Depeche Mode's Sounds Rock NYC
by: Allyson Yates (staff writer)
Depeche Mode’s Tour of the Universe made a stop at Madison Square Garden on August 3rd and rocked the sold-out house to its core. The excitement could be felt hours before the band took the stage. As the main lobby played their greatest hits through the speakers, fans were singing and donning their newly bought t-shirts while waiting for the doors to open. When walking through the gate to get to the seats, I knew that this wasn’t going to be just another concert. It was going to be an experience I’ll never forget.
As the crowd waited in anticipation, the disco ball like LCD screen flashed the letters “DM” around and around, getting the crowed psyched for the band. When the arena went dark at 8:57pm, fans got on their feet awaiting the Mode men to take the stage, as the introduction of the opening song, “In Chains,” played on.
The members of Depeche Mode always had an interesting dynamic between them when they appeared on stage. You first have guitarist/keyboardist/primary songwriter Martin Gore. Quietly bold, wearing a silver suit reminiscent of Gary Glitter in the 70’s, and going through about eight different guitar changes throughout the show (different colors; different shapes, etc.) Then there is keyboardist Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher, standing calmly behind his keyboard, conservatively dressed in a leather jacket, t-shirt and jeans. This same casual look was also the case for live drummer Christian Eigner and keyboardist Peter Gordeno. And then there’s lead singer/secondary songwriter Dave Gahan. Looking very classy in a black suit jacket, vest and slacks; showing off his Mick Jagger/David Bowie like moves; the ultimate front man. He is one of, if not the, best front men in the business. Despite his cancer scare and surgery back in May, he showed the crowd that he still had it at 47 years of age. Since this is where Gahan has lived for the last few years, during the show he proclaimed that “it was good to be home.”
As the night went on, they dipped into their back catalog of hits (“Policy of Truth,” “Fly on the Windscreen,” “Enjoy The Silence,” “A Question of Time,” “I Feel You”), as well as songs from their latest album Sounds of the Universe (“Wrong,” “Little Soul,” “Come Back,” “Hole To Feed,” “In Chains”). No matter where you sat in the place, you could feel the energy all around. Gahan’s voice was as amazing as ever, as were Gore’s harmonies. During “Never Let Me Down Again,” the entire crowd followed Gahan’s lead as he waved his arms in the air. The entire crowd looked like a field of grain swaying in the wind. When you are at a Depeche Mode show, that is the moment that you wait for the entire night; just to be a part of that wave. To just see it on one of their tour DVD’s doesn’t do the moment justice. It is just magical to see it in person and be a part of it. For the encores, they went back to the 80’s with “Stripped,” “Personal Jesus,” “Master and Servant” and “Strangelove” (the latter songs haven’t been played since their World Violation tour in 1990).
They finally ended the evening with one of their slower songs: “Waiting For The Night” from 1990’s Violator. To end a show with such a song wouldn’t usually be the norm for Depeche, but after experimenting with ending shows on their Touring The Angel tour in 2005 with “Goodnight Lovers” (from 2001’s Exciter), they can make it work. You could have heard a pin drop as Gahan and Gore took center stage for this duet, with the exception of the handful of fans singing along. When the song was over and everyone on stage took their bows, no one wanted them to leave. But with Gahan’s usual goodbye, “We’ll see you next time,” the fans know that they will come back on their next tour and put on another phenomenal show for the New York fans.
© Allyson Yates, 2009
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