Awestruck By DIRE STRAITS - Sultans Of Swing | First Time Reaction 

He's one of those very rare guitarists where every single note is perfectly placed - true musicianship.

TELEGRAPH ROAD from the same concert is a must.

The drumming of Terry Williams is absolute genius.

Welcome to the fantastic world of Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler music. About the headbands, Mark explains that he didn't wear them as a fashion thing, but out of necessity. The bulbs back then were so hot that they made him sweat a lot, so much so that it made it difficult for him to see well, so he wore them to stop the sweating. When the lights became less hot he stopped using them,

The drummers dad was in the audience for the first time, so Mark said .... just go for it. And he did !!!!

Not long after this concert Dire Straits became the biggest band in the world with the release of the Brothers In Arms album, which sold 30 million copies and became the first CD to sell a million copies. They would have headlined Live Aid but for the fact they weren't willing to cancel their sold out gig over the road at Wembley Arena and let their fans down. Instead they played the longest set of the day in the afternoon, carrying their instruments across the car park between Wembley Stadium and the Arena. 3 years later they got back together after a massive world tour in order to headline the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert which was seen by over 600m people worldwide, second in viewership only to Live Aid. It never ceases to amaze me how many folk have never heard of them. I'm glad more continue to discover and enjoy their phenomenal talent though.

...was NOT a boring reaction to watch. The reaction was written all over your face and is the most appropriate reaction to a video like this. Your stunned silence "and" reaction was a joy to behold

My friend and I had the utter joy of seeing DS Alchemy at Hammersmith. Over two hours of joy, tears, energy. We lost our voices for a week. We were standing upstairs We thought our hearts, ears and chests would burst. Utterly fabulous and joyous. Thank you Dire Straits ❤❤❤❤

Nothing boring about that at all! One of the greatest live performances of all time.

Mark Knopfler's sound is his own, nobody else sounds like him

You're the first person to call it for what it was. A beautiful six minute solo. A six minute solo that's in love with the song. Awesome reaction folks

Mark is quite simply one of the finest guitar players on the planet.

The Drummer Killed It.

Mark Knopfler, musical genius, guitar player extraordinaire, and incredibly prolific songwriter, composer and performer. Dire Straits: 6 studio albums, 3 live albums and 2 EPs (plus compilations) The Notting Hillbillies: 1 studio album Solo: 10 studio albums and an EP Duet: 2 studio albums (one with Chet Atkins and one with Emmylou Harris) and 1 live album (with Emmylou Harris) Movie soundtracks: 9 including Local Hero and The Princess Bride In addition to all that he's produced albums, including Bob Dylan's Infidels, and played on numerous records for other musicians. He wrote Tina Turner's Private Dancer and toured with Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan. His songs have been covered by such diverse acts as Joan Baez, The Killers, Home Free, Metallica, The Everly Brothers and Mary Chapin Carpenter. He's just turned 75. Earlier this year he released his 10th solo album and followed that up with an EP and then a handful of additional songs on an extended download version of the album. A new version of Going Home, the main them from Local Hero, was produced by Mark's longtime friend and collaborator Guy Fletcher, a former keyboard player in Dire Straits. Recorded to raise money for teenage cancer charities in the UK and US it brought together 66 musicians, the majority of them guitarists including Mark, Eric Clapton, Hank Marvin, Dave Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Bruce Springsteen, Keith Urban, Slash, Vince Gill, Brian May and Tony Iommi to name just a few. It features Sting on bass and Ringo Starr and his son Zac Starkey playing drums and opens with the very last notes recorded by Jeff Beck. Collectively this supergroup was billed as "Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes". That so many incredible artists were so keen to contribute just shows how highly regarded Mark Knopfler is by his peers.

I’m actually happy you didn’t stop it a million times and just sat back and enjoyed what you were experiencing. That is the best reaction.

Mark Knopfler is one of the GOATS! This clip never gets old!

I love that Mark leaves room for everyone to shine. Every musician on the stage at the top of their game and enjoying themselves so much. When the artists are enjoying it, so are the audience. Fabulous performance. It's pronounced "noff-ler"

I was there that night, and was one of THE most memorable gigs I’ve ever been to. It’s Mark Knopfler and the K is silent. No auto tune, no backing tape just bare bones, raw talent. He describes his style chicken picking.

