched me. The set was always the same. really always. But I got into it.
This tour not. Maybe because after the 12 years of SFA again and TR and and and... my ears say: That's it... :disbelief
-
What about trying to please the majority then to create a great atmosphere and make sure most fans go home feeling content, happy and on a positive high? :)
This is it. 99. 9 percent of people at the gig go to one show only. MK is playing a majority of solo material and still getting a standing ovation. That is amazing.
-
I have to agree with Steinei that the second part of this set list doesn't do it for me either - after Speedway, for me, the concert is done... The first part though is great .. ;D
But I see where xxFordiexx comes from and I agree to that, too: We should be very grateful and happy that we have high quality concerts EVERY SINGLE TIME. Not such a thing as with Bob with him maybe drunk one day (apart from Glasgow nearly) or just don't be into it the other. Even if MK should not really be into it because of what reasons ever, he still is hard trying. He has that kind of worker's mentality that also makes him doing these records all the time instead of just taking 3 years off for some re-creating time... I like that. And this 2013 tour is difficult to be seen as a whole - the first few weeks had many more surprises than usual. And the good thing is there are official recordings. so he gives us something great indeed!
LE
-
I don't think Guy is arrogant when he said "this is OUR setlist", this is an artistic choice to play what THEY want not what THE public want.
That said Guy forum doesn't sound now as fun as it used to be (or is it us/me that is tired of?).
There had been sometime weird question or reaction from fan and this may have somewhat affected him.
-
I miss the days when MK would throw something extra special into the set. Something that he "wrote in the dressing room" or "on the bus". Like 'Long Highway' in 1996 and 'Pyroman' in 2001. Something completely unexpected. And we've all read how productive MK is these days, writing songs all the time. Even during this ongoing tour.
That is giving the fans what they want, a real easter egg - something very rare. 'Pyroman' alone was worth seeing three shows in a row across the Nordic back in 2001, it still is perhaps the coolest song MK's ever written - it's so amazingly raw.
But as much as I too miss SoS, you really gotta hand it to MK that the setlist - throughout the whole tour (not the show or shows just you went to see) is more varied than way before. Earlier tours were static from the middle to the end but this time around it's more of a lottery which songs you'll end up seeing and hearing. Let's hope SoS just is on a hiatus and that we will see it returning in a few years when he'll embark on another tour. Still, one thing troubles me - which a friend of mine reacted to. MK is taking too many shortcuts through the instrumental parts of SoS, he might have physical trouble playing it. Compare the SoS from 2005 and with the one from 2013, the difference in his playing is a bit scary.
And no, not everyone can be pleased. But it seems a bit unfair calling that to Guy as I suppose he's got minimum authority to change the setlists.
Back in the days of the GL tour I remember reading they ran 'So far away from the clyde' in rehearsals, too bad it stuck there...
-
I have the feeling that it is more important for the group to eat good, to get a good hotel and come quickly from A to B. sometimes they give us the feeling that they only do it for themselves and not for the fans. I think they too often forget that without the fans there are no range rovers and no 5 stars hotels. I am personally really pissed about this tour/setlist and for me it was the last mark knopfler tour. and that sultans of swing will no longer played is not good for the future tour-ticket sales
-
Giving the fans what they want is a bit like saying he owes the fans something. Thats utter nonsense, he has never asked people to buy his records or attend his concerts. Thats up to you as an individual, like its up to MK to play what he wants. Of course I would love more variety, but I'd still rather have the option of attending one gig a year than nothing at all.
-
Do you remember the old times, with wide banners in standing, crowded concerts?
People asking for certain songs, written on paper, loving the band....
I imagine nowadays, a simple way to bother the band. Just a tablet. First rows. A powerpoint archive. Up the tablet in the air at the end of every song, with the name of the next song being played. Big letters.
I wont do it, could be irritating and disturbing for the band. But Mark certainly would take note of a high percentage of Successes.
-
Elvis Costello has a big roulette wheel thing on stage with all his songs on it!
