Help regarding Dire Straits concert

Exfso (Peter) · #1 26-08-2016, 10:14 AM

This group did a final concert in Sydney 1986 which was simulcast FM and Channel Nine. It was brilliant. I taped it on VHS and have lost the tape over the years. There are DVD versions floating around that are absolute rubbish, I was wondering if anyone here may have that concert either taped or have an excellent copy of it.
The stuff on Ebay and the like as I said is absolute rubbish, the video is very grainy and the colours are totally false, nothing like what I had on the VHS tape.
Any help much appreciated....

Windston (Dan) · #2 26-08-2016, 10:22 AM

Oh wow! Yeh the 1986 sydney concert was awesome! I listen to it studying all of the time!
I listen to the one on youtube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kddkJwB94kY but it looks like the colors are a bit dodge, but it was an awesome concert, might be better than the ebay DVD. I really dont know if you will get the quality of the VHS back though!

inline_online (Dan) · #3 26-08-2016, 10:31 AM

Oh boy, I remember it so well.

I was 12 and obsessed with dIRE sTRAITS (still am). Mum wouldn't let me go to the Wellington show (she thought I was too young) and I watched the Sydney show on TV.
I've had the VHS version taped by my dad since 1986 - still got it somewhere. An amazing concert. The version of Tunnel of Love from that tour blows my mind every time I hear it.

Not sure how to copy it but I'll hunt around and see if it can be done. If so i'll send you a copy.

Cheers, Dan

Exfso (Peter) · #4 26-08-2016, 10:49 AM

Dan, that would be awesome, I can get it copied no problems. If you would be trusting enough to send it to me, I would pay all the freight both ways. That would be very impressive. I will PM you.

Regards

Peter

inline_online (Dan) · #5 26-08-2016, 12:35 PM

G'day Peter,

My experiences with all on this site have been 100% positive so I trust you

. PM me your address and i'll send you the VHS next week. I'm happy to pay postage to get it to you - will only be a few dollars I imagine.
Hopefully the vid is still okay. I haven't watched it for a while but have seen the YouTube versions.

Cheers, Dan

Exfso (Peter) · #6 26-08-2016, 03:21 PM

Thanks Dan, have sent a PM...

Occulta (Chris) · #7 26-08-2016, 06:20 PM

Hi Peter

If Dan's video is of the quality you require will you consider an order for one copy for me??

I was at the 5th concert at the EntCent and had a ball; also watched the final show on NINE and was equally blown away so would love to get a copy if possible.

I think they still hold the record for the most number of continuous concerts at a venue in Oz - 21 I think!!

PM me please to advise either way.

Chris

Money for Nothing drum intro a classic!!!

middy · #8 30-08-2016, 11:00 AM

Oh wow! That brings back memories. I was at uni at the time and remember recording it on cassette tape (remember those?) from the radio. I would still have the cassette somewhere in a box. The only trouble is I don't have a cassette player anymore and now you've made me feel like listening to it.

I remember Molly following them out at the end and saying goodbye. It all felt rather sad.

inline_online (Dan) · #9 31-08-2016, 10:34 AM

The vid starts off with Molly interviewing Knopfler and Ed Bicknell (their manager). Entertaining viewing.
Then at the end Molly is trying to talk to the band but they're just not interested. The Brothers in Arms tour is over, they've had enough, they get into their cars (think MK speeds off in a sports car, can't quite remember) and poor Molly is left on his own.

Great concert. I managed to record it onto a Mini-Disc and listened to it most nights while driving trucks on the mines.

I love Jack Sonny in this tour. He is so entertaining and a great guitarist. He really has a great time - "Has anybody got some clippers? Anton...Anton...some clippers please"
I read an article about him years later where he said this tour was the highlight of his life and something that would never be beaten. He seemed a bit sad for the glory days of that tour and I can understand that.

Cheers,
Dan

Exfso (Peter) · #10 31-08-2016, 01:25 PM

When I saw the concert in Darwin I think it was, MK snapped one of his guitar strings, did not miss a note, brilliant stuff. It absolutely p1ssed down on that occasion, pretty hairy when one considers all the wiring etc being exposed. You know what it is like with a Darwin wet season storm, it was full on.

