Mark Knopfler is a great song writer/guitarist, I am always admired of his style and showmanship but what happened at times during a show felt like screaming " shut the bloody pan pipe up and change the tempo man"!
I don't know whether to fault music or not, as it is in a shed,but that apart the sound was otherwise good and the playing first class.
What this show lacked was some pace, passion and showmanship!
Another thing which is hardly his fault that he was suffering from a bad back which kept him confined to a chair all night.
(Get Lucky- I'm calling this the Ironside tour!).
Still its hard to see many of the songs he played getting him on his feet anyway!
That said because lot of a fans did enjoyed the show and one the guy screamed to me that Mark We love him (more often than was healthy!) but the whole thing was much too relaxed and cosy with no punch and little variation for my taste.
For exampleLocal hero (which prompted at least one cry of "Shearer" ) was very underwhelming and it should have been a highspot being played in the Toon.
After about an hour ( it seemed longer) i found myself watching the clock, more than ready to leave the hot and cramped "shed".
So a subdue performance lacking any passion but spot on if you like your music meticulously played by numbers, and quite dull.As for the set list Mark's web site does not like to print them as"
Mark likes to create a sense of surprise" oh really?Yes there are many things to admire about Mark Knopfler but playing live is not one of them.
