Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler wrote many timeless hits, with one of the most enduring being the blues rock slow burn “Brothers in Arms.” Knopfler treated fans to a smoldering version of the hit at the Meistersaal concert hall in Berlin with his solo band. The rocker performed the song on September 10, 2007, 22 years after its release in 1985. However, he sang it like he’d written it yesterday, with the same intensity that helped the song become a Dire Straits classic.
The intimate show in the small venue was the perfect showcase for the moody vibe of the song, with Knopfler whispering the opening lines as the crowd hung on his every word. His mesmerizing vocal performance was complemented with his iconic guitar lines from “Brothers In Arms.” Needless to say, the frontman’s multiple guitar solos throughout the song were a highlight, particularly the two extended solos in the bridge, which he played like his life was depending on it.
Dire Straits and Knopfler are just such superb performers. The studio versions of his songs are great, but every time I’ve watched him perform live, he brings it to the next level, whether it’s with Dire Straits or his solo band. The Berlin performance was filmed by German TV station RBB, which broadcast his live showcase prior to the release of his fifth solo studio album Kill to Get Crimson. The live cut of “Brothers In Arms” was popular on YouTube, attracting 108 million views.
Fans couldn’t get enough of the performance, adding comments such as “This is one of the few songs that touch the soul and I’m sure so many veterans relate deeply to it! A masterpiece” and “He never plays the song exactly the same way every performance, his soul always comes through in the guitar and his phrasing. Remarkable genius.” Dire Straits have performed some cracking renditions of “Brothers In Arms” over the years, such as their 1988 take on it at Wembley Stadium.
“Brothers In Arms” is often cited as one of the greatest Dire Straits songs. Knopfler wrote the song in 1982, which was the year Britain fought the Falklands War. It was released on October 18, 1985, as the third single from Dire Straits’ fifth studio album Brothers In Arms.
In 2007, the same year as the Berlin concert, Knopfler re-recorded “Brothers In Arms” at Abbey Road Studios. He used the release of the song to raise funds for British veterans of the Falklands War, which he said “are still suffering from the effects of that conflict.”
Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler wrote many timeless hits, with one of the most enduring being the blues rock slowburn “Brothers in Arms”. Knopfler treated fans to a smouldering version of the hit at the Meistersaal concert hall in Berlin with his solo band. The rocker performed the song on September 10, 2007, 22 years after its release in 1985. However, he sang it like he’d written it yesterday, with the same intensity that helped the song become a Dire Straits classic.
The intimate show in the small venue was the perfect showcase for the moody vibe of the song, with Knopfler whispering the opening lines as the crowd hung on his every word. His mesmerizing vocal performance was complemented with his iconic guitar lines from “Brothers In Arms”. Needless to say, the frontman’s multiple guitar solos throughout the song were a highlight, particularly the two extended solos in the bridge, which he played like his life was depending on it.
Dire Straits and Knopfler are just such superb performers. The studio versions of his songs are so great, but every time I’ve watched him perform live, he brings it to the next level, whether it’s with Dire Straits or his solo band. The Berlin performance was filmed by German TV station RBB, who broadcast his live showcase prior to the release of his fifth solo studio album Kill to Get Crimson. The live cut of “Brothers In Arms” was popular on YouTube, attracting 108 million views.
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