nice article

[cannibals]

http://concerttour.org/best-things-mark-knopfler-has-done-since-splitting-with-dire-straits.php

[sweetsurrender]

thanks for the article.  A very good read. 

[vgonis]

Very nice indeed! Love the focus on Shangri-La, which I do like very much.

[dannr1]

Very nice

[nababo]

Shangri-La is also on of my favourite MK albuns, and now I wonder if someday we will listen to him singing "Oldest surfer on the beach", which can or cannot has been made for that record, but definetively drinks on the same fountain and could fit somewhere between "Our Shangri-La" and "Whoop dee do"

[stormbreaker]

Shangri-La is definitely not my favourite, it's a good album but not more than it. Get Lucky is not only music but also a real story, for me. And in Get Lucky MK shows his roots, the roots from Scotland. He didn't in Shangri-La. I mean: in roughly 4 years time PTTE has a kind of mystical status, and it's b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l when MK plays it on the end.

[straitsway75]

imo MK's discography  (including of course DS/NH/OST/productions/collaborations) should be seen in its entirety and not in single album. An extraordinary journey began with Down to the waterline until the last effort  Follow the ribbon part of this extraordinary talent I can not synthesize only a couple of albums with the most successful compared to other albums. One day I can get passionate about Madame geneva's and sailing to philadelphia or get lucky then turn back to follow me home through Metroland, Long highway, Six blade knike and Ride across the river . For another day can take Ode to liberty, You & your friend,  Je suis desole, Old pigweed, Dream of drowned submariner and then once sultans of swing wembley 1985 very loud...........and so on 
sTRAITSWAY75

[Knopflerfan]

Shangri-La is definitely not my favourite, it's a good album but not more than it. Get Lucky is not only music but also a real story, for me. And in Get Lucky MK shows his roots, the roots from Scotland. He didn't in Shangri-La. I mean: in roughly 4 years time PTTE has a kind of mystical status, and it's b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l when MK plays it on the end.

PTTE will always be very special to me personally as I had it played at my late father's funeral last November. My father really loved the tune......

[Love Expresso]

Knopflerfan, I also think that this tune has something that really can connect to the elementary things of life - and death. I really was touched by the 2010 versions, but strange enough, not a single version of 2013 could really touch me - have not worked out yet why. I literally get goosebumps when I listen to my favourite version (guess, yes, Locarno 2010, John McCusker has given the music that little touch by playing THAT little note right  before the instrumental part starts... but enough..)   -

Mark's music is an integral part of our lives we never forget to mention, and your post shows how deep that can go.

LE

[dmg]

Knopflerfan, I also think that this tune has something that really can connect to the elementary things of life - and death. I really was touched by the 2010 versions, but strange enough, not a single version of 2013 could really touch me - have not worked out yet why. I literally get goosebumps when I listen to my favourite version (guess, yes, Locarno 2010, John McCusker has given the music that little touch by playing THAT little note right  before the instrumental part starts... but enough..)   -

Mark's music is an integral part of our lives we never forget to mention, and your post shows how deep that can go.

LE

Funny, I prefer the 2013 versions.  In particular Helsinki has a great rendition with fine vocal from our man and lovely improvised final solo.  I like also that the guitar comes back again in the 2013 versions after the applause at the end.  He only did this once that I can recall (in Mashantucket, CT) back in 2010.

[superval99]

Knopflerfan, I also think that this tune has something that really can connect to the elementary things of life - and death. I really was touched by the 2010 versions, but strange enough, not a single version of 2013 could really touch me - have not worked out yet why. I literally get goosebumps when I listen to my favourite version (guess, yes, Locarno 2010, John McCusker has given the music that little touch by playing THAT little note right  before the instrumental part starts... but enough..)   -

Mark's music is an integral part of our lives we never forget to mention, and your post shows how deep that can go.

LE

Funny, I prefer the 2013 versions.  In particular Helsinki has a great rendition with fine vocal from our man and lovely improvised final solo.  I like also that the guitar comes back again in the 2013 versions after the applause at the end.  He only did this once that I can recall (in Mashantucket, CT) back in 2010.

I have to agree with LE on this one.  The 2013 versions that I have heard so far just don't do it for me like the 2010 versions did, I'm sorry to say!   I still listen to Manchester, Cordoba and lots of others from 2010 and get goosebumps every time.   

dmg - I listened to Helsinki just a moment ago and it did nothing for me.  It's something about the timing of the vocals that aren't quite right and the guitar at the end doesn't make my heart go all-aflutter as the 2010 versions did, either!   

[Love Expresso]

I agree to Val's point about the timing. And: The wonderful Matt Rollings has never been missed more than on this song! No piano part on PTTE in 2013 at all.. And Danny's drumming was much more into it, felt, perceptive, whatever you call it.

Might sound naive but I really think that even a hired Musician has much more connection to a song when he/she has been in the studio while it was created. Maybe that's why I Used To Could and Privateering and Corned Beef City sound so awesome this year whereas f.e. for Ianto, PTTE is just another one of the old ones.. we have two very different bands in 2010 and 2013... But even John and Mike don't reach the hights of harmonic playing that they did in 2010..

Listened to PTTE from Bremen and Helsinki and again to Glasgow 2010. The last one sooo much better...
 
And isn't it nice to have so many different opinions about one song, dmg.. 

LE

[xxFordiexx]

So true that any given day any MK song can hit me right in the soul.... this is what makes him different to every other artist on the planet. I can't ever say this song or that song is better, it all depends on mood in my case. I'm sure many others will agree  The world is blessed that Mark Knopfler was brought into this world. I will forever be grateful for that. 

[superval99]

When I heard that Matt was to be replaced by Jim on this tour, I must admit to being a bit apprehensive, but I needn't have been, because in the main Jim has done a magnificent job and is probably more versatile for the songs on this tour than Matt would have been - with one or two exceptions and PTTE is one of them, probably due to a different arrangement which excluded piano.   I agree with LE - Matt is missed on this song!

I have just listened to PTTE from Cordoba 2010 and it was glaringly obvious to me that the piano is missing in the 2013 version!   There is a particular part of the song where Matt plays about four notes, just after Mark sings "clouds are lined with golden thread" - for me that was a really memorable and essential part of the song that is now missing, although played on the guitar.

In 2010, at the end when Mark stops playing and waves to the crowd, the band continue play on and it feels like it is the end of some really epic extravaganza and I don't get this feeling with 2013 versions.

[Love Expresso]

So nice to fully agree with Mrs. Val! 

LE