Rock

Ickmusic Live: Dire Straits, 1979

It’s time to bow to Sir Knopfler, as we travel back in time to Holland in the year of our Lord 1979. Apparently, these are the only four surviving recordings from the Dire Straits performance at the Pinkpop Festival in Geleen, Holland. This was the original incarnation of Dire Straits: Mark Knopfler (lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar, keyboards), John Illsley (bass), and Pick Withers (drums). This show is from June 1979, the same month they released their second album, Communiqué. Their self-titled debut a year earlier raced up the charts thanks to “Sultans of Swing”, which remains that ubiquitous classic rock radio staple to this day (and a song I will never turn off – I still can’t fathom how Knopfler’s fingers can fly so fast).

With these four songs, they take a couple from their first album, and a couple from Communiqué. Click on these nice ol’ album covers to check ’em out on Amazon. By the way, has anyone picked up Knopfler’s latest album? I’ll have to put that near the top of the list…

Dire Straits, Live at Pinkpop Festival
Geleen, Holland
June 4, 1979
FM Broadcast – April 27, 2007 on the KRO Radio 2 program “Legendarisch Live”

Deejay Intro (mp3)

Follow Me Home (mp3)

Lady Writer (mp3)

Wild West End (mp3)

In the Gallery (mp3)

Besides Dire Straits, the 1979 Pinkpop lineup included Massada, Average White Band, The Police, Elvis Costello, Rush, and Peter Tosh.

4 Comments

  • Eric

    Thanks, great post. I have Knopfler’s latest. He’s a solid, class act. It’s probably my least favorite of all his solo albums, but it’s still light years ahead of most. He’s great. If you’re a fan you won’t be disappointed.
    Oh, and I loved the Prine post. When my daughter was a baby I used to hold her and sway to Neil Young’s “Natural Beauty” off “Harvest Moon”. Those are special memories, man. Don’t ever let ’em go.

  • Dan

    I LOVE old live Dire Straits. I still spin Alchemy pretty often. I think there is also another live concert out there, maybe a BBC thing?

  • Jeffro

    I love the laid-back groove of “Wild West End.” I actually first heard the song back when one of my favorite local bands would play a dynamite cover version of it… which of course prompted me to find out whose song it was…

  • TSM

    Looks great, but links are dead now…any way to repost? Would love to hear…thank you!

    I have the Elvis Costello Pinkpop 1979 show up on my blog now, and am going to put up The Police today, and Rush later in the week…so having Dire Straits would make me life complete!

    thanks,
    TSM
    http://www.GreenAlienChick.com

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