The drummer was inspired. For the first time, his father was in the audience to hear him live.

i am never tired of listening to that tune ....i have seen them in concert once in the 90ies and it was fabulous.... But ...That performance was totally INSANE !

I dare anyone to watch this live performance without grinning through pure respect and admiration of musical craft of the highest order 👏👏

Mark Knopfler is in the top 20 guitarists of all time. His unique style of finger picking is amazing. This is also one of the best guitar riffs ever in concert. He is still playing today. I have watched this performance at least 30 times and I never get tired of it! Truly a master! ❤️🔥👍

Mark Knopfler, Lead guitar Hal Lindes, Rhythm guitar John Illsey, Bass guitar Terry Williams, Drums Alan Clark, Keys And for these shows July 22/23 1983 additional guest keys, Tommy Mandel.

Dire Straits ! They were a different level - You must do the live version of Telegraph Road - Same concert

One of the greatest single live performances ever.

My all time favourite live performance from any band. Back when there was no click tracks in their ears (you can even see the drummer counting out loud the 4 beats to the bar) no auto tune or any other technology enhancing tricks. Just raw musical skills put together in such an entertaining way from every single person on the stage. And to think that crowd had no idea they were taking part in a musical masterclass that would transcend the ages.

I was in my early twenties when Dire Straits came on the scene. If I hadn't watched your show I would never have known about this amazing live show. Had a guitarist friend that said Mark Knopfler (Lead singer) was one of the best guitarists of the day.... he showed it here.

Magical Mark Knopfler and the wonderful sound of Dire Straits. Perfection !!!

My sentiments are the same as many here, welcome to the incredible world of the incredible Mark Knopfler. He is one of the greatest songwriters and guitarists of all time. He has created some of the most outrageously incredible songs that stand the test of time. He has not only created these incredible tapestries, with all the other wonderful musicians in dire straits, he's managed to do it through his solo career too. He's my number one for sure. Changed my life. Mark is highly regarded and rightly so. A virtuoso for sure. Also, Terry Williams on drums, John Illsley on Bass, Alan Clark on keys, Hal Lindes on guitar and Joope De Corte on 2nd keys. All musicians are of the highest quality. I look forward to you discovering more Knopfler and Dire Straits. Great reaction. 😊

Mark is a great singer/songwriter and is truly a master at finger style, but then you find out he's actually naturally left handed and not only taught himself to play guitar right handed but play LIKE THAT!! IMO he's one of the greatest of all time 🎸

Great performance, I’m classically trained - not on guitar! he doesn’t waste a single note, great use of repetition, building solos, adding tension - and relief just at the right time. Masterful performance.

I’ve watched this over 100 times and I still get goosebumps and get emotional listening to this masterpiece!!

"Sultans of Swing" is great indeed... but "Telegraph Road", in my mind, is exceptional! A real pop-rock symphony with Mark Knopfler's story telling at its best. I remember playing the Alchemy vinyl album over and over on my hi-fi in my younger years. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EX2n2ftbdZU.html

I can tell you exactly how I was feeling in the audience at this concert....AWESOMELY GLORIOUS! It was a brilliant gig, danced right thru👏✌️🌟👍🎉

I am 73 ,those years were the best music ,will never be again !

You NEED to check out Telegraph Road from this concert! It is progressive rock defined, glazed with a cherry on top.

Mark Knopfler is the King of fingers style and this "insane" and wonderful drummer is Terry Williams 🤘🤘🤘

The sun was hot..The beer cold and the women beautiful as ever. It was August 1978 and I was happy on the Greec Island of Naxos. The same music came from every pub..every restaurang...every radio. It was the year of "Sultans of swing". Cheers from a finn in Sweden.

I saw this tour. Unforgettable. Mark Knopfler is a genius, Dire Straits were one the biggest bands of the 80s.

Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler are so legendary ❤️ Incredible musicians and songwriters. They made so many great records. Romeo and Juliet is a very special track 🧡

Didn't know it when we watched this live but we witnessed an epic performance that would go down in history.

Great review, guys. The whole concert was crazy, but as mentioned below, 'Telegraph Road' is a must to follow up this. Mark's surname is pronounced 'Noffler'

Brilliant - best live performance ever 😊😊😊 Mark Knofler is a genius. Thank you for listening and not interrupting.

