LIVE REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE, DTE ENERGY MUSIC THEATRE, DETROIT, 27 AUGUST 2017

Today's review is provided by Sangeeta Rao from Washington DC and she is seemingly currently on a mission to see Depeche Mode as many times as she can on this tour. For example, as I type I've just been looking at her videos from last night's Madison Square Garden gig. It's starting to make me rather jealous. Anyway, this review of the Detroit gig is a cracker - enjoy and thanks Sangeeta.

Detroit, August 27, 2017 – Sangeeta Rao

It was one month prior on Sunday, July 30th, and I was at home doing the usual Sunday evening activities such as laundry and gearing up for Game of Thrones that night. I see that my friend Shannon from Miami is calling me on the phone ; (she and I used to be roommates when we lived in New York). After pleasantries, she proposes an idea. 

“Since I’m going to be out of town when Depeche comes to Miami, how do you feel about going to Detroit?” 

I respond “What’s in Detroit?” 

“Depeche is playing there, and I can get a cheap ticket to Detroit. Looks like concert tickets are still available. I’ve been wanting to go there since they’re kind of going through a renaissance and becoming a foodie city”. 

“Well, I am already going to a few shows; I can’t justify another one”. 

“Come on Sangeeta! We always see DM together, and I will feel terrible if I miss this tour!” 

I, then of course look at my calendar, and it just so happens that I’m free that weekend. I am in Baltimore on Friday, August 25 for a sales meeting, and conveniently, the cheapest flights to Detroit are from Baltimore. Short of the version of the story….I’m easily persuaded. We book our flights. She buys the concert tickets, and I book the hotel. Andy crazily my flight was cheaper than the damn concert ticket!! 

We plan to meet Keri, a mutual friend who used to live in New York and who was also attending the show. Her first show was Music for the Masses, and Shannon’s was World Violation. We arrive at DTE Energy Music Theatre a little late, and DM has already started playing!! I’m hauling ass walking like a mad woman to get to our seats! This was the first show that I could actually see something because I could barely see anything in London at the Olympic Stadium, so I didn’t want to miss the intro. We had decent seats, dead center in the middle section; the venue was an outdoor amphitheater with a lawn. The venue was packed, and there was not a speck of green on the lawn. The capacity is about 16k. I’m so excited at this point because I can actually see and not have to watch it on a big screen! This was my first US show on this tour, so of course, I’m very much hoping for a setlist change. They sounded great, and Dave was really into it! You don’t often hear Dave say something about cities on tour, other than “Good Evening [