Mark Knopfler will launch an eleven-date tour of North America starting April 23rd in Boston. The former Dire Straits frontman will be supporting his second solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia, his first album in five years.

Knopfler will be backed by latter-era Straits keyboardist and Notting Hillbilly Guy Fletcher, Nick Lowe sideman Geraint Watkins (also on keys) and a quartet of Nashville session vets: Glenn Worf (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums) and Richard Bennett and Mike Henderson (guitars).

"We've got a lot of multi-instrumentalists, and we can do a lot," Knopfler says of the tour which he says will draw heavily from the new album. "It's just a nice big palette to work with. Of the seven people out on stage, six will be able to play guitar. It'll be good fun."

Mark Knopfler tour dates:

4/23: Boston, Orpheum Theater
4/24, Wallingford, CT, Oakdale Theater
4/25: Washington, Constitution Hall
4/27: Philadelphia, Tower Theater
4/28: Newark, NJ, NJ Performing Arts Center
4/29: New York, Beacon Theater
5/2: Ottawa, Wordperfect Theater
5/3: Toronto, Massey Hall
5/4: Detroit, Fox Theater
5/7: Milwaukee, Riverside Theater
5/15: Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Theater

ANDREW DANSBY
(February 14, 2001)