The thing with this performance is that it gets better for every time watching it.. Absolute MasterClass !! :D

Yes, the whole "Alchemy" concert was brilliant, make sure you watch "Telegraph Road", a masterpiece. Alan Clark on keys will blow you away and Terry on drums is out of this world, for me the best the band has had. Also watch "Tunnel of Love" live at Wembley, the autograph is so phenomenal

Mark said that back in the day, the stage lights were so hot that he would sweat, which made it hard to see-- so he wore a headband. It's mind-boggling to see such a BRILLIANT composer and performer. Thanks for your reaction.

Dire Straits are just proof that the UK makes the best music

It's worth remembering Mark Knopfler's name, because he did 6 albums with Dire Straits (writing all the songs as well as playing and singing them) but has done 10 since then as a solo artist. He's 75 years old now (as of August 2024), and his latest album came out in April 2024. Dire Straits had a lot of membership turnover. Mark and bass player John Illsley were the core members who stayed with the band the whole time. Most of the band members were British, but there were various Americans in the band over time. The Americans in this lineup were the rhythm guitarist and the second keyboard player, the one behind the rhythm guitarist. In his songwriting, Mark was interested in the back-and-forth between American musical styles and English and Celtic styles, and he worked with artists from both countries.

And now look for "Telegraph Road" from the same concert. In my opinion even better. 😃

The studio version of this is one of the best songs for cruising. Including road tripping. It's nice that you enjoyed it so much. What I love about this clip is how much fun they're having. Making a living like that wouldn't suck.🤑🤑 Shout out to the production crew. The filmography of this LIVE concert is incredible.🤩🤩

Such a great melodic solo. Mark Knopfler is one of the best and most musical guitarists. How does England produce so many wonderful musicians?

London was not aware that they were going to witness perfection that night.

Telegraph Road from the same concert is a must. Storytelling, with a masterful musical performance. Dire Straits is always better live. Thanks again. 🤟🤪

Welshman Terry Williams is the fantastic drummer. At this performance Terry's parents were in the audience and it was the first time Terry's dad saw him play a big live concert. Great drummer. Pik Withers was the original drummer on the studio version...one of their first ever singles, possibly the first....but Pik left early on and Terry came in and the sound became "rockier". As an old(ish) drummer myself, albeit amateur, I have always rated Terry's performance here greatly. Superb playing. Wales is very proud of Mr Williams. Incidently, Terry also had previously played with Dave Edmunds (knock on wood).

Singer/guitarist Mark Knopfler had written it in 1977, after going into a pub where a lousy jazz band was playing. their lead singer finished the set with “Goodnight and thank you. We are the Sultans Of Swing.”

Great to see you enjoying this so much. A brilliant band, and Mark Knopfler truly had a style all his own. Nice guy too - he recently raised about £2 million for charity selling much of his guitar collection. The drummer was on fire this gig - he was giving everything because his dad was in to see him play live for the first time 😊

You'll have to watch Telegraph road and Tunnel of love from the same concert.

Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest. He impresses other guitarists. Their song "Telegraph Road" from the same concert is beautiful, definitely add it to your list!

this is the dire straits you thought you were coming into when you started "brothers in arms". mark is a master virtuoso that others can only dream of getting close to

You just witnessed the most unique technician with the guitar I've ever heard....your expressions said it all...now go to Telegraph Road, same concert.

What an absolute fabulous reaction. Really enjoyed your in depth knowledge of what you witnessed and I’m really happy you are about to go on a discovery of Dire Straits. I did see them live back in the day and watching this brought back so many memories. Good luck on your journey, I will be watching with you from the U.K.

Mark Knopfler has a unique style, a unique tone that sets him apart from most guitarists. And yes, he doesn't play with a pick. Mark's relationship with the guitar, without you realizing it, is one of questions and answers: the voice asks, the guitar answers. At this show the band consisted of Mark on guitar, John Ilsley on bass, Hal Lindes on rhythm guitar, Alan Clark on piano, Terry Williams on drums. Of this show Telegraph Road is the most iconic, along with Once Upon a Time in West. Tunel of Love is worth listening to from the Wembley 1985 show. Calling Elvis live from the On the Night show is also spectacular. The studio version of Brothers in Arms is fantastic, but listen to the live version of On the Night, it's on another level. Remembering that Dire Straits is always better to hear live, always.

