Mark Knopfler tour ‘gets lucky’ with 2010 concert plans

Dire Straits may be defunct but the British rock band’s frontman Mark Knopfler plays on. With the recent release of his sixth solo album, “Get Lucky,” the master musician now has plans to showcase hit tunes — new and old — around the globe.

The acclaimed guitarist’s Get Lucky World Tour launches in North America next spring with a 25-city leg of dates. Opening night is April 8 at Moore Theatre in Seattle, WA, with more national gigs slated through May 7 at Tower Theater in Upper Darby, PA.

Highlights of the four-week trek include performances on April 13 at Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA; April 16 at Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, CA; April 23 at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL; May 2 at Warner Theatre in Washington, DC; and May 6 at United Palace in New York, NY.

A total of three Canadian concert dates are also inked for the spring outing. Those shows fall on April 9 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, BC; April 29 at Massey Hall in Toronto, ON; and April 30 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal, QC.

After completing his commitments in the U.S. and Canada, Knopfler will head overseas for an extensive European trek. His international calendar begins May 19 at The 02 in Dublin, IRE, and wraps up July 31 at Festival Musicos en la Naturaleza in Gredos, SPA.

“It’s like being captain of a little fighting ship really, and I enjoy the team thing of being on the road, I enjoy being with the crew,” Knopfler said in a statement on his official Web site. “I suppose one of the reasons I like it so much is that I know it’s not going to be a year-long thing.”

Knopfler already has his fair share of tours under his belt, both on his own and with Dire Straits, which was active from the late 1970s through the mid-’90s. In 2006, he wrapped a brief but successful tour with Emmylou Harris, who also collaborated with him on that year’s acclaimed album “All the Roadrunning.”

Mark Knopfler itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)