-
Elvis Costello has a big roulette wheel thing on stage with all his songs on it!
:lol
If Mark did that I'm convinced he'd have Guy press a button to halt it at the songs he wanted every night! Just like they do at the ca*inos! ;)
-
I have the feeling that it is more important for the group to eat good, to get a good hotel and come quickly from A to B. sometimes they give us the feeling that they only do it for themselves and not for the fans. I think they too often forget that without the fans there are no range rovers and no 5 stars hotels. I am personally really pissed about this tour/setlist and for me it was the last mark knopfler tour. and that sultans of swing will no longer played is not good for the future tour-ticket sales
-
I have the feeling that it is more important for the group to eat good, to get a good hotel and come quickly from A to B. sometimes they give us the feeling that they only do it for themselves and not for the fans. I think they too often forget that without the fans there are no range rovers and no 5 stars hotels. I am personally really pissed about this tour/setlist and for me it was the last mark knopfler tour. and that sultans of swing will no longer played is not good for the future tour-ticket sales
-
Agreed..
-
Look, we are all obviously big fans of Mark and love him and his music dearly. That's why we go to his shows every single time he is on tour. Many folks save money for a long time so they can buy tickets and pay for travel. No matter what he plays, and he can read the newspaper for 2 hours, I will go to as many shows as I can. But that doesn't mean I cannot desire variety in the set list. Whether he cares or not is immaterial and I will respect Mark's decision. But if a whole bunch of loyal fans feel that the set is repetitive and therefore boring, it does deserve attention, and not in the manner that Guy has done. I am also aware that Guy has very little or no say in this regard and he can be honest about it.
The luxury that mark and band enjoy is well deserved and I hold no grudges, but sometimes it is annoying how Guy can be dismissive about fans seeking autographs or a picture with them. It has been my dream to get a picture with Mark and I wait for hours (unsuccessfully thus far) in the hope of fulfilling it, but by no means am I a Rudiger. It hurts when we are categorized as "getalifers" by Guy. If he put himself in our shoes, he would have better appreciation for our love and respect for Mark and his band, including Guy. Anyway...
All I will say is that I am moved to tears routinely by Mark's music - the depth of his words, the intoxicating guitar, devotion to his art, humbleness etc etc. As I walk away from the last show I attend on any MK tour, I am sad for several days and it is painful to think that there may not be another opportunity to be in his presence again. Hopefully he will keep going for a while....
-
EXACTLY what I feel. You made my evening. Thank you!
-
Look, we are all obviously big fans of Mark and love him and his music dearly. That's why we go to his shows every single time he is on tour. Many folks save money for a long time so they can buy tickets and pay for travel. No matter what he plays, and he can read the newspaper for 2 hours, I will go to as many shows as I can. But that doesn't mean I cannot desire variety in the set list. Whether he cares or not is immaterial and I will respect Mark's decision. But if a whole bunch of loyal fans feel that the set is repetitive and therefore boring, it does deserve attention, and not in the manner that Guy has done. I am also aware that Guy has very little or no say in this regard and he can be honest about it.
The luxury that mark and band enjoy is well deserved and I hold no grudges, but sometimes it is annoying how Guy can be dismissive about fans seeking autographs or a picture with them. It has been my dream to get a picture with Mark and I wait for hours (unsuccessfully thus far) in the hope of fulfilling it, but by no means am I a Rudiger. It hurts when we are categorized as "getalifers" by Guy. If he put himself in our shoes, he would have better appreciation for our love and respect for Mark and his band, including Guy. Anyway...
All I will say is that I am moved to tears routinely by Mark's music - the depth of his words, the intoxicating guitar, devotion to his art, humbleness etc etc. As I walk away from the last show I attend on any MK tour, I am sad for several days and it is painful to think that there may not be another opportunity to be in his presence again. Hopefully he will keep going for a while....
+1 :clap
-
Great post, well balanced and very true!
