Solid Rock at the Corn Exchange

The 80’s returned to Newbury on Saturday night, with headbands & rolled up jacket sleeves very much the fashion of the evening.

A packed Corn Exchange was the setting for Money for nothing, the world famous Dire Straits tribute band from Wales. From the opening distinctive guitar riffs, through soulful sax solos right up to a hard-rocking rendition of Money for nothing, the group left no song unsung!

Lead singer & guitarist Aled Williams kept the chat to a minimum as he rocked Newbury with some breathtaking guitar playing. His vocals were on the deeper side of the original of Mark Knopfler, but still had the “rough” tone that he is famous for. 

They have been called “the best Dire Straits tribute act in Europe” and it is easy to see why, they have also headlined at Europe’s biggest tribute festival back in 2010.

I was lucky enough to catch up with drummer & bandleader Derek Bisset prior to the gig and he said: “We were lucky to have come across Aled who not only sung like Mark Knopfler but could also play lead guitar as well as he could”

“We have spent many years getting a good following not just in Europe but also in the UK, which shows as we have sold out at the Corn Exchange”
The highlight for me was Brothers in arms, a powerful and emotional song which connects on so many levels, if I was to pick out an outstanding performance of the evening it would be the smooth sax solo of Steve Wiltshire in particular in “Latest trick” bringing back that 80’s sax vibe.
By the end of the evening the audience were on their feet, giving the band a much deserved standing ovation as the played out the evening with the appropriately entitled instrumental track “Going home”

Overall a great night out, if you missed them this time around Derek assures me that they are hoping to play 2 nights next time around.

Steve Prout