MEMBERS of rock band Dire Straits are set to reform – with a gig in the North East on the cards.

Chester-le-Street-born Alan Clark, Phil Palmer, Chris White and their backing band associates will be making a stop at Newcastle City Hall some time in early October.

Formed out of “the substantial demand to hear the band’s much loved catalogue of great songs”, The Straits, as they have christened themselves, have already played a couple of charity gigs, one at the Royal Albert Hall in London in aid of the Lord Taverners, which was preceded by a more intimate affair at Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s London club.

The setlist included a number of Dire Straits classics, including Money For Nothing and Sultans of Swing. Although the band is without original Dire Straits’ lead singer Mark Knopfler, The Straits have recruited Terence Reis to take on frontman duties.

Also in the line-up is 24-year-old Jamie Squire, from Stocksfield, Northumberland.

A talented keyboard player and singer/songwriter, Jamie has been building a reputation on the region’s music scene for many years, and has been signed up to play with The Straits on tour.

The band is booked to play festivals in Switzerland, Austria and Oxfordshire and will announce an autumn tour soon.