Come Together: Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms – Civic Theatre Nov 28, 2020

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An all star Kiwi band playing Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms…sounds like a relaxing way to spend an evening. But could it be more than just a nice night out?

I admit it, part of the reason I went to this show was to just chill out in those comfy seats at The Civic. And knowing that Brett Adams was on board to play those classic Knopfler riffs was the deal breaker.

I realize that Brothers In Arms holds a certain unique place in many Kiwis’ hearts…it being the biggest selling album of all time in NZ. So now, some 35 years later you either love it or hate it. There seems to be no middle ground.

I was living in the US in 1985 and for us, Brothers In Arms seemed to be the album everyone bought to try out the new “CD” format.

Anyway, as the evening of the show grew closer I found myself actually getting quite excited by the prospect of hearing tunes like So Far Away, Money For Nothing and Why Worry played and sung by the likes of Brett Adams, Jol Mulholland, Paul McLaney, Mel Parsons, Laughton Kora and Delaney Davidson.

Delaney, in particular, seemed to be the wild-card here…could be cringy or amazing.

So I settled into my seat with a glass of red as the lights went down and that familiar guitar sound that opens So Far Away started up.

The band sounded immediately tight and loose (if you know what I mean) with Mulholland and Adams on guitar, Nick Atkinson and Finn Scholes on horns and other thingys, Mike Hall on bass, Michael Barker playing percussion, Matthais Jordan on keys and Alastair Deverick drumming.

The four frontpeople are Paul McLaney, Mel Parsons, Laughton Kora and Delaney Davidson. Interestingly, Mel seemed to have the deepest voice of the quartet, but they all sounded perfectly at home with the material, throwing in just enough of their own established personae to keep this from becoming a high-class karaoke session.

By the time they launched into Money For Nothing a thought came to me. Here in these Covid-infested times, perhaps we are witnessing the future of live music…especially if you are a fan of “classic rock”.

Think about it…bands like The Beatles, Stones, Pink Floyd, Eagles are either no longer with us or aging to the point where they will no longer be able to, or be interested in, hitting the road. Yet, fans will still pay good money to hear Jumping Jack Flash or Wish You Were Here with a crowd in a hall with big amps and plenty of power.

The lack of any overseas artists being able to tour has only brought this situation to us earlier than expected. Fortunately we seem to have the homegrown talent to rise to the challenge.

It seemed everyone had a chance to shine…Nick Atkins got an early cheer for his sax work on Your Latest Trick, Mel Parsons sang a lovely Why Worry and Paul McLaney really brought Ride Across The River to life

A special mention will go to Delaney who added some of his own hoo-doo to the proceedings during The Man’s Too Strong while Brett Adams’ guitar work was impeccable.

The only drawback about playing an album from beginning to end is the fact that there are few surprises. But those came during the second set.

Opening with a sprawling  Telegraph Road this was definitely not a covers band going through the motions. Jol Mulhollad got his chance to shine here.

When Laughton Kora emerged to introduce Sultans Of Swing the mood in the Civic switched from reverence to revelry…the party had started!

For me, I think the trio of tunes from Making Movies was the highlight…first with Delaney’s (almost) over-the-top version of Les Boys followed by Mel’s super-romantic Romeo & Juliet and then Tunnel Of Love. Actually make that a quartet as Skateaway followed and closed out the show.

But they were back for one more…Mark Knopfler’s Going Home from Local Hero…a beautiful finale to a surprisingly moving evening of live music.

Next in the series is The Beatles’ Abbey Road and then Neil Young’s Live Rust…who-hoo!

Marty Duda

Click any image to see a full size gallery of photos by Tara Ranchhod

Marty Duda
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