A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Jimbo on May 19, 2025, 01:05:28 PM
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Live in SA is truly exceptional, both for intensity and technique, all thanks to a perfect recording.
Even better than OTN.
After the release of the amazing Rainbow which in my opinion is slightly below BBC (which however is not a real full live but only 1/3 of a concert) we can safely admit that the legendary Alchemy is clearly the worst live of DS.
The recording seems dated, old.
The sound seems muffled, in many places the second guitar and the keyboards are not heard adequately.
The bass is super only in the slow songs or Once upon a time in the west.
Williams' drumming leaves out all the subtleties.
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Live in SA is truly exceptional, both for intensity and technique, all thanks to a perfect recording.
Even better than OTN.
After the release of the amazing Rainbow which in my opinion is slightly below BBC (which however is not a real full live but only 1/3 of a concert) we can safely admit that the legendary Alchemy is clearly the worst live of DS.
The recording seems dated, old.
The sound seems muffled, in many places the second guitar and the keyboards are not heard adequately.
The bass is super only in the slow songs or Once upon a time in the west.
Williams' drumming leaves out all the subtleties.
Well as they say, opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one and most don't stand up to close inspection.
The idea that OTN is in any way better than Alchemy is laughable to me but each to their own.
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Live in SA is truly exceptional, both for intensity and technique, all thanks to a perfect recording.
Even better than OTN.
After the release of the amazing Rainbow which in my opinion is slightly below BBC (which however is not a real full live but only 1/3 of a concert) we can safely admit that the legendary Alchemy is clearly the worst live of DS.
The recording seems dated, old.
The sound seems muffled, in many places the second guitar and the keyboards are not heard adequately.
The bass is super only in the slow songs or Once upon a time in the west.
Williams' drumming leaves out all the subtleties.
Well as they say, opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one and most don't stand up to close inspection.
The idea that OTN is in any way better than Alchemy is laughable to me but each to their own.
I'll start by saying that I grew up with Alchemy, which I liked at times, but I always found the sound to be muffled, which hid some sounds/instruments.
It was missing three songs for completeness.
The good PB and the decent Twisting by the Pool (ID is unlistenable, it has a bad bootleg sound) do not enrich.
The sound of OtN seems to me to be of a clearly superior category.
The album that came out many years ago was missing 3 strong pieces plus 3 others.
These 6 songs make all the difference in the world.
But beyond the execution (the Alchemy line-up could also have been better) but it is precisely the recording of Alchemy that is a big weak point.
The more compelling, faster endings are more confused, very bootleg.
It's an opinion. Nothing more.
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Performance wise, I think Alchemy is very good. Sultans might the best ever (some like it pure without sax!), TOL is a little too short, straight to the point, 85 versions are better, but it's still a lovely good one, TR is the reference version with strong vocals (the only one !), OUATITW is fantastic, R&D has a very touching intro, better than subsequent agressive sax one IMHO, and the accoustic ending is different from the electric guitar one but not necessarily worse, it is an interesting different take... Going Home is also very touching.
Sound wise, the original album sounds ok to me, the 2023 remaster is too soft for my taste (Terry's drums are a bit muted), but the Blu Ray remaster by Chuck Ainlay is really good, IMHO. Which version are you talking about ?
Alchemy still is a reference live album for me, even with the exellent new releases...
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Performance wise, I think Alchemy is very good. Sultans might the best ever (some like it pure without sax!), TOL is a little too short, straight to the point, 85 versions are better, but it's still a lovely good one, TR is the reference version with strong vocals (the only one !), OUATITW is fantastic, R&D has a very touching intro, better than subsequent agressive sax one IMHO, and the accoustic ending is different from the electric guitar one but not necessarily worse, it is an interesting different take... Going Home is also very touching.
Sound wise, the original album sounds ok to me, the 2023 remaster is too soft for my taste (Terry's drums are a bit muted), but the Blu Ray remaster by Chuck Ainlay is really good, IMHO. Which version are you talking about ?
Alchemy still is a reference live album for me, even with the exellent new releases...
Thanks to you too for the feedback.
It is likely that the performance of Alchemy is very good, in my opinion it is not supported by an adequate recording.
And the problem is precisely some of the songs you reported.
SOS is very fast, terribly hard, epic, it is true, but in my opinion it is not recorded well. It is iconic, exciting, better without sax, but Mark and drums dominate excessively, the other instruments are not clear, they are hidden by a cloud.
TOL and TR are good when they have a slow and medium rhythm but in the finals and when the rhythm becomes very fast and harder the same thing happens: bass, cymbals, keyboards and second guitar disappear.
** I own the original version (from the 80s) and the live box-set version (which is also at a lower volume).
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Performance wise, I think Alchemy is very good. Sultans might the best ever (some like it pure without sax!), TOL is a little too short, straight to the point, 85 versions are better, but it's still a lovely good one, TR is the reference version with strong vocals (the only one !), OUATITW is fantastic, R&D has a very touching intro, better than subsequent agressive sax one IMHO, and the accoustic ending is different from the electric guitar one but not necessarily worse, it is an interesting different take... Going Home is also very touching.
Sound wise, the original album sounds ok to me, the 2023 remaster is too soft for my taste (Terry's drums are a bit muted), but the Blu Ray remaster by Chuck Ainlay is really good, IMHO. Which version are you talking about ?
Alchemy still is a reference live album for me, even with the exellent new releases...
Thanks to you too for the feedback.
It is likely that the performance of Alchemy is very good, in my opinion it is not supported by an adequate recording.
And the problem is precisely some of the songs you reported.
