iceLife The half heard mutterings of a Kiwi a long, long way from home.

It was the Monday night following a great weekend, and what better way to wind down than heading down to the Royal Albert Hall to catch a true great of modern rock music laying down some fine new tunes. Mark Knopfler.


You might remember him as the last popular musician before plastic surgery was invented, or perhaps that guy with the headband. My father raised me on Dire Straits, so I remember him as the soundtrack to my childhood.

Dire Straits was the first concert I ever went to all the way back in 1985, at Athletic Park in Wellington. I was 11. My Dad took me. It was the Brothers in Arms tour. It was the first time I ever felt a kick drum in my chest. I remember it like yesterday.

And I saw them again in 199... something. Again Athletic Park. This time we sat on the hill outside Athletic Park, with my friends from school, and watched the show over the fence for free.
That was the Calling Elvis tour. I didn't like the single so much, but it was still a good show.

Tonight, my third time, with Mr Knopfler, once in each of three decades.
And he's better than ever.

A more considered, more soulful Mark Knopfler now leads a band unafraid to experiment with traditional instruments and arrangements. Although Dire Straits never particularly concerned themselves with the rules of pop song composition, Mark solo has a complete disregard. Instead, they play the tunes they wanna play, and how they wanna play them. Surrounded by the best in the business, its a formula that few would dare attempt - and it works.

This was a fantastic show, 2 and a bit hours, 3 encores. The stand out solo tune remains "Sailing to Philadelphia" but plenty of numbers from the new album got an airing and went down well.

Here is a slideshow of the 8 photos I took at this gig.

Much to our delight there was room for a few Dire Straits numbers too. I have never seen a standing ovation at the RAH, this night we saw 3.

We were treated to 6 of the best, and it was just like old times:

Telegraph Road
Sultans of Swing
So Far Away
Romeo and Juliet
Brothers in Arms
Going Home

The boy can still play.

Our friend Abbe did something totally original for her birthday - she took a lucky group of friends, including us, on a guided walk through Highgate, in North London.



We saw sites of interest including where both Dickens and Coleridge used to live, several pubs of note and almost a cemetery. Finished off with a great meal at a local meze place. It was a very fun day. Thanks Abbe!

Here are 11 photos of the Highgate Walking tour and there's a wee video of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner outside Coleridge's old gaff, innit, guvnor.

On a sunny Sunday just gone, our friends Jared and Damian, and Jo and I all went along to see a days worth of cricket at the famous Lords, here in London.
We had a great day, especially as upon reading the ticket we learnt we could bring in a bottle of wine each. Seemed a shame not to, so we took full advantage and kicked back for a session in the sun.


England batted mostly, there were a few well taken wickets though so we enjoyed the spectacle. Lords is a nice ground, to be sure, posh in all the right places, the burgers were organic and £7 each, says it all really. Highly recommended at least once.

Here are 3 photos from the game, including the above.