We were in Abu Dhabi recently for the Volvo Round the World yacht race. Great place, great gig, lovely weather. Our 2011 Autmn tour was a resounding success. The audiences were fantastic, every bit as good as at the Albert Hall where we started earlier in the year, and the reviews have been amazing. We are going from strength to strength. I'm looking forward to recording some original material with the band later this year. We're touring in Europe in March. Check out where and when on The Straits' website.

Here's a review of the Liverpool gig by Jon Kirkman of Classic Rock Radio:

"For many people one of the biggest bands not to have re- formed over recent years is Dire Straits. There is of course Mark Knopfler who does play a few songs from a quite wonderful catalogue but until former keyboard player Alan Clark took the plunge and formed "The Straits" the catalogue remained relatively untouched. The Straits are no tribute band however with Alan Clark and fellow former member of Dire Straits Chris White The Straits are quite simply wonderful. With front man Terence Reis filling the very big shoes left by Mark Knopfler the band has a very big future ahead of them. The full line up in Liverpool tonight includes drummer Steve Ferrone, bassist Mickey Feat, multi instrumentalist Jamie Squire and in place of Phil Palmer guitarist Adam Phillips and this band seriously deliver the goods.

Starting with a major surprise in Private Investigations which I thought was a strange choice but to be honest this had the hair on the back of my neck standing up. The dynamics were incredible and I soon found myself smiling to myself. Rather like seeing one of my favourite bands again after a long layoff "The Straits" kept that smile on my face for the next 110 minutes. The band had their first standing ovation with Telegraph Road (the first of many) with some amazing playing and soloing from Terence Reis and from that moment on the highlights just kept coming, song after song the band just kept delivering the killer punch.

My personal favourites? Well Telegraph Road was just incredible as were Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of Love and Brothers in Arms. I have to also say that the band performed a couple of songs that did surprise me but in a really good way. I never thought I would hear Communiqué again or Iron Hand but Terence Reis once again delivered a great arrangement of Communiqué starting off as just a solo song with the various members joining in along the way including some tasteful slide guitar from Adam Phillips; absolutely fantastic.

The evening ended with an extended version of Sultans of Swing and then the encore followed with of course Money for Nothing and another surprise with Portobello Belle.
The band has plans for next year including dates in Europe, America and even Australia. They have also assured us that they are going to come back and play the UK again so with that in mind I urge you to catch them next time they tour.

With this band I have to say there is every chance that this band could do incredible business and with Terence Reis they do have an incredible ace up the sleeve. Don't run away with the idea that it is a one man show however; all the members sound incredible and Alan Clark has put together an amazing band more than capable of delivering the classics and hopefully new material.

Never mind Love Over Gold. The Straits are PURE GOLD!"

Jon Kirkman www.classicrockradio.eu

Sir Bobby Charlton was spotted at the Liverpool gig.

And another: http://liverpoolstudentmedia.com/2011/10/the-straits-gig-review-liverpool-philharmonic-hall-october-16th-2011/

Newcastle City Hall

"As the headline act emerges, a beautifully lit stage sets just the right atmosphere for a spine tingling Private Investigations, vocalist/guitarist Terrence Reis delivering a perfectly judged vocal during the lead in to this multi layered and darkly dramatic set piece, quickly establishing that both vocally and musically, he is capable of stepping into some very big shoes. The mood is quickly lightened by the party time boogie sounds of Walk Of Life before the shear breadth of Telegraph Road paints an almost cinematographic picture, full of detailed subsections that blend together like a modern concerto and reminding me that this band are storytellers of the highest order. Some bands hate bootlegs, while others actively encourage their fan base to record and trade shows. Alan Clark made a point of inviting the audience to record and share the evening, a nice gesture towards a dedicated set of fans that have not lost touch with the band despite Mark Knopflerís absence. The first twang of steel guitar in Romeo & Juliet is met with impromptu applause from an audience that then hung on every line of this Shakespearian tragedy, Chris White's perfectly judged sax delivery segueing into the mid section of this extended version which closed with more wistful keys from Alan Clark, effortlessly drifting into personal favourite Tunnel Of Love. Perhaps the two most descriptive lyrics in the set, I'm sure I was not alone in being transported back to days of young love and stolen kisses during an absolutely mesmerising quarter hour that will stay with me for a long time. The sound mix for the show was good with vocals prominently up front, weighty keyboards and the sax, especially on a slightly up tempo version of Your Latest Trick, feeling rich and thick. Guitar twangs hung heavy in the air like smoke rings in an opium den, and despite an annoying low buzz at times, only the occasionally boxy drum sound detracted from an excellent listening experience. Following a break for band introductions, Brothers In Arms sent goose bumps flowing through City Hall, the lighting engineer again perfectly capturing the dramatic scale of what is correctly recognised as one of the greatest tracks of all time. Politely acknowledging Mark Knopflerís part in writing the songs that made Dire Straits so popular, Reis thanked the audience for their continued support before launching into Sultans Of Swing - which I vividly remember being my first exposure to the band during their memorable appearance on iconic television show The Old Grey Whistle Test ñ this resulting in a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. Inviting the audience to get out of their seats and come down to the front got a great response and the majority danced their way through Money For Nothing, which along with a superbly atmospheric Portobello Belle finally brought the curtain down on what had been a polished performance, proving beyond doubt that the Straits' songbook remains in anything but dire hands."