SOS is very fast, terribly hard, epic, it is true, but in my opinion it is not recorded well. It is iconic, exciting, better without sax, but Mark and drums dominate excessively, the other instruments are not clear, they are hidden by a cloud.
TOL and TR are good when they have a slow and medium rhythm but in the finals and when the rhythm becomes very fast and harder the same thing happens: bass, cymbals, keyboards and second guitar disappear.
Have you listened to the Blu Ray ? The sound is quite different (and IMHO, better) than the CD...
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Performance wise, I think Alchemy is very good. Sultans might the best ever (some like it pure without sax!), TOL is a little too short, straight to the point, 85 versions are better, but it's still a lovely good one, TR is the reference version with strong vocals (the only one !), OUATITW is fantastic, R&D has a very touching intro, better than subsequent agressive sax one IMHO, and the accoustic ending is different from the electric guitar one but not necessarily worse, it is an interesting different take... Going Home is also very touching.
Sound wise, the original album sounds ok to me, the 2023 remaster is too soft for my taste (Terry's drums are a bit muted), but the Blu Ray remaster by Chuck Ainlay is really good, IMHO. Which version are you talking about ?
Alchemy still is a reference live album for me, even with the exellent new releases...
Thanks to you too for the feedback.
It is likely that the performance of Alchemy is very good, in my opinion it is not supported by an adequate recording.
And the problem is precisely some of the songs you reported.
SOS is very fast, terribly hard, epic, it is true, but in my opinion it is not recorded well. It is iconic, exciting, better without sax, but Mark and drums dominate excessively, the other instruments are not clear, they are hidden by a cloud.
TOL and TR are good when they have a slow and medium rhythm but in the finals and when the rhythm becomes very fast and harder the same thing happens: bass, cymbals, keyboards and second guitar disappear.
Have you listened to the Blu Ray ? The sound is quite different (and IMHO, better) than the CD...
No, no blu-ray, thanks for the explanation.
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If I had to recommend one 'official' DS live recording, it would be Alchemy, 100%. I'm still figuring out where the new '85 recording fits in with the other records released in 2023, as I haven't listened to it enough yet, but for me, it definitely does not top Alchemy. The original CD release of Alchemy with Love Over Gold (the song) has zero weak spots musically. The mix could be better, but I'm so used to it that it has become part of the experience. I never got used to Chuck's mix (though I love his BIA remix), so I usually listen to the original or the '96 remaster.
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The problem with DS live recordings always has been the drum mix. On alchemy, Terry Williams almost bangs through your speakers. The version in the live box was an attempt to balance it more out but it is still too loud. Drums on OtN where clearly too light in the mix.San Antonio is fine but Alchemy is and remains my best choice musically
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
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The BIA versions of songs already perfomed during the LOG tour sounded much superior to me during the BIA tour.
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
Exactly.
Each DS tour was great, each in its own sweet way.
I'll go further: each MK solo tour, each in its own sweet way. Mark gave me tears... even in 2019! Yes, 2019! The guitar ability was obviously diminished, but the emotion was still there. WAM, MFN, STP were possibly even the best versions ever. Matchstick Man was so touching.
MK never did a bad tour. Some gigs were better than others of course, but his worse show is still way better than anything else (except Gilmour :))
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
Exactly.
Each DS tour was great, each in its own sweet way.
I'll go further: each MK solo tour, each in its own sweet way. Mark gave me tears... even in 2019! Yes, 2019! The guitar ability was obviously diminished, but the emotion was still there. WAM, MFN, STP were possibly even the best versions ever. Matchstick Man was so touching.
MK never did a bad tour. Some gigs were better than others of course, but his worse show is still way better than anything else (except Gilmour :))
Agree about the 2019 tears...
LE
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
Exactly.
Each DS tour was great, each in its own sweet way.
I'll go further: each MK solo tour, each in its own sweet way. Mark gave me tears... even in 2019! Yes, 2019! The guitar ability was obviously diminished, but the emotion was still there. WAM, MFN, STP were possibly even the best versions ever. Matchstick Man was so touching.
MK never did a bad tour. Some gigs were better than others of course, but his worse show is still way better than anything else (except Gilmour :))
I fully agree with each and every word. I always went home happy after every concert. How I miss it!
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
Exactly.
Each DS tour was great, each in its own sweet way.
I'll go further: each MK solo tour, each in its own sweet way. Mark gave me tears... even in 2019! Yes, 2019! The guitar ability was obviously diminished, but the emotion was still there. WAM, MFN, STP were possibly even the best versions ever. Matchstick Man was so touching.
MK never did a bad tour. Some gigs were better than others of course, but his worse show is still way better than anything else (except Gilmour :))
Oh yes, Matchstick Man...
I will also always remember Heart Full Of Holes for me a very touching moment.
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I'm not sure it makes sense to compare DS concerts. Each one is different because it presents a different incarnation of Dire Straits.
Exactly.
Each DS tour was great, each in its own sweet way.
I'll go further: each MK solo tour, each in its own sweet way. Mark gave me tears... even in 2019! Yes, 2019! The guitar ability was obviously diminished, but the emotion was still there. WAM, MFN, STP were possibly even the best versions ever. Matchstick Man was so touching.
MK never did a bad tour. Some gigs were better than others of course, but his worse show is still way better than anything else (except Gilmour :))
I fully agree with each and every word. I always went home happy after every concert. How I miss it!
Me too :(
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The BIA versions of songs already perfomed during the LOG tour sounded much superior to me during the BIA tour.
disagree about TR and SOS
and on some PI versions, Jack is totally out of tune !
about TOL, I have mixed feelings because I love the breakdown and outro on BIA version, but I miss the bridge between PB and TOL intro