A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: JF on June 11, 2023, 12:34:23 PM
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35 years ago, on June 11 1988, at Wembley stadium, the cream of eighties rock artists gathered to celebrate the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela, who was still in prison at the time. Dire Straits (with Eric Clapton) closed the ball for one of the most important concerts of their career.
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https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/il-y-a-35-ans-le-monde-du-rock-fetait-les-70-ans-de-mandela/
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Another great article JF, thanks. The biggest issue I have with this concert is the visuals on Brothers In Arms, you can hear it is a great performance but the camera is always on Mark, and not his hand either, it would have been better to have seen the whole band, and the whole of Mark, was there a real reason for this?
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Another great article JF, thanks. The biggest issue I have with this concert is the visuals on Brothers In Arms, you can hear it is a great performance but the camera is always on Mark, and not his hand either, it would have been better to have seen the whole band, and the whole of Mark, was there a real reason for this?
Yes indeed I must admit always focused on the audio for this song ;D I never paid much attention to the visual...
maybe issues with other cameras ? :think strange though, and only for this song :think
https://youtu.be/hZW4Wk_h-5M?t=2241
but in the video restored by AI, there are some other close-ups with the whole band, the audience, and even Mark's fingers.. not sure where this pics come from though...
https://youtu.be/tUA4rhznH04?t=2553
strange indeed
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Yes, I have always thought it strange that it is only this song too!!
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BIA on that particular day is the best BIA ever. Amazing.
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BIA on that particular day is the best BIA ever. Amazing.
The best BIA version was, in my opinion, for Concert For Monserrat 97.
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The best BIA version was, in my opinion, any one from the first leg of the live in 85 tour.
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I think I am the only one here, but to me the best BIA version is the studio one
I think personnaly that Mark never reached exactly the same feeling as on the studio version
and the Les Paul tone is perfect to my ears
that said, I like many live versions, and the Mandela one is one of my favorites
others than come to mind : Toronto 2001 (on the TRD special edition), Basel 2007 (KTGC promo tour), A night in london with strings (I prefer this one than the Montserrat one)
the ones on the first leg of the BIA tour sounds too "rock" to me, thats' not what I want to hear when listen to this song. it's not a "rock song" in my mind. And that final ending.... it don't suits the song flavour imho
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The rock tone is exactly what I like best for BIA so the Wembley 85 version is my absolute favorite.
Very thundery, very powerful.
There's also the one with the mistake which is worth anyone's while, in my opinion; and I have a
soft spot, to say the least, for the one on On the night.
The Mandela concert version is great but, to me, not as great as Sultans or Romeo which are both
out of this world !
:)
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The rock tone is exactly what I like best for BIA so the Wembley 85 version is my absolute favorite.
Very thundery, very powerful.
There's also the one with the mistake which is worth anyone's while, in my opinion; and I have a
soft spot, to say the least, for the one on On the night.
The Mandela concert version is great but, to me, not as great as Sultans or Romeo which are both
out of this world !
:)
Wembley has something dark and apocalyptic about it. Always loved that version....
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The rock tone is exactly what I like best for BIA so the Wembley 85 version is my absolute favorite.
Very thundery, very powerful.
There's also the one with the mistake which is worth anyone's while, in my opinion; and I have a
soft spot, to say the least, for the one on On the night.
The Mandela concert version is great but, to me, not as great as Sultans or Romeo which are both
out of this world !
:)
Wembley has something dark and apocalyptic about it. Always loved that version....
Mark is a true artist in the sense that he performs on another level under pressure. Studio will never give you pressure like playing in a stadium and millions of people watching on TV, so that's why the Wembley version is so great. The studio version is great in its own right, as with any other studio recording it's an intimate experience, perfectly recorded for the best sonic experience, and it plays for the audience of one.
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Mark is a true artist in the sense that he performs on another level under pressure. Studio will never give you pressure like playing in a stadium and millions of people watching on TV, so that's why the Wembley version is so great. The studio version is great in its own right, as with any other studio recording it's an intimate experience, perfectly recorded for the best sonic experience, and it plays for the audience of one.
There are musicians that can be totally relaxed on a studio.
