It was two years ago when Australia last saw The Dire Straits Experience, a band that is much more than just a tribute band as we saw on their last run of shows. Perth was the last show of the tour and the band hit all pockets in fine form to make sure they went out with a bang.
It has been quite a wild ride to be writing about a band that has been the engine of where this musical journey has taken me. I won’t bore you with the details (again!) but these last couple of years since their last tour, to talking with Saxophone player Chris White (and ultimately meeting him post-show!) and essentially writing about the band’s music and discussing their impact with fellow peers is nothing short of bizarre and fantastical but fun at the same time. So of course the opportunity to see an incarnation of this great band live was a must and the final show of the Aussie tour saw the band crank out yet another brilliant performance.
Right out of the gates and without even a slight hesitation the classic “Telegraph Road” slowly weaved it’s way in at the start of the evening. It’s a song that has now become my absolute favorite Dire Straits number and hearing it live again cemented that even further, the emotion that comes from out of this track is mesmerizing and breathtaking and the progressive nature of this epic lengthy song was made all the more interesting with a few teaks and spurts of magic thanks to frontman Terence Reis who once again absolutely killed it in the throne once sat in by one Mark Knopfler. Terence’s ability to go with the flow and spit out elegant notes on guitar and draw out a husky voice that is deadset on point (unintentionally I might add) just adds to this brilliant opener.
The classic and upbeat “Walk Of Life” followed with that distinct keyboard melody driving this famous song along with “Romeo And Juliet” doing the rounds at the starting line. Early on in the show and already it would appear the tank would dry up quickly with so many iconic tracks bursting onto the set at this early stage but the good thing about Dire Straits is, their back catalogue is filled with so many classics that the issue then becomes which one needs to be cut. Their last show 2 years ago saw “Industrial Disease” and “So Far Away” sadly get culled and while we still saw one of them missing, tonight we were treated to the calypso version of “So Far Away”, the intro bringing a whole new take on the iconic Brothers In Arms opener although if you know your history, the original band did this version way back in 1986 when they toured Australia on that album’s subsequent tour.
The famous saxophone lead led the way to “Your Latest Trick” and a powerful rendition of “The Man’s Too Strong”, another favorite of mine and where tonight’s performance really nailed the contrast between the mellow passages and the louder, more abrasive parts. But again, more iconic tracks followed – “Private Investigations” including like last time, a stretched out jam session that literally could have gone on for hours and which ultimately made me think if this lineup should ever consider creating their own music outside of Dire Straits. Their performances of further tracks like the captivating “Why Worry” and the underrated title track “On Every Street” says they should but I suppose that all depends on what kind of creativity spaces the band members prefer.
Of course leading all the way to the main set closer was “Brothers In Arms”, a sweeping grandiose affair that encapsulates what I think is the very best of Dire Straits. Tonight the band pulled together to create one hell of a performance that beats out their last one 2 years ago on the same stage, I remember it well and here they topped it if that was even possible. Closing out was of course “Sultans Of Swing”, a radio mainstay for the ages and one track that will forever be cemented in rock history.
There was of course one more hit song to make the set and like last time, the classic “Money For Nothing” got people on their feet and moving about. The lyrics may have taken a hit over the years as far as relevancy but boy does that main riff still pack a punch. Easily their heaviest song in the vast catalogue of the iconic band and once again the Experience made it their own, creating nuances that are fresh and captivating as much as the first time we heard it blasting all over the world.
It should be noted that Chris White mentioned the possibility of the band returning in 2020 and since they do tour Australia every couple of years, I say set your calendars now because no doubt a band this good who is able to draw an audience still mesmerized by these songs after all these years is a good enough reason to come back. We will be waiting!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by The Buffman