Paul Sinclair

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Ipswich

"If you closed your eyes at the Ipswich Regent on Thursday night it was easy to image you had been transported back 30 years in time. It was December 1980 that the theatre first reverberated to the unmistakable sound of Dire Straits, who continued to entertain audiences worldwide until 1995. Such was the response to their performance after the band was initially put together for a charity concert in London, The Straits are now bringing back to life the original band's catalogue of music live on stage – and how. This is no tribute act as in the genial Alan Clark on keyboards, the splendid Chris White on saxophone and guitarist Phil Palmer, The Straits feature three members who played in Dire Straits. Finding a vocalist to not only replace the soft, gravelly tones of Mark Knopfler but also play guitar was an unenviable task, but in Mozambique-born Terence Reis, The Straits certainly struck gold. From the haunting opening track Private Investigations, via the magnificent Telegraph Road, Walk of Life, Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of Love, Communique and Brothers in Arms, The Straits captivated the audience. Sultans of Swing, inevitably, had the audience off their seats and rocking in the aisles and a richly-deserved standing ovation followed before an encore featuring Money for Nothing and Portobello Belle rounded off an unforgettable one-and-three-quarter hour set. Folk rock singer Jon Allen kicked-off proceedings with a 30-minute set on what was a truly memorable evening, enhanced by the fact that the band say they will keep playing as long as audiences wish to hear them. They should be around for a long time to come."

NICK GARNHAM

Chris and I played on an album recently with Jonny Boyle. It's called Radio, and it's released on the 1st of Feb. His website is: jonnyboyle.com

This is Terence Reis, The Straits' frontman. Born in Maputo, Mozambique, Terence grew up playing the guitar in the idiosyncratic style of the local fingerpicking street musicians, which is remarkably similar to that of Mark Knopfler. He's a great guitarist but it was his voice that convinced me that he was the perfect front man for The Straits, which has elements of Knopfler mixed in with his own unmistakable, original sound. An honours graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand School of Dramatic Arts, Johannesburg, Terence has established himself as an award-winning actor and has featured in several major movies while continuing a parallel career as a musician. And he's one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet.

And this is Steve Ferrone. Acknowledged by his peers as one of the world's greatest drummers, Steve first came to the world's attention with The Average White Band, and has since played with a long list of high-profile acts including Eric Clapton, Quincy Jones, Scritti Politti, Chaka Khan, Slash, and he's been Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker's drummer for the past 18 years. Our paths first crossed in 1987 when we were in Eric Clapton's band. Having Steve in the band is a great privilege and an honour and a heck of a lot of fun.

This is Jamie Squire. I've known Jamie since he was a child and have watched him develop into the hugely talented keyboardist, multi-instrumentalist and singer he is today. He is currently making his first album in New York City with producer/ace drummer Steve Jordan, and is well on his way to becoming a star in his own right.

And this is sax player Chris White. Chris has played and recorded with a host of artists including Paul McCartney, Aztec Camera, Robbie Williams, Joe Cocker and Mark Knopfler, and, of course, Dire Straits; his work with the band includes two World Tours and the " On Every Street " and " On The Night " albums.

And this is our guitarist Adam Phillips. Switch on your radio for half an hour and there's a very good chance you'll hear Adam, because he's the UK's top session guitar player. Top guitar player, top bloke. We love him!

And this is Mick Feat, our totally fab bass player. Mick's career includes working as a session man for Island Records,, and he's since gone on to work with artits like Art Garfunkel, David Gilmour, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Tina Turner and Justin Haywood, while also forging a career as a composer and singer. But what I find particularly fascinating about Mick is the way he can put his right hand on his right shoulder and still continue to smile.

Et moi...