Compared to many rock bands, Dire Straits’ life was relatively short; however, during that time, they burned brighter than most. Having made their name through endless gigs, sheer hard work and determination, Dire Straits continued to impress in the live environment throughout their existence. The idea of a live boxset had been around for some time before the package was finally released as Guy Fletcher – who joined the band in 1984 - discusses on his website. “It was a good four years ago when the idea of a DS Live Box set was first discussed, and the idea of assembling a project of this depth was daunting, to say the least. The history of the band, of course, extends beyond my first involvement in 1984, so I was thrilled to have been asked to oversee it as the executive producer.”
Through a painstaking process, Fletcher and his team were able to gather the original recordings they needed to put together a boxset that would be worthy to bear the band’s name. “The magnitude of the task at hand became apparent as the great unearthing began. Master tapes are not always stored in the most obvious places, and a huge, concerted effort has been ongoing in recent years to consolidate these valuable resources. The success of this archiving effort meant that I was able to access the many multi-tracks I needed to reference quickly and efficiently, and pretty soon, the album started to take shape.” Deciding how to add value to this box set would have been at the forefront of Guy Fletcher’s decisions. Perhaps the inclusion of a concert from the Brothers In Arms Tour would have made this set totally expansive but there is enough previously unreleased material to satisfy the appetite of the vast majority of fans.
Alchemy
As one of the best-selling live albums by a British band, Alchemy is well loved by Dire Straits fans. Documenting shows at Hammersmith Odeon in 1983, it stands as a testament to what is considered by many to be the best era of the band. Brothers in Arms might have sold millions but Love Over Gold was the pinnacle of their achievements in the studio.
Adding three songs to the original release (Industrial Disease, Portobello Belle and Twisting By The Pool), Alchemy is now a more complete record of the tour, despite the now strange omission of The Rocks and The Thunder. While re-issuing Alchemy made sense, if a complete show from 1982 could have been located, it would have included the majestic It Never Rains, which was surprisingly dropped from the set at the end of that year. The sound is still exceptional and the band are at their most muscular and commanding from any release in this set.
On The Night / Encores EP
Originally issued with a total of only thirteen different tracks - Your Latest Trick was strangely duplicated on the EP - On The Night and Encores sensibly featured a majority of songs from Brothers In Arms and On Every Street - the studio albums released since Alchemy. Having seen the band play at Wembley Arena in 1991, they played Planet of New Orleans – one of the best tracks from On Every Street, which according to Guy Fletcher was unfortunately not played on any night they recorded. On The Night now includes a total of twenty different songs - Your Latest Trick is again duplicated. Added are Sultans of Swing, Fade To Black, When It Comes To You, Two Young Lovers, Tunnel of Love, Telegraph Road and I Think I Love You Too Much (written by Knopfler but originally recorded by Jeff Healey – Dire Straits never recorded a studio version).
Much work went into ensuring the re-issue of On The Night was as accurate as it could be. Although as Guy Fletcher comments, this was not always easy. “There were also instances where some mics weren’t even recorded, as in the “In the case of ‘Fade To Black,’ the entire drum kit was muted; this must have been noticed on the night by the engineer, as they came back halfway through the song. I could imagine the frantic radio calls from the mobile truck to the stage crew to “unmute the bloody drums!” Sadly, this was the only night we played that song, so I needed to rebuild the drums from a few samples.” The album sounds slick, perfectly balanced and each member is on excellent form. Alongside Private Investigations, You And Your Friend remains one of the most brooding, dark and mysterious songs of the band's back catalogue. There are several expanded versions here such as the ten-and-a-half-minute version of Calling Elvis (featuring solos and extended interplay between the band) and despite the strained personal relationships between some of the band off stage, they were clearly having fun on stage during this tour.
Live At The BBC
Released because Dire Straits still owed one album to their record label, Live At The BBC was a means to end the contract. Seven tracks are taken from a show for Radio 1 at the Paris Theatre, London in July 1978 and Tunnel of Love from early January 1981, which was originally broadcast in mono and altered for this release as Guy Fletcher explains. “The Live At The BBC recordings remained untouched by me but were freshly remastered by Andy Walter. However, when it comes to the version of ‘Tunnel of Love’ as originally presented so mysteriously in mono, Andy and I elected to introduce (using software) at least a subtle widening effect during the mastering process. This adjustment was made to soften the transition. We surmised that this particular recording might have originated from a camera feed, which was typically in mono during that era. Maybe the multitrack tape ran out, the engineer disappeared thinking the show was over…the full story behind it may remain a mystery.”
With the bulk of the album capturing Dire Straits in an intimate setting soon after the release of their debut album, Tunnel of Love (although a great song) seems a little out of place here – much better live versions of the track are available. The inclusion of What’s The Matter Baby? (the only song co-credited to the Knopfler brothers - which was later re-worked as Lady Writer) makes for an interesting addition and throughout the Palace Theatre renditions, there is a vibrant energy and a slightly looser feel to anything else in this box set. Little did those attending the show know that within a few years, Dire Straits would become a world-dominating behemoth.
Live At The Rainbow
Without a doubt, this show – recorded at the end of a long tour – from December 1979 is the jewel in this release. Demonstrating the vast talents of the original line-up, Pick Withers’ (whose contribution to the band is sometimes underestimated) drums burst with vigour from the mix. Songs such as Setting Me Up crackle with vibrancy and highlight the enduring brilliance of Mark Knopfler's technique and the important role played by his brother, David. Featuring early versions of Les Boys and Solid Rock - together with encores featuring Phil Lynott and Tony De Meur for some end of tour antics – the show encapsulates the band’s ability to appear incredibly relaxed while simultaneously professional and enthralling. There is a camaraderie throughout the show and the feeling of a band finding their way with increasing faith in their own accomplishments.
Recently coming to light once more, even Guy Fletcher did not know the recording existed. “The discovery of the Rainbow show was a delightful surprise; I had no prior knowledge of its existence. Upon receiving the files, I eagerly immersed myself in the entire performance. When I heard the unmistakable voice of Phil Lynott in the encores, it nearly knocked me off my chair. Clearly, it was a remarkable evening, marking the conclusion of an exhausting tour, and you can hear the tight bond within the band. Technically, the Rainbow show was as well recorded as everything in this collection (apart from TOL on Encores) and mixing it was a joy, especially since I didn’t need to match any ‘original mixes’.”
The inlay booklet features a short but interesting essay by Paul Sexton (who has written about the band since their earliest days) entitled Making Milestones: The Momentous Road Years of Dire Straits; the box also contains six CD sized embossed lithographs of the album covers. Overall, the now restored tracks and the inclusion of the Rainbow gig make this a worthwhile addition to any Dire Straits fan’s collection
Written: 28th December 2023
Version reviewed : CD box set.
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