Concert #6: 2010.04.14, Wells Fargo Center For The Arts, Santa Rosa, CA -spoiler

[Love Expresso]

Appreciated, Tobben! Of course I do not expect him to dance and fool around like Robbie or have naked girls on stage (although... )- And seeing all
these old original guitars is already some kind of show for me! A new stage set at least is what you could expect. It is a new production after all. Now setlist and even clothes are all the same. That I go to his shows for his music is something that is beyond doubt of course.

Some examples for what I meant with "show" (which I think he had, also with Dire Straits:)

Two drum/percussion sets in an awesome stage at OES tour with incredible light show "diamonds" during CE
Also that little drum kit during Sultans was a nice effect

Mark playing with the audience while the band was sitting before the MfN intro

Glen throwing a drum stick to Chad who caught it while playing Cannibals in 1996

Glen throwing the pyrobass in 2001

Chads incredible drum solo during MfN 2001

And in 1996, it WAS really great to suddenly see Guy coming up from the background with a guitar for DWB...

Mark and Richard having tea on stage in 2005...

The great "guitar panel" and its moves on stage from 2008

I know, we have the video screen now..

All the best,

LE

[Mossguitar]

I think most of you are missing important points here. All of us know who and what MK is. Nothing new here. MK doesn't try to fool anybody, but some fellow forumers try to fool themselves. We know what to expect. If you want to watch him, you do. If you don't, then don't. Don't complain. Don't buy tickets to shows you don't want to see.
1. The fans doesn't deserve anything.
2. MK is who he is. When people doesn't follow his rules, he gets mad. It's human, and it's who he is. Don't like it? Leave him and his music. I call it integrity. He doesn't wrap it all in, but show us who he is. More people should do that. Of course it's perfectly ok to stop playing when some idiot of a spectator doesn't follow the rules.
3. Who is "the fans"? Not us, anyway! We are the nerds, the anoraks, a small minority with special interests and special needs. I guess most fans are perfectly satisfied with MK, his music and the set list. Most fans doesn't listen to bootlegs, so for them it's no problem to watch similar concerts every second or third year.
3. Let's focus on how MK does perform the music he plays, not the song he doesn't play.

This is the MK I love. I don't want him to be someone else. If I felt he went in a wrong direction, I wouldn't dream of buying a ticket to one of his shows. Anyway, I listen to other music too, so when it comes to rock, glam and glitter, I turn to other artists. There's lots of other fantastic artists out there. But only one Mark Knopfler. He is different. He should be allowed to continue to be different. It's as simple as that.

[Jules]

This disturbs me a lot. Much more than the set list being very similar to last tour (so what, they are all great songs!). This is very unprofessional of him. You DO NOT stop playing in the middle of the song, no matter what. If his hair, eeeeerr head  was on fire, that would be a good reason to stop playing, I can't see many others. And to point at some stupid idiot who insists on filming despite the ban is not of of them.

I understand that pisses him off but he should be able to raise above that, don't you think? I bet the filmer was very proud to have got his attention, even if it's negative (just like like a kid who keeps misbehaving just to get his mum attention (while she's doing important things like writing on AMIT), he knows she'll be pissed off but he'll get her to talk to him!

I agree with that, that bevaviour is absolutly unproffesional and unrespectful for the rest of audience to do that, the venue has his own security, also MK, so if you spot someone recording and that annoys you, just wait till the song ends, go to your security boss and tell them someone is recording, I think thats smoother than stop playing and point.

[Tobben]

You have some very good points there Love Expresso!  

Anyways.. Sorry to hear that you wont buy tickets for the next tour though.. Hope the concert you will be attending during this tour turns out great for you though!

Best wishes
Tobben

[Love Expresso]

I think most of you are missing important points here. All of us know who and what MK is. Nothing new here. MK doesn't try to fool anybody, but some fellow forumers try to fool themselves. We know what to expect. If you want to watch him, you do. If you don't, then don't. Don't complain. Don't buy tickets to shows you don't want to see.
1. The fans doesn't deserve anything.
2. MK is who he is. When people doesn't follow his rules, he gets mad. It's human, and it's who he is. Don't like it? Leave him and his music. I call it integrity. He doesn't wrap it all in, but show us who he is. More people should do that. Of course it's perfectly ok to stop playing when some idiot of a spectator doesn't follow the rules.
3. Who is "the fans"? Not us, anyway! We are the nerds, the anoraks, a small minority with special interests and special needs. I guess most fans are perfectly satisfied with MK, his music and the set list. Most fans doesn't listen to bootlegs, so for them it's no problem to watch similar concerts every second or third year.
3. Let's focus on how MK does perform the music he plays, not the song he doesn't play.

