An Evening With John Illsley
A most rewarding, and well-curated, evening.
artist
It came as a sobering thought for some of us to discover that May 2025 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of the Dire Straits album 'Brothers In Arms'. Recorded at George Martin's studio in Montserrat, this iconic album went on to spend 14 weeks at the top of the UK Album Charts, 9 weeks at No.1 on the Billboard 200 in the US, and also became the first compact disc to sell over one million copies. The video for 'Money For Nothing' went on heavy rotation on MTV for months, and was even subjected to its own parody version on Spitting Image. Dire Straits released one further studio album before finally calling it a day in 1995. Since 1984, the band’s former bass player John Illsley has recorded and released eight solo albums. He also owns a lovely pub on the Hampshire coast, The East End Arms.
It was not a surprise to find Norwich Theatre Playhouse completely sold out for 'An Evening With John Illsley'. Adopting the form of a Q&A-style event, augmented with live music from John and his band, the audience were treated to two hours of conversation and anecdotes, as well as a selection of classic Dire Straits songs and music.
During the first half Illsey spoke with former band manager Paul Cummins about how Dire Straits came together in Deptford in 1977, how they got signed, and how their initial success came, not in the UK, but in Germany and the Netherlands. Projected video clips included scenes from an early Old Grey Whistle Test appearance on the BBC. Live music from Illsley and his band delivered renditions of 'Down To The Waterline', 'Wild West End', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Private Investigations' and 'Sultans of Swing', as well as the self-written, and autobiographical, 'It's A Long Way Back to Deptford Town', taken from Illsey’s 2022 solo release.
John Illsley is strikingly tall, handsome and lean on stage, and his voice is smokier and ever-so-slightly more growling than Knopfler's. He reminds me of a gentler, and perhaps more amiable, version of Roger Waters (Pink Floyd). The band are excellent – Robbie McIntosh gets spookily close to recreating that distinctive Knopfler guitar sound; Hannah Robinson adds gorgeous harmonies and backing vocals; and Steve Smith on keys and Carlos on percussion complete the live on-stage experience.
After the interval the conversation turns to 'Brothers In Arms', and the impact that the album had on both the band and on popular music in general. Illsley talks of the gruelling touring schedule that followed its success. He also talks about Live Aid, and of meeting Princess Diana. It is all fascinating stuff. We also get to watch an extract from that Spitting Image parody spin on 'Money For Nothing'.
Despite the 'Q&A' format of the show, Illsley is spared the ignominy of taking questions from the audience. Instead, he and the band close the evening with a final selection of songs from 'Brothers In Arms' – the upbeat and lively 'Walk of Life'; the poignant and pensive 'So Far Away' (again with lovely vocal accompaniment from Hannah Robinson); the album's moving title track; and the gentle and life-affirming 'Why Worry'.
Of course, the set would not be complete without the iconic stomp of 'Money For Nothing', and with Robinson delivering the familiar opening refrain of “I want my MTV”, the band rock out, and the audience are near-euphoric. It is followed by the album's moving title track, reminding us of the past, and of the present, instabilities and uncertainties hanging over us. Finally, we are led into a much less familiar Dire Straits song, “Where Do You Think You're Going?”, taken from the band's 1979 sophomore album 'Communiqué”. It provides the perfect, thought-provoking conclusion to what has been a most rewarding, and well-curated, evening.
