Live at the BBC

by William Ruhlmann   Always a quiet act, Dire Straits dissolved quietly in 1995 as Mark Knopfler prepared his first full-fledged solo album. Meanwhile, this documentary effort, the group's third live recording, appeared to chronicle their early days. Most of it was recorded in July 1978, so it is, in effect, a concert version of the self-titled debut album. Tacked on at the end is a 12-minute version of "Tunnel of Love" from 1981, bringing the total time to 46 minutes. It's a modest effort from a modest band and, in that sense, a better representation of them than Alchemy or On the Night, both of which reflected their worldwide popularity.