Exfso (Peter) · #11 05-09-2016, 04:28 PM

Well that is the end of that. Channel nine advised me that there are copywrite issues and I would have to contact the record company. This was never recorded other than saved on Channel Nine archives in Sydney. Talk about being given the run around...
Dan, the VHS tape arrived today, pretty reasonable quality, except half way through "Romeo and Juliet" there is another part of a TV program comes up for 20 odd seconds, it is not an advert, obviously the telecast was recorded over this program and at this point in the tape it did not overwrite. Bummer...

inline_online (Dan) · #12 05-09-2016, 05:24 PM

G'day Peter,
That is a shame about the other TV program during R&J. Sorry mate, I would have told you about that if i'd remembered. I haven't watched that vid for a long long time. No rush on returning it - take your time, all good

.
Glad it finally arrived though. I just had Aust Post send a flute i'd ordered back to Bolivia (where it was sent from). Not sure i'll ever get it now. They said it couldn't be delivered to the address or some such thing.

Cheers,
Dan

Exfso (Peter) · #13 05-09-2016, 06:28 PM

Thanks Dan, going to take the vid to a professional in Adelaide to see about editing the section out and doing a full transfer to DVD, apparently they can do some pretty good stuff with old VHS tapes. The actual quality of the recording is pretty good really considering its age and the fact it is VHS. I have not obviously watched it right through but if that is the only glitch, not a problem
Thanks again.

Exfso (Peter) · #14 06-09-2016, 05:10 PM

I have managed to edit the video myself and remove the ads, and misc stuff that should not be there. As far as the final result, it is only as good as the tape, and we are working with 30years old stuff. I burnt it to DVD and I am quite pleased. It kills the stuff on the net that is my opinion having purchased a twin DVD from Ebay which turned out to be real ordinary to say the least. I maybe could get better if I took it to a professional, but they charge like wounded bull's. $100/hr just to edit, and the DVD that they produce is $55.00, so it becomes a pretty expensive exercise.

Windston (Dan) · #15 06-09-2016, 07:20 PM

Hey Peter.

Would you be willing to upload the DVD to dropbox or something similar so that we all might be able to download a copy!

Pretty please!

Cheers
Dan

Exfso (Peter) · #16 07-09-2016, 02:00 AM

Dan, l currently re hashing it, nearly 9gb so it is quite large. I noticed a couple of spots I missed and needed to adjust some contrast and saturation settings. It is currently running and has been for 4 hrs and only 80% done. Then I have to check it again.
I don't have drop box either.

I purchased Roxio Easy VHS to DVD3 Plus to supposedly handle the job, What a piece of crap this software is, I have had 2x BSOD and it has just ceased working at least 50 times in the middle of a job. It is going back to Office Works tomorrow, they said they will take it back as it is not doing the job it is designed to do. It also has a capture adapter as well as the software, and one will not work without the other. Although I have found the software just does NOT work, PERIOD!!!!
There has been at least a dozen emails gone back and forth with the support people, and the best they can say is to re-install it. Yeah right, the first time I tried, I got the BSOD, found the best way was to do a system restore.
If I did not know better I would say it was designed by Microsoft....

Exfso (Peter) · #17 07-09-2016, 10:23 AM

Well that is a bummer, the process finished and the bits that were supposed to have been removed are still in the video file, got to find out what happened there and fix it.

Once that is ok, I will do the DVD.

Windston (Dan) · #18 07-09-2016, 12:05 PM

Wow that really sucks! I have heard that that company produces some pretty bad software, I have some decent video editing software if you need me to cut out some bits and cant get yours to work? Maybe even use a format to render it that will retain quality but lower the file size a little?

But other than that is the quality better than those on the internet?

Thanks heaps!
Dan

Terry B · #19 07-09-2016, 12:30 PM

I went to one of the concerts. Can't remember if it was the last one though. Great show.

Exfso (Peter) · #20 07-09-2016, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windston

Wow that really sucks! I have heard that that company produces some pretty bad software, I have some decent video editing software if you need me to cut out some bits and cant get yours to work? Maybe even use a format to render it that will retain quality but lower the file size a little?

But other than that is the quality better than those on the internet?

Thanks heaps!
Dan

Dan I think it is, but one really can not expect a huge clear resolution from VHS, that particular tape/show is 30 years old, so there is obvious degredation. I am really Peeved that Channel Nine wont come to the party though, cannot see why there would be copywrite issues, as it went live to TV throughout Aust and NZ and the concert has never been released by the so called record label either on VHS, CD, DVD or any media that I know of. It would be great to get my hands on the archived original..anyone know someone in Channel 9 in Sydney....

:roll eyes: