Live at the BBC
Live at the BBC is a live album by Dire Straits, released on 26 June 1995 by Vertigo internationally and by Warner Bros. in the United States. It was the band's third live record, following Alchemy: Dire Straits Live in 1984 and On the Night in 1993.
Most of it was captured on 22 July 1978 at BBC Studios in London, with one track taken from 19 December 1980. That puts the bulk of the set right at the start of the band's story, around the time their self-titled debut appeared. The studio versions of the first six songs are on that album, so you can compare the early studio recordings with these broadcast performances. It is a good one for anyone who wants to hear the band in their first flush, before the later albums. In 2023 it was also included in the box set Live 1978-1992.
Live at the BBC: tracklist, credits and charts
8 tracks · 46:02Tracklist
- 1Down to the WaterlineMark Knopfler4:10
- 2Six Blade KnifeMark Knopfler3:48
- 3Water of LoveMark Knopfler5:29
- 4Wild West EndMark Knopfler5:12
- 5Sultans of SwingMark Knopfler6:39
- 6LionsMark Knopfler5:27
- 7What’s the Matter Baby?David Knopfler and Mark Knopfler3:21
- 8Tunnel of LoveII, Knopfler, Rodgers11:56
- Produced by
- Jeff Griffin, Michael Appleton, Various
- Recorded at
- Paris Theatre, O₂ Shepherd’s Bush Empire, BBC Studios, London
- Recorded
- 22 July 1978, 31 January 1981
- Labels
- Vertigo, Windsong (UK), Warner Bros. (US)
- Length
- 46:02
Line-up
- John Illsley · bass guitar, background vocals
- David Knopfler · guitar, keyboard
- Mark Knopfler · guitar, lead vocals
- Pick Withers · drums (drum set)
- Alan Clark · keyboard · guest
- Hal Lindes · guitar, vocals, background vocals · guest
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 1995 | 71 |
| Dutch Albums · 1995 | 15 |
| Swiss Albums · 1995 | 45 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Spain · 1996 | Gold |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 26 June
Every year →
More from Dire Straits
Full discography →
The best of 1995
All of 1995 →
More on Vertigo
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 26 June 1995 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 26 June 1995 | |
| Wikidata | 26 June 1995 | |
| US release | 29 August 1995 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 26 June 1995 | earliest UK or European date |
12 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | CA | Vertigo | 731452832320 | other |
| 1995 | XE | Vertigo | 731452832320 | other |
| 1995 | US | Warner Bros. Records | other | |
| 1995 | CA | Vertigo | 77749931600302 | other |
| 26 June 1995 | GB | Windsong | 5018766950939 | original |
| 26 June 1995 | GB | Windsong International | 5018766951479 | original |
| 26 June 1995 | FR | Vertigo | 731452832320 | original |
| 26 July 1995 | JP | Vertigo | 4988011346279 | other |
| 29 August 1995 | US | Warner Bros. Records | 093624605324 | other |
| 1999 | GB | Windsong In Concert | 731452832320 | other |
| 22 October 2008 | JP | Universal International | 4988005532459 | other |
| — | — | Virgin EMI | 00731452832320 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1404x1404, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1404×1404 | upscaled: minor: best source 1404x1404, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |