Welcome to my world
I got to see Depeche Mode on Friday night. And it was awesome.
Back before the tickets went on sale, my sister talked Stu and I into going, meeting up with her for the show. We had planned to have my folks watch the girls while we took a train in for the show. Stu woke up Friday morning with the tail end of a migraine. Gah! Although he was better by the time we needed to go, he still had some remnants, including a sensitivity to light and sounds that forced him to stay home. I was torn. I didn’t want to go without him, we were so looking forward to the show, leaving the kids with my folks, enjoying the evening out. I also didn’t want to miss out on a band I’ve loved for just about as long as they’ve been together. It was also an expensive concert.
The draw was too strong, and I ended up going. Alone on the train, until Grand Central when I met up with my sister and a friend of hers who at the last minute was able to buy Stu’s ticket from us, so at least we didn’t loose out on the money.
They opened with “Welcome to My World” and “Angel” from their new album. Not bad songs, though I do prefer their music prior to Exciter, though the next two have some great songs.
Next was “Walking in my Shoes,” “Precious,” “Black Celebration,” and “Policy of Truth.” Fantastic! Amazing. Dave Gahan was prancing over the stage. Full of flamboyant energy. I was getting flashbacks to Freddie Mercury all through the concert. Two newer, strong-beating songs, then a change of pace for “The Child Inside” and an acoustic version of “But Not Tonight.” So surprising to have them include that in the show, one of my favorites, even in the original version. But the way Martin Gore sang it, with no backing electronics, was haunting.
They followed with “Heaven” and “Soothe My Soul,” “A Pain That I’m Used To,” and then played another song from Black Celebration, “A Question of Time.” Lovely. Next up were some Violator songs, “Enjoy the Silence” and “Personal Jesus.” My phone was dying and full, so I only have a snippet of “Silence,” but thankfully have more of “Question of Time” and almost all of “Personal Jesus,” which they started at a stutteringly slow pace, teasing the audience, before picking up the pace and belting it out.
They ended there, but came out for an encore, which included “Home,” “Halo,” and my all time favorite “Just Can’t Get Enough.” I used that song as my ring tone for years. My video of that is a bit bouncy, it’s hard to tape while you’re jumping up and down! The entire arena was singing and dancing along.
Yes, that is my sister dah dah dah dah dah dah’ing along in the beginning.
The last two songs were a new one (“I Feel You”) and an old one (“Never Let Me Down”). I’m so glad they mixed in the old with the new. I wish our seats were a bit closer, but they weren’t bad, just right of center stage, no one in front of us.
An amazing show.
No, wait. It sucked. Big time. We’ll just have to go see them again, to be sure they really are that bad. ;)
Whatever! 