LE
-
Thank you Singhv! This is exactly how I feel, but you have said it much better than I ever could have done! :thumbsup
-
Elvis Costello has a big roulette wheel thing on stage with all his songs on it!
:lol
If Mark did that I'm convinced he'd have Guy press a button to halt it at the songs he wanted every night! Just like they do at the ca*inos! ;)
Mark will need a big gigantic roultette wheel. ;D I love the idea though. :thumbsup :clap
-
singhv : Well said and so true. :thumbsup :clap
-
singhv: you must post this on guys forum ... ;-)
-
I seem to recall a certain Mr.Fletcher hanging around at MKs door with his keyboard a couple
of decades ago..I guess that memory is long gone for him now but seems he was a bit of an alternative getalifer himself in his early days
-
The man wanted a job, not a picture..
-
The same as Peter de Mooij just wanted an answer, not a RANT :disbelief
LE
-
Elvis Costello has a big roulette wheel thing on stage with all his songs on it!
:lol
If Mark did that I'm convinced he'd have Guy press a button to halt it at the songs he wanted every night! Just like they do at the ca*inos! ;)
Mark will need a big gigantic roultette wheel. ;D I love the idea though. :thumbsup :clap
There is only one big wheel needed on stage when it comes to MK. And that's the neon one, burning up above! ;D
-
The man wanted a job, not a picture..
Imagine one of us hanging around his place with our guitar or whatever just "looking for a job"..jeez he had probably sent his goldie on us ::)
-
The man wanted a job, not a picture..
Imagine one of us hanging around his place with our guitar or whatever just "looking for a job"..jeez he had probably sent his goldie on us ::)
Are we sure it happened like this ? Maybe just short story for band introduction.
Just like his new joke : we'll play a long time it's up to you. Looks like the show in Lucca was so good the audience didnn't want it to last... ;) :think
-
...and we keep asking the same boring questions, which we know will simply not be answered. In everyone's line of business there are things you do not share with the customers. Same here. Do not forget, they are in a business, and we are customers. And don't give me the "that is why they need to listen to us" coz if it were that easy, simply turn your back to this product, and go for another product.....see, it is not that simple.
-
Guy's post from July 24..."Mark and I decide the set a few hours before the show, sometimes on the plane and I then text it to Kevin, the production manager who prints it up"
So, I wonder how that conversation goes? Given the massive amount of variety on display, this could be a very long discussion, like 3 seconds maybe?? :D Sorry, couldn't resist!!
Btw, Pottel - this is not a business, and we are not buying potatoes. And any business that doesn't pay heed to customer demands will not last very long. Now, we know that Mark will get a full house as long as he plays and as long as the loyal fans have $$ in their pockets, but just saying.....
-
Guy's post from July 24..."Mark and I decide the set a few hours before the show, sometimes on the plane and I then text it to Kevin, the production manager who prints it up"
So, I wonder how that conversation goes? Given the massive amount of variety on display, this could be a very long discussion, like 3 seconds maybe?? :D Sorry, couldn't resist!!
Btw, Pottel - this is not a business, and we are not buying potatoes. And any business that doesn't pay heed to customer demands will not last very long. Now, we know that Mark will get a full house as long as he plays and as long as the loyal fans have $$ in their pockets, but just saying.....
I thought that as well!
Guy - "Shall we do Gator Blood as well tonight?"
MK - "Er...no."
*goes back to uploading photos of food*
-
I have seen Mark Knopfler in Zwolle, a setlist which can easily be called "dull" by many of you. The concert was great though, it isn't a matter of what songs he plays, but how he plays them. That's what makes a concert good or bad. I had no Sultans, no Brothers, no Going Home, but I had a great concert. And I can tell you, I prefer that a million times to Sultans, Brothers, Going Home, but a bad concert.
About calling the set static, that's not true in fact. Mark changes a lot! There are 32 performed songs, with 15 to 18 songs a night. If you look to the "big" artists out there: they got 16 songs a night, the same 16 songs. We should be happy.
