IF you’ve ever fancied the UK rock band, Dire Straits’ music, then you won’t want to miss the opportunity to relive your favourite melodies in the Rhumbelow Theatre’s tribute show to the rockers performed by The Reals.
Formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and guitar) and his younger brother, David, 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.
Durban band The Reals have worked their musical magic by creating a tribute show to the band. They comprise Barry Thomson (lead guitar, vocals) Dawn Selby (keyboards, vocals), Mali Sewell (drums, vocals), Jason Andrew (bass guitar, vocals) and guest guitarist, Shaun Dragt.
Tonight caught up with Dragt to chat about his involvement in the production.
For the young musician, it all began with an old five-string guitar and a dream. He shares: “Then I watched what would become The Reals perform in a show called Guitar that rocked the World and from that point on my goal was to perform to more than just my dog. I would practice until my fingers bled and listened to as many bands as possible.
“Playing the guitar pulled me out of a very dark place. So working with The Reals has been a privilege and a learning experience. The musical knowledge, technical ability, attention to detail and the many hours of unseen behind-the-scenes preparation is incredible.
“My involvement with The Reals came about from guitar lessons with Barry back in 2008. After about a year, he gave me a part in a production they had in the pipeline and I have performed with them in a few tributes since.”
The tribute show features a selection of hit songs by Dire Straits 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.
For Dragt, being a part of this show is a huge honour: “Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler in particular, was a huge influence on me and my guitar journey. The incredible amount of hits they had and the technical guitar parts are both challenging and very rewarding to play. When asked to do this show with The Reals and Barry Thomson on lead guitar (one of the best guitarists around), I could think of nothing I would like more.”
I ask the guitarist what his favourite part of the show is in terms of the song selection: “There are so many great songs and I love them all, but I think my favourite is Heavy Fuel as it’s epic to perform live. The lyrics also hit home as they are all about living life like a rock star, which is harder than you think.
“There’s going to be a lot of intensity, attention to detail, and a roller-coaster ride of Dire Straits classics. Our goal will be to entertain as well as hopefully inspire young musicians to keep the music alive,” he says.
• Catch Tribute to Dire Straits at the Rhumbelow Theatre, Umbilo from Friday to June 21. R100 to R120 at Computicket.