This concert should’ve been called Dave Gahan, the stripper Elvis and his pelvis. This was my first impression of the show. The second one – this concert was a little bit lighter in energy than the one in 2006.
FOX opened the show, with an hour-long of weird music. The lead singer tried to be everything from Debbie Harry to Lady Gaga, with little success. Her voice was good enough for a rock band, but not this mashup of things.
After FOX finished doing their thing (whatever that was), there was a little break before Depeche Mode entered the stage.
On time, as always (to prove that they’re pros), Depeche Mode engaged in full-blown awesomeness with Welcome To My World.
Dave Gahan manages to do what he knows best: he makes the audience his bitch. His energy fills up the stadium and more and his voice moves the great mass of people like a wave, a single organism.
With a balanced setlist, Depeche Mode brings out the best in Delta Machine, while not forgetting old favorites. Black Celebration and Precious, Barrel of a Gun and Soothe My Soul, Enjoy the Silence and Heaven, everything blends in perfectly, alternating Dave’s voice and hips with Martin’s sensibility.
A few observations:
What’s with the shambala bracelets lately? Even Martin wore one, and I must say I dislike them even more now. They are feminine on men and not feminine enough on women.
Dave owns the crowd through Black Celebration. For a slow track, everyone seemed so full of energy, it was amazing. Especially considering the fact that they didn’t sing that one live since 2001.
Dave also makes the perfect ballerina on Policy of Truth, one of my favorite songs. He’s a god, just like Elvis was, making the people go wild, men and women alike.
The visuals for The Child Inside made Martin look like Nightcrawler. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing!
The biggest disappointment (for me) was A Pain That I’m Used To. Back in 2006, they started the show with this one and it totally took me by surprise. It also blew me a away. Being my favorite Depeche Mode song (then, as is now), I had high expectations. In 2006, they were met. In 2013, not so much. They chose to do a remix of the song (‘Jacques Lu Cont’s Remix version), a slower version of it. I’m not big with the remixes and all and this one ruined a perfectly good song. Where is my sex song, I ask you? Well, I don’t know, I didn’t got my sex song last night.
The classics Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus rocked the joint. There’s nothing I can say of these two, except they’re perfect. Enjoy the Silence is their signature song, after all, and you recognize it the second it starts. Personal Jesus is also one of my favorites, being covered by Marilyn Manson (one of the few covers I really-really like), so to me there was no surprise seeing the people moving and singing as one person with Dave.
For the encore, Martin came back with Home, which I declared „my new favorite song”. He transports you to his world when he sings and even though, at times, I find him a better singer than Dave, I like him in small portions. Strong essences are kept in small bottles or, in his case, emotions and thoughts are better shown rarely, for you to appreciate and understand them. I especially enjoyed the recognition the public had shown Martin, applauding his genius and his soul bared in front of us. He deserved it, that and much more.
Just Can’t Get Enough took us back to the 80s. And oh, man, we loved the 80s! Everyone was dancing, everyone was happy and free.
I remember thinking that, for the visuals on I Feel You, they took Ciara and made her dance. The figure behind Dave was funky and raw, and Dave was raw too.
I really loved the visuals. Anton Corbijn did a really good job with those, as usual.
Two hours of my life filled with music and energy. Two hourse when you can chose to listen to the lyrics or you can chose to dance like Dave. Two perfect little hours. And I am speachless again when it comes to Depeche Mode.
Personal pic, Enjoy the Silence pictured, credit GM.