Terry Williams the drummer was on fire that night, that’s why Mark keeps turning round to look at him.

Drummers always have the most fun.

When it comes to Dire Straits this is the tip of the iceberg. You must see Brothers in Arms live 'On the Night', along with 'Telegraph Road' and 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'private Investigation'. Also 'Tunnel of Love' from the Alchemy concert and lots, lots more. Sensational Mark Knopfler and sensational Dire Straits!

Terry Williams ( the drummer) had his dad in the crowd. He started going overboard and mark looks at him a few times but let's him carry on 👌🏻 Fun fact, one of my clients I work for was taught to play guitar by Mark as he taught guitar in his early career. The instrumental " Going Home" is my personal favourite, can't go wrong with any dire straits tbh 👍🏻

You are right, Dire Straits was a band you didn’t go to see, they were a band you went to experience.

I'm from the UK and I've just come across this. Your reaction and enthusiasm were brilliant. This is from their first album that came out in 1978, I have this and all their other releases. In my opinion Mark Knopfler is the best guitarist of all time. A rare talent. Dire Straits were an awesome band!

Watched this so many times over the years.. You just don't want it to end

I loved your reaction. Reactions are so much more than verbal! It was great to see you immersed in the music without interruption! Telegraph Road from the same concert is absolutely sublime and showcases the brilliant musicianship of each and every band member! I’m sure you will be blown away by it! Thank you!

I've always liked this song, the studio version and other live versions, but this particular version is one of the all time great performances of ANY song. The entire band was ON FIRE!

back in the days. just pure skill and instruments. look how good and clean they played. imagine how many hours they have practice a day to play perfect.

Not boring at all! I love watching reactions to this performance! BTY, Mark used to wear the head and wrist bands because of the hot stage lights that were used at that time. He said he used to sweat so much he couldn’t see to play. Mark is one of the best guitarist’s on the planet. His solo work is outstanding also.

Saw this show at MSG in 1985, 10th row center seats and the clarity of their sound was impeccable. No distracting videos or lasers, just incredible musicianship for 2 hours. U gotta hit Private Investigations,Telegraph Road, Romeo and Juliet and Going Home, basically their live album Alchemy, double live and it's amazing

Your in for a blast..one of the best bands EVER🎉🎉🎉🎉

Give that man any instrument and he will make it speak volumes. Finger picking. The tone. The absolute control. Master of his craft. Thanks Mark for all the albums.

Simply one of the greatist live performances ever.

Mark is one of the best guitar players of time. Just another level. His playing goes right to your soul.

Sometimes no reaction is better, we could clearly see that you were immersed in the awe of the perfect live performance.. Great reaction.

I love the way Mark just looks into the camera while he's playing something technically brilliant, and just smiles like it's nothing at all. The man is a guitar genius and his mastery of his instrument is like a real work of art. (Incidentally, his surname is pronounced 'NOPFLER'') Another absolutely brilliant guitarist who doesn't use a pick, is of course, Linsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac (please try reacting to 'Go Your Own Way' live...) 🙋‍♂

Welcome to the start of your Dire Straits journey. The lead singer and guitarist is Mark Knopfler, pronounced "naw fler". What can I say? Dire Straits have always been my favourite band, and Mark Knopfler my hero. His song writing is exceptional and some of the songs Dire Straits produced are among the best in the world. Mark went on to have a solo career in 1996 which has been quite different to his stadium days with Dire Straits, but equally astonishing. If I can recommend a next track from Dire Straits, it would be Telegraph Road from the same Alchemy concert. You absolutely won't regret it. It's a masterpiece. Truly, a masterpiece. The lyrics, guitar, drums and especially the piano, are just second-to-none. You guys owe it to yourselves to listen to it. Even if you don't react, just make sure you hear it. It's out of this world. Thanks for the reaction. I only recently found your channel and have subscribed. I hope to see more Dire Straits reactions from you in the future. Much love.

mid 70's and 80's best era for music, videos, fashion, hair, shoulder pads for the ladies

Mark KNOPFLER folks! My favourite guitarist and if you liked that you should checkout his live performances of Telegraph Road, especially on the On the Night live tour. Of course the electric guitar purists will put Hendrix, Clapton, and Gilmour at the top of the list but Knopfler plays so many more different styles and when he has a Strat in his hands you immediately know who you're listening too. Glad you enjoyed this version of Sultans!

