GreyMatter, Personal

Ticket to Heaven

Mark Knopfler pic

Mumbai is not on the usual rock circuit, and is quite starved for good concerts.  Most international acts give the city a pass, thanks to unfriendly government regulations and taxes. So it was with much surprise and enthusiasm that, yesterday, we witnessed one of the all-time greats of rock – Mark Knopfler – in concert at the MMRDA grounds!

A long time ago came a man on a track
walking thirty miles with a pack on his back
and he put down his load where he thought it was the best
made a home in the wilderness

Dire Straits – the band Knopfler founded way back in 1978 – has always been the ultimate source of joy for me.  And it has been a lifelong dream to attend a live concert of Mark Knopfler.  Can you imagine Knopfler on a stage, some rows ahead, playing for you ?!

Here I am again in this mean old town
And you’re so far away from me
And where are you when the sun goes down
You’re so far away from me

So when I learned that he was to perform in Mumbai on 5th March 2005, I couldn’t believe it.  More so because I was scheduled to be on a plane out of India the same day – the one day that I didn’t want to be anywhere else but here!  As luck would have it, just three days before the show, my trip got postponed.  And, it seemed like I was finally going to make it to the show…

how long, how long baby
how long has it been
how long you gonna keep me wondering
how long before you see
stallin’ me was wrong – how long

It was every thing I’d dreamed of, and more.  The arrangements were well coordinated, the audience was well behaved, the sound quality was superb and the music… the music was sheer bliss.

I got my ticket to heaven
and everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise

The Sultan of Swing performed live last night, and I was just a couple of rows away from him!!!