There static part of the set is great too, Marbletown maybe a bit too long, but can you imagine a MK concert next tour with no Romeo, no Telegraph and no What It Is? I can't. These songs need to bee played every night. Even more than Sultans or Brothers or whatever.
-
can you imagine a MK concert next tour with no Romeo, no Telegraph and no What It Is?
SOS being dropped, why not. I guess Romeo would probably be the last one to go to bin.
-
I believe it was on Guy's forum once when there was a question about R&J. The answer of Guy was kind off there was Always room in the set for the song R&J. I do not see TR being dropped because it is a good one for the encores. Than again so is Speedway.
The only DS for sure is R&J. and MK solo would be What it is...... :wave
-
There are no bad songs in Mark's catalogue so we like everything he puts out, but even steak or lobster everyday can be boring, right? What baffles me is, why does Mark not want to play something other than Marbletown, Speedway, Telegraph Rd, R&J, Sultans, and So Far Away??? There's got be a reason, and I'd love for anyone to explain why..
Ok, so how about this set list...just for fun:
1) Walk of life or Money for Nothing or Down to the Waterline
2) Tunnel of love
3) Darling Pretty
4) Old Pigweed or Devil Baby
5) Blue Bird
6) So far from the Clyde
7) Seattle or Radio City Serenade
8) Are we in Trouble Now or In the Sky
9) Corned Beef City or Privateering
10) On Every Street
11) Long Highway
12) My Claim to Fame
13) The Long Road
13) Next time I'm in Town
14) Single Handed Sailor
15) Planet of New Orleans
16)Hill Farmer Blues
17) Sultans of Swing
P.S> SoS added just to prevent a riot from breaking out...
:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
-
There are no bad songs in Mark's catalogue so we like everything he puts out, but even steak or lobster everyday can be boring, right? What baffles me is, why does Mark not want to play something other than Marbletown, Speedway, Telegraph Rd, R&J, Sultans, and So Far Away??? There's got be a reason, and I'd love for anyone to explain why..
Ok, so how about this set list...just for fun:
1) Walk of life or Money for Nothing or Down to the Waterline
2) Tunnel of love
3) Darling Pretty
4) Old Pigweed or Devil Baby
5) Blue Bird
6) So far from the Clyde
7) Seattle or Radio City Serenade
8) Are we in Trouble Now or In the Sky
9) Corned Beef City or Privateering
10) On Every Street
11) Long Highway
12) My Claim to Fame
13) The Long Road
13) Next time I'm in Town
14) Single Handed Sailor
15) Planet of New Orleans
16)Hill Farmer Blues
17) Sultans of Swing
P.S> SoS added just to prevent a riot from breaking out...
:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap
I will die for a set like this. ;) It's really too bad that Mark will not dig deeper into his vast array of songs. Too many fantastic songs that never get to be played live. :disbelief Although I think the beginning of the tour was quite outstanding with sets that sparked lots of excitements in the forum, then it gets predictable. Hopefully, when the tour comes over to NA, we will get a somewhat different set. I will NEVER stop going to see Mark as long as he goes on tour no matter what he plays or doesn't play. ;) I Loveeeeeeeeee Mark's music that muchhhhhhh !!!!!!! :)
-
Hi there to you all! :wave
Sorry I've been missing for a long time, but you know, sometimes life takes you somewhere else. Anyway, every now and then I come in and take a look to the posts, see some familiar faces (hi Ingrid! Hi Pottel!) and some new faces, which is good.
First of all, I'm Italian and I'm always very saddened from what I read from people coming from other countries, most of all because I know in my heart that almost everything it's true, and I realize how much we are "used" to the way things are going around here. We are not able to react, it seems. :smack
In 1996 MK didn't even play one single show in Italy, and that was so bad for us all, that when it's time for a tour, we always fear that Italy won't be on the list. I think that we are saved from some of our astonishing venues (like Taormina) and from the food. I wonder how long these things will be enough for the band to decide to go on playing here. Anyway a few comments I read here and there, not specifically in this forum, but around the net, were so bad that I asked myself how much was true and how much was just prejudice... Anyway.