Dire Straits „Love over Gold“ album is one of the best 80s albums ever. „Telegraph Road“ is just mindblowing.

You need to react to the encore “Telegraph Road” same concert Alchemy Live in 1983 at the Hammersmith Odeon London.

Never boring to watch someone's first time watching this live performance, even better being there July 1983, I was 17 and in London, it still gives me goosebumps. Awesome

A drummer drives the song. Guitarist get the deserved fame. A vocalist can pull it all together. But, the drummer is the driver, and this kid pulls out all the stops, and pushes everyone forward.

Hopefully this music will never die, with lots of younger people now discovering what we grew up with. Mark Knopfler qualifies as a true 20th century musical genius - composer, arranger, brilliant guitar player, he still does it in 2024 age 75. Legend.

No apologies, the only way to approach Dire Straits is to 'just experience' it! Not only is Mark Knopfler a spectacular guitarist and finger-plucking genius, but he was also a gifted song-writer and composer for the band. He is especially known for his unique sound, amazing tone, nuanced phrasing and emotion, and the complexities of his composition. FUN FACT: Mark is actually left handed, but was playing guitar with his right, whilst making it all look so easy! Now you have you check out "Telegraph Road" from the live ALCHEMY concert: That masterful performance is the perfect showcase for their astounding collective musicianship! Another different but wonderful example of Mark's talent is also on display in "Once Upon a Time in the West," also from ALCHEMY Live. Other tracks to explore include "Money for Nothing", "Tunnel of Love", "Romeo and Juliet" "Private Investigations", and I'm also partial to their upbeat earlier track "Lady Writer". And you really have to treat yourself to the LIVE extended performance of "Brothers in Arms" from ON THE NIGHT. Enjoy!

Goosebumps every time! One of the best live performances i've ever seen! Great reaction guys!👍

Guys its got to be "Telegraph Road"from the same Alchamy concert next oh pleeeeease - even beter guitar solo

Mark Knoffler is one of the greatest guitar players (and song writers) of all time. He is the beating heart of Dire Straits. Romeo and Juliet is a great song of theirs and also Money for Nothing, one of the first great videos on MTV. Enjoyed the video, thank you.

Gotta do telegraph Rd live now please!. Masterpiece hands down!. Gr8 reaction!. Zebedee from Oz. 👍

Great job. You did the music justice by not interrupting too much. Your reaction was pitch perfect. Too many reactors just want to yap throughout the whole song. You guys have some class.

British rock at it's finest. You should also check out Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (Secret World Live). Another brilliant performance.

Glad you enjoyed it. Mark Knopfler pronounced NOPFLER. Hungarian name but British (Glasgow) born with English mother. Raised in Northumbria England. All this band are great musos, but Mark is a guitar god & a Virtuoso. He is one with his guitar. He is the best ever. This concert was 41 years ago & on the 12 of August Mark turned 75 years old. I hope he plays his guitar forever. Mark is left-handed playing a right-handed guitar. Finger picks with his right hand like a banjo . It makes sense to use a right-handed guitar because his left dominant hand does all the heavy lifting. Those fingers going up & down the neck of the guitar not seen done as well as that. Mark wrote all the music & arranges it too. A very talented man. xo If you get a chance to watch all of this concert as I saw them live you will be blown away at the quality & mastery of these musicians. No tricks just talent. Watch all of that aLCHEMY lIVE concert. It was life changing seeing it live. and music leaves us feeling high.

Earlier this year Mark auctioned over 100 guitars and amps for over £8m ($10m dollars). The most expensive was the '83 Gibson Les Paul he played on the studio recording of Brothers In Arms which went for over £600k ($750k). He donated 25% of the overall sale to charity.

Mark plays the spaces between the notes and lets them breathe

Ignore it all except Mark's guitar and Terry Williams' absolutely killer drumming: perfection!

That wasn't boring to watch at all! You treated a lovely piece of guitar playing with the respect it deserves, and reviewed it with knowledge and passion.