Mark Knopfler, one of the most critically and commercially successful artists of all time, has announced a world tour with his band that will stop at The O2 on Tuesday 28 May 2019.

Knopfler, who will release his ninth solo studio album ‘Down The Road Wherever’ on 16 November, has always viewed touring as an integral part of the process of releasing an album, going from songwriting through recording and ending up on the road performing old and new songs.

Says Mark: ‘My songs are made to be performed live. I love the whole process of writing them alone and then recording them with the band, but ultimately the best part is playing them to an audience live. I enjoy the whole circus, travelling from town to town and interacting with this group of players is a total pleasure. I’m really looking forward to it.’

Knopfler, who recorded ‘Down The Road Wherever’ in his west London studio, British Grove, will be performing on tour with an expanded ten-piece band most of whom have been working with him for more than two decades. The tour will see Mark and the band play a selection of new songs, mixed in with some well-known nuggets from his extraordinary back catalogue and one or two surprises from the far flung corners of his repertoire.

Hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Mark Knopfler has sold in excess of 120 million albums across his Dire Straits and solo career, and many of his songs have become standards, including ‘Money For Nothing’, ‘Sultans Of Swing’, ‘Romeo & Juliet’ and ‘Walk Of Life’. He has released eight solo albums as well as recording ‘Neck And Neck’ with guitar great Chet Atkins, and collaborated with Emmylou Harris on ‘All The Roadrunning’.  He has created several film soundtracks, including ‘Local Hero’,  ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘Altamira’. In addition to producing his own records Knopfler has also produced albums for Bob Dylan and Randy Newman amongst others. Knopfler was made an OBE in 1999 and was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ivor Novellos in 2012.