I've seen MK 12 times in my life, since 1992. I'm grateful for every show. As a Queen fan, I'm aware that a fan could never ever have the chance to see his hero on a stage. I'll never see Freddie playing live, and that's more painful than listening to the same set list on every tour, IMHO. He still wants to go on stage, and that's enough for me. He even didn't stop the tour in 2010 when he had backpain, which is awesome.
This year, to me, was an improvement as MK actually played more different songs than ever, has dropped some milestones like SOS, and listening to the Taormina show, I think we all could agree that this was a good decision.
About the fact that it was often remarked that it was "their setlist", well, it must be unpleasant, but I think it's true. You could see it from another point of view. I'm Artist "X" and I'm so bored to go on tour that I don't even want to write a setlist, so I'll ask my fans and play what they want *yaaawn* I don't care at all, I just grab the money and they will be happy.
Maybe MK instead still WANTS to play his own things, maybe he loves just those 10 songs and hates the others, who knows, but the fact is that he has the right to do this, and when you go and see an artist performance (musician, opera singer, painter, whatever), you go to see HIS work. You could like it or not, you could say that he's right or wrong, but he'll do what HE WANTS to do. Art is that, IMHO, showing outside what you have inside, not doing what people outside would like. And if MK's aim is to bore us all to death because he's part of an Illuminati plan :hmm , well, that's it.
I'd loved to listen to something from Communique, or to Hand in hand or Monteleone. It didn't happen. But I had the chance to listen MK playing, and I think I should be grateful about that. :)
About Guy's diary, maybe he's bored, maybe he's changed, he's writing diaries since 2001 and tours were different, with different logistics, the internet has become a huge part of our lives, and what in 2005 seemed amazing, now could seem boring... our life has changed a lot since then so who knows, maybe it's just him or maybe we are gettin' used to that. I 've always found the tech stuff boring, and loved the cities pictures. I love cooking so I'm happy with the food-experience too. ;D ;D
Well, sorry for the lenght of my post, but I had to write it. :P :P Thank you for your patience reading my English, and thanks to MK for being here.
-
Loved your post, isina. Thanks for another perspective!!! :wave
-
In terms of set lists and song choices, isina is absolutely right and her view is one I have expressed here before. Let the artist choose; let the man play. As I've also said before, I wish he'd step out a little, too, but he has widened his song choice on the recent tour and that should be applauded. And it was!
As for the rest, a few words of wisdom from Mr Bob: "Take care of all your memories....For you cannot relive them"
-
In terms of set lists and song choices, isina is absolutely right and her view is one I have expressed here before. Let the artist choose; let the man play. As I've also said before, I wish he'd step out a little, too, but he has widened his song choice on the recent tour and that should be applauded. And it was!
As for the rest, a few words of wisdom from Mr Bob: "Take care of all your memories....For you cannot relive them"
Indeed he has widened his selection this tour! Many of us were shocked when he added "I dug up a diamond" to the sets early on...but the real shock came with "Dream of the drowned submariner"..and what a beautiful addition it was too! The sets for KTGC and GL were more static..no change from show to show at all.
-
Exactly!
Now, if someone has the time and inclination, perhaps a compilation of the best or most interesting version of each song performed during the tour, adding in the variations that involved saxophone as the bonus tracks, would make a nice Christmas present for mrs twm. It would become a lovely memento of a fun tour.
Now the USB sticks have sold, perhaps I should nominate Mr Knopfler, formerly of Deptford, for the task. An official release along those lines would be great. Add in a CD of rehearsal versions of the songs, showing how they developed and evolved, and you've got an "extra" for the De Luxe version.
Such a release would be very fitting as MK himself has referred to "Privateering" as a song with parallels to going on tour with a band.
-
It took some time to read all these messages! LOL I agree with some of you and share the same opinion. Let
-
Hi isi! "Welcome back"
Well written!
-
Hi Pottel! Nice to be back :wave