The low point of the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was undoubtedly the Dire Straits segment. It was the culmination of what must have been a messy behind-the-scenes drama.

Soon after the inductees were announced, it became clear that Mark Knopfler was not particularly interested in the honor. He didn’t provide the usual interviews to Rolling Stone or the Plain Dealer, and there was virtual radio silence from the band’s camp in the months to follow. In late March, keyboardist Guy Fletcher responded to a comment on his website saying there would be no performance at the Induction Ceremony and there would only be a video presentation. A week later, word started to trickle out that David Knopfler had decided not to come to Cleveland after being told the Rock Hall would “only pay certain expenses after telling him it was all covered,” and that Mark Knopfler wasn’t coming either. The iciness continued when the Rock Hall announced the list of presenters for the ceremony and there was barely a mention of Dire Straits.

At the induction ceremony, the Dire Straits induction segment started off in typical fashion with well-produced video showing old footage of the band during their heyday, but then instead of introducing the presenter, the announcer simply introduced the band members who showed up: John Illsley, Guy Fletcher and Alan Clarke. Illsley then awkwardly inducted the band himself:

In the absence of someone here to induct Dire Straits into the 2018 Hall of Fame. As a founding member, I felt perhaps I might be the best qualified one to do this. [puzzled applause] It’s a bit weird, but there we are, life’s strange...

So, I know it’s a bit odd, but it is my honor to welcome Dire Straits into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Illsely then introduced Guy Fletcher and Alan Clarke before returning to give his own acceptance speech. There was no live performance of their music.

According to an interview, he mentioned it to the person that runs the Hall to be the one doing it as a joke, however, the person responded by asking if he wanted to and that's why he actually did it.

— Nathan Miller (@NathanMiller88) April 15, 2018

In the 32 Induction Ceremonies leading up to this, lots of artists have been no-shows, but every single inductee has had a presenter. For the Rock Hall to spitefully take that away from one of their own honorees is shameful. Can artists be difficult? Of course. But three Dire Straits members did show up and should have been given the respect they deserved. It’s not just an insult to the band, but also to the fans as well.

The Dire Straits portion of the 2018 inductee exhibit is also an example of the Rock Hall doing the bare minimum. Granted, they don’t have control over whether or not the artists provide them instruments or clothes, but the exhibit looked pretty sad -- a fan’s tour jacket, some albums (still in plastic) and an accordion.

Today’s exhibit guide at the @rockhall is dripping with irony since Knopfler is just blowing off the event tonight. Also the Dire Straits portion of the exhibit is noticeably thin. pic.twitter.com/5acqcKoqS6

— Jonathan Hopwood (@jonathanhopwood) April 14, 2018

Update: Billboard reports some additional information about the Dire Straits situation:

Dire Straits John Illsley decided to handle the band’s induction speech himself on Saturday morning, when it became apparent the Rock Hall hasn’t found anybody to do it that night (Keith Urban and Neil Young were reportedly approached but declined). “We didn’t have anybody to induct us for all sorts of reasons.,” Illsley said in the press room, “so I said, ‘Would it be crazy if I did it?’ And (producer Alex Colleti) said, ‘What a great idea.’ I sort of wrote it about 15 minutes before we came down, so that why I had to read it out, because I couldn’t remember what I had written down.”

There’s also this report that the Rock Hall turned down Robbie Robertson’s offer to induct them after the other choices had fallen through:

There was a journalist on @siriusxmvolume Friday who said Keith Urban was going to cancel a show to do the induction but once he found out Mark Knopfler wasn't coming, he backed out. Also said Robbie Robertson was willing but the @rockhall said were just doing a video.

— Greg P. (@GregP821) April 17, 2018

Update 2: A rep for Keith Urban denies the story.