This is the MK I love. I don't want him to be someone else. If I felt he went in a wrong direction, I wouldn't dream of buying a ticket to one of his shows. Anyway, I listen to other music too, so when it comes to rock, glam and glitter, I turn to other artists. There's lots of other fantastic artists out there. But only one Mark Knopfler. He is different. He should be allowed to continue to be different. It's as simple as that.

 

LE

[Tobben]

I agree with you Mossguitar! 

[Jarle]

I do not understand why they allow cameras at all. It only creates problems in my opinion. After several episodes regarding different kinds of recording in 2008, it suprises me that the policy isn't changed. What is the result? Mark has to stop during "Brothers in arms" to stop people from filming. This isn't good for anyone...

[Mossguitar]

And what's the result of this abuse of hospitality? No cameras allowed next tour. Maybe no recording equipment either. But maybe the filming fans won't come next time, because of the risk of MK playing Donegan.. So problem solved.. 

[Justme]

I'm absolutely with you on that finger of death issue, Rollergirl, of course it was disrespectful behaviour of the person who insisted to film the concert. But MK should be acting a little more professionally in case of an emergency, ahem, when he detects a cameraman.

Regardings setlists and stuff I've to admit that I still don't care that much about hearing the same songs as in 2005 or 2008. Like in the very early days, his music has to be played live. And I enjoy every minute of it, very often I found myself closing my eyes during his shows. To me it's the music that matters, in the twinkling of an eye you get lost in the music, forget your worries and the people around you. Even with the same setlist over and over again.

Certainly I'd be happy to hear new stuff like Cleaning My Gun or some oldies from the past. Even MK likes "to play some new songs also" - just listen to the very first seconds of his speech: (thanks to the uploader!)

1979 - time flies! He very often said that he tends to be quite lazy but besides that he is a perfectionist and very critical with his own work. So this could be some of the reasons for a lacking change in the setlists.

I do hope that Guy may catch him for a camera interview, perhaps he would elaborate on the process of putting a setlist together.

By the way, after visiting my first Chris Rea show, I stumbled across a lot of people complaining that his setlist is the same as in the past.

[Kay Edvin]

MossGuitar: I agree with you. You wrote exactly my feelings.  

And I agree with Jarle, It should have been totally forbidden to film and make recordings or it should be given permisson. Not in the middle as it is now..just creating bad moments for everyone..

[Hoops McCann]

I think most of you are missing important points here. All of us know who and what MK is. Nothing new here. MK doesn't try to fool anybody, but some fellow forumers try to fool themselves. We know what to expect. If you want to watch him, you do. If you don't, then don't. Don't complain. Don't buy tickets to shows you don't want to see.
1. The fans doesn't deserve anything.
2. MK is who he is. When people doesn't follow his rules, he gets mad. It's human, and it's who he is. Don't like it? Leave him and his music. I call it integrity. He doesn't wrap it all in, but show us who he is. More people should do that. Of course it's perfectly ok to stop playing when some idiot of a spectator doesn't follow the rules.
3. Who is "the fans"? Not us, anyway! We are the nerds, the anoraks, a small minority with special interests and special needs. I guess most fans are perfectly satisfied with MK, his music and the set list. Most fans doesn't listen to bootlegs, so for them it's no problem to watch similar concerts every second or third year.
3. Let's focus on how MK does perform the music he plays, not the song he doesn't play.

This is the MK I love. I don't want him to be someone else. If I felt he went in a wrong direction, I wouldn't dream of buying a ticket to one of his shows. Anyway, I listen to other music too, so when it comes to rock, glam and glitter, I turn to other artists. There's lots of other fantastic artists out there. But only one Mark Knopfler. He is different. He should be allowed to continue to be different. It's as simple as that.

