Life in the old dogs yet….!

If there was ever a case of Hamlet without the Prince, it is about to happen in the world of pop-rock.  Dire Straits are reforming and plan to  tour the UK in October as “The Straits”.  He has been approached many times, but Mark Knopfler still declines to become involved, having carved a stellar solo career and also with some hugely successful collaborations with the likes of Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins and Emmylou Harris. For Knopfler it is all about the art, but if he was to get involved in Dire Straits again, I would travel far to see that concert.

Next week, the O2 in Dublin sees another collaboration for Knopfler who partners with Bob Dylan in the first of a serious of European dates for the legendary pair. I hope Dylan provides a better acquittal of himself than at his last disappointing 02 outing, but I am looking forward to the gig and I hope to be proved wrong in my expectation.

While on the subject of legends, a more interesting and promising spectre is a mooted reunification of David Gilmour and Roger Waters with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, as hinted at by the latter in an excellent Irish Times interview by Brian Boyd this Saturday (24^th September 2011) about the making of Dark Side of the Moon http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0924/1224304647430.html. Waters has been touring The Wall to hugh acclaim and in a recent London gig was joined onstage by Gilmour for the vocal on Comfortably Numb, with Nick Mason on tambourine. This follows the amazing Live 8 outing for Pink Floyd in 2005:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtiNzci1Wc. If a coming together is to take place, I just hope it is sooner rather than later.

Knopfler, Waters, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Dylan or Gilmore; there is plenty of life in those old dogs yet and long may they keep barking.