Dire Straits Album: “Alchemy: Dire Straits Live”

"Alchemy" matches Dylan and The Band's "Before The Flood" in intensity. Mark Knopfler is at his best here with wonderfully layered arrangements of Tunnel Of Love, Telegraph Road, Romeo And Juliet, and with the incredibly powerful rendition of Sultans Of Swing. The theme from the film Local Hero is a definite bonus - very moving.

Knopfler's guitar virtuosity is simply amazing - obviously evident on all the studio albums, but even more impressive live and raw. I purchased this recording on vinyl the day it hit the stores, wore it out, bought the compact disc, and have listened to it as often as anything i own.

Dire Straits is the band that got me through the late 70's / early 80's wasteland of popular music and the group never let me down, and never sounded any better than on this absolutely essential recording. Knopfler's smokey voice and unbelievable guitar playing, coupled with a tight backup cast (Mel Collins' saxophone adds a great feel) make for a great listening experience.

Whether dancing to Solid Rock or crying while listening to the moving version of Romeo And Juliet, the album has something to evoke every emotion.

Buy this disc right now, and - if it still can be found - pick up the "Alchemy" video. It's worth it. Trust me.

I have been a Dire Straits fan of moderate sorts since the early 80's, but I can assure you that this album changed my whole perspective, not just on the band, not just on live albums, but on music. No other live album I can remember has so many good songs, all of which sound great, better and more musical live than in the studio album. I have seen 150+ live acts, but I don't think any of them could have compared to the fantastic guitar work of Mark Knopfler on this double live album.

While I enjoyed the band's debut album and found "Sultans of Swing" quite catchy, I was completely unprepared for the live version of Sultans. No other song, work of art, literature or architecture has ever been this intensely emotional and beautiful. I have heard and enjoyed thousands of songs and performances of every type of music, but none even begins to compare to live Sultans of Swing. Quite simply, it is the finest piece of music, of any genre, ever recorded. Period. It is perfect, the equivalent of a date in which you and your partner suddenly and for the very first time, find that you are in love, so head-over-heals in love that you lose track of the passage of time for hours.

This 2 CD album has many very terrific tracks which are totally perfect to play live, and no one does it better than Dire Straits, so once again great storys in the songs, all of them and the instrumental sound is fantastic , they plays very good in good teamwork, M.K, Hal lindes, etc...and john illsley, etc. best bass player. One of the best songs here are "Sultans Of Swing", perfectly played in live, and "Telegraph Road", "Private Investigations", these are totally brilliant, and the others are great too. And "Going Home" is a good finish on the album. I like the pocketpictures too, it's art to me... the arrows fits very well, to their music,on several ways. Live whitout crowd nosie is not live, so this album have no problems whith this.And i miss "industrial Disease" here.Too bad, that this great heavy rocking song not is playing Live on this album. But thats no problem, the album is great anyway. I like his clothes too. A percect album, buy it it's worth the money, and even more...... thanks, JOHN. L

One of the best rock and roll live albums of all time. No overdubs, no covering up the mistakes...this is bare naked Dire Straits. And at the time they were probably the best live band in the world. You doubt me? Do so at your own peril. Those that argue usually have never heard this record.

What always held them back (as you can tell on the live BBC record) was the lack of a solid rhythm guitarist to complement Mark Knofler. His brother David just couldn't cut the mustard technically..hence the addition of Hal Lindes for this tour.

Lindes provides the solid backbeat throughout, and MK simply cuts loose like a man possessed. Listen to "Solid Rock", almost a throwaway on "Making Movies". Here it catches fire and finally becomes a great rock and roll song.

The only complaint about this album is what is NOT included. How I would have loved to hear that great wah-wah solo on "It Never Rains", or hear the boys lay down the grove to "Skateaway"! Ah yes....they left me begging for more...what great rock and roll always does. Worth every penny.

- silky smooth stratocaster solos

-- you can listen to this album alone, with friends, background music for a party (great ambience), when you're up, down, drunk or sober. It's always great.

-- if you *don't* like this album, I'd like to know. I've never met anyone who's heard it and did not like it.