I never felt myself fully relaxed during any recording session.
I prefer to play live for hundred of people than on a studio.
MK do both perfectly.
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Two of my favourite versions of BIA are:
2001 from Massey Hall Toronto.
23rd May 1996 from the RAH which was on the bonus disc which came with "Sultans of Swing - the Very Best of Dire Straits"
Also 2007 Basel is excellent.
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Much is made of BIA from this show but the first warm-up is right up there too. The same show also contains a great solo on TOL.
Never liked Sultans from this show. It's too laid back, has a very safe solo and he messed up the twiddly bits.
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The rock tone is exactly what I like best for BIA so the Wembley 85 version is my absolute favorite.
Very thundery, very powerful.
There's also the one with the mistake which is worth anyone's while, in my opinion; and I have a
soft spot, to say the least, for the one on On the night.
The Mandela concert version is great but, to me, not as great as Sultans or Romeo which are both
out of this world !
:)
Same taste for me. I like Wembley 85 better than Mandela. I prefer this unique Les Paul crying tone to the Pensa one, and I like it rockier. Some think that Wembley has cheesy keyboards, and it's true, but... I like cheese :D
Mandela is great though, and yes, On the Night is breathtaking. I don't like much 96 and 2001 versions, too slow for my taste. I liked the 2019 version, simple, short, but touching.
As for Sultans I agree with dmg on this one. Not the greatest. I love Alchemy one (powerful), Wembley 85 (great sax break) and Basel 92 (great arrangements)
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The Mandela 88 gig is a perfect festival greatest hits set. Plus it is raw with energy, and Clapton on second guitar adds a really well executed dynamic. This whole concert holds a special place for me because it was really the tape that got me into DS. The live versions on here sit in a category of their own for me and surpass the tour versions of the songs played.
This era in DS history is really interesting for me. I can't help but wonder that if the band had made an album in 1988 it would have maybe even been better than BIA. By OES the sound was overcooked for me, but you still had the energy of the BIA tour here plus the refinements that emerged for the OES tour.
Such a shame the concert itself has never made an official audio release.
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I was only 13 when this concert was shown on TV.
I saw some clips from the 1985 Wembley concert before as SFA and The Man's too strong.
Then I read about the Mandela concert and DS to appear as a Headliner.
I was very upset and happy. Could not wait.
On the 11th of June I waited the whole day for their appearance. ;D
FInally they got on stage and my heart was bumping.
I really love the raw energy of WOL. Cool Clapton solos. Best live version ever.
SOS: was ok, a bit lame
BIA: best live version ever. But nothing reaches the Studio version. That feeling and atmosphere.
Cool to hear Solid Rock as well.
A classic Gig. Cannot believe it is 35 years ago now
Well done :clap
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I like the raw solo of EC on Solid Rock
Wished Eric was bit better mixed.
And WOL benefited so much from Eric as well, featured no less than 3 solos.
The latest one being blistering, iIt really changed my perception on that song that I otherwise skip.
Nice short version of WT with Mark backing vocal.
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The Wembley 88 version of Sultans will always be very special to me.
The tempo is a bit slower than usual but the song has an atmosphere of
its own. And the sound of the Pensa-Suhr is unique.
Romeo is awesome all along and reaches new heights when MK gets back
with the P-S for the solo !
Walk of Life is one of the best versions ever, yes. Thanks EC !
That concert was mesmerizing to say the least.
I agree that an album from 88 would have been fantastic. It's very likely
that we would've had great studio versions of I think I love you too much
and when it comes to you !
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BIA: best live version ever. But nothing reaches the Studio version. That feeling and atmosphere.
exactly :thumbsup
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I really love the raw energy of WOL. Cool Clapton solos. Best live version ever.
fully agree
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But I like Solid Rock better with Knewborth :)
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But I like Solid Rock better with Knewborth :)
I think Mark played a wrong note there
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But I like Solid Rock better with Knewborth :)
I think Mark played a wrong note there
The more I listen to that part, the "less bad" it seems to sound and I am wondering if it is indeed a mistake. Personally it's my favourite version ever as the guitar sounds great and the arrangement is by far the best.