I woke up this morning after 5 hours of sleep with images and riffs are still rolling in and out of my consciousness. I don’t know how many tours we’ll get, but I will make it a point to attend each and every one of them. Mark’s shows are events, and another one’s now been stitched into the fabric of my memory. As always, playing live really enriches each of his songs, and I really thought that was especially true for Donegan’s Gone, with a simply brilliant slide intro on his Danelectro. That song’s usually a breeze over for me, but with last night’s memory, it’s going to shine every time I hear it now. Setlist didn’t deviate to much from what he’s been playing most recently, although as I look at it, he only played 15 songs tonight: Border Reiver, What it is, Sailing to Philadelphia, Coyote, Prairie Wedding, Hill Farmer’s Blues, Romeo and Juliet, Sultans of Swing, Donegan’s Gone, Marbletown, Speedway at Nazareth, Telegraph Road, Brothers in Arms, So Far Away, Piper to the End Sold out show – the old Tower was packed with a wide age range of appreciative fans. Mark looked to be very stiff and sore getting into and out of his chair, and maybe the reason for the short setlist was Mark’s bad back. Only two more dates for the North American leg of the tour, and he just might make it, although you’d never know it from the way he’s playing, or his conversations with the audience during the show. The guy’s a trooper, and I’m just so appreciative that he was able to play last night. And play, he did – the band was in great form and brought down the house. I was so proud of the crowd – every song was greeted enthusiastically, and at some points, you could have heard a pin drop in the house – everyone in rapt attention to the little licks and the attention to musical dynamics in Mark’s songs. As he’s been doing all tour long, he ended with Piper to the End, and just before the end, the lights turn to the audience, and from his chair Mark waves to the audience. I don’t know how long he’s been waving to crowds during this tour, but tonight’s goodbye was literally a couple of minutes long, and the smile on Mark’s face did us all wonders. Until we meet again, Mr. Knopfler – well done!