Mossguitar, if fans (and we are all fans) that spent hard earned money on tickets...travel costs...merchandise...etc...want to voice their positive or negative criticisms of this tour, they are more than free to do so here. It's all just feedback. If you like the current tour, that's great, but perhaps it's not the best idea to tell other fans "don't complain" when this forum is about praise AND complaints.

[Dutchessy]

I think most of you are missing important points here. All of us know who and what MK is. Nothing new here. MK doesn't try to fool anybody, but some fellow forumers try to fool themselves. We know what to expect. If you want to watch him, you do. If you don't, then don't. Don't complain. Don't buy tickets to shows you don't want to see.
1. The fans doesn't deserve anything.
2. MK is who he is. When people doesn't follow his rules, he gets mad. It's human, and it's who he is. Don't like it? Leave him and his music. I call it integrity. He doesn't wrap it all in, but show us who he is. More people should do that. Of course it's perfectly ok to stop playing when some idiot of a spectator doesn't follow the rules.
3. Who is "the fans"? Not us, anyway! We are the nerds, the anoraks, a small minority with special interests and special needs. I guess most fans are perfectly satisfied with MK, his music and the set list. Most fans doesn't listen to bootlegs, so for them it's no problem to watch similar concerts every second or third year.
3. Let's focus on how MK does perform the music he plays, not the song he doesn't play.

This is the MK I love. I don't want him to be someone else. If I felt he went in a wrong direction, I wouldn't dream of buying a ticket to one of his shows. Anyway, I listen to other music too, so when it comes to rock, glam and glitter, I turn to other artists. There's lots of other fantastic artists out there. But only one Mark Knopfler. He is different. He should be allowed to continue to be different. It's as simple as that.

Mossguitar, if fans (and we are all fans) that spent hard earned money on tickets...travel costs...merchandise...etc...want to voice their positive or negative criticisms of this tour, they are more than free to do so here. It's all just feedback. If you like the current tour, that's great, but perhaps it's not the best idea to tell other fans "don't complain" when this forum is about praise AND complaints.

Good point Dan

[tunnel85]

Good news for the upcoming dates : 3 shows for the same ticket. Pieta Brown, Mark Knopfler and the Paul Crockford show !  

No need to say I totally disapprove MK's reaction. Not professional. Nothing else to add.
Especially because we pay for the show.

If someone was yelling or anything really disturbing, I would understand a sudden stop in the middle of a song. Not in this case.  

Very sad to see that he got back into this negative mood. I wish I had not tried to add extra shows. Maybe I should get rid of my last ticket. 

[dmg]

I don't think MK would be so keen to stop in the middle of a song if it was being televised or a radio broadcast.  

I don't want to go to a concert and have the flow of a song ruined by MK stopping playing during it.  I think that's disrespectful to his audience.  

[niiiice1]

Good shout from Mossguitar there. We're here to express opinions, both good and bad. And, while we do complain a bit, there's plenty of compliments.

Curiously though, he's performing on the current tour (the "Get Lucky" tour), and yet very few songs on the Get Lucky album seem to make it on to a particular night. That kind of suggests that it's not actually a Get Lucky tour at all...

With regard to the chap who was videoing the concert, there seems to be a groundswell of opinion that he shouldn't have done it (and indeed, MK shouldn't have reacted in the way he did). That said, if it subsequently appears on any torrent sites, how many people would boycott downlaoding it?

Let's hope MK continues to rotate the set list though - it's made for a lot of interesting thoughts and opinions. Love Expresso's point about 25 minutes after Speedway is very pertinent though. Whatever anyone's thoughts on all this, it seems as though it's right.

Finally, I disagree with Mossguitar's point about us not being fans. Nerds? Possibly. Anoraks? Got a chance. But not being fans? I'm not with you - a lot of us all have been fans for 30 years - it's just that with technology etc nowadays, we have a much greater chance to listen to bootlegs and other stuff. that in turn does bring extra knowledge that the "lay person" wouldn't have. I wouldn't have dreamt that a year ago I emailed Pottel, he got me reinstated on the tracker site after I cocked up, and hey presto I have so much great stuff to listen to. Is that not merely dedication to quality music from us all?!

Anyway, let's carry on moaning and laughing, but most of all, listening to MK's Pensa sing like only MK can get it to sing, the National  get played like only a legend can play it, and the Les Paul rock the way we know and love...! Niiiice :-)