The Reals, together with guest guitarist Shaun Dragt,  will be paying tribute to Dire Straits at the Rhumbelow Theatre at the Allan Wilson Shellhole, 5 Alan Paton Avenue (Durban Road), Pietermaritzburg at 2pm and 6.30pm on Sunday, September 25. 

Dire Straits was a British rock band formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar) and his younger brother David Knopfler.

Their sound was influenced by a variety of musical styles including jazz, folk and blues, and contrasted with the prominence of punk rock during their early years. Their more conventional sound appealed to modern audiences weary of the overproduced stadium rock of the 1970s.

Dire Straits’ fifth album Brothers in Arms, released in May 1985 was their highest selling studio album with sales of over 30 million. It was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first compact disc to sell a million copies, helping to popularise the CD format.

It was one of the first albums recorded on digital equipment and the title track is reported to be the world’s first CD single. In August 1986, the song which launched MTV Europe was another Knopfler hit Money for Nothing and featured Sting in a cameo vocal role.

To-date, Dire Straits have sold in excess of 120 million albums and this show features a selection of their hit songs including, Brothers in Arms, Walk of Life, So Far Away, Sultans of Swing, Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of Love, Private Investigations and Money for Nothing.

Tickets R140 at Computicket. Bring food picnic baskets but no drinks. There is a cash bar. The venue opens 90 minutes before show.

For more information contact Roland at 082 499 8636 or email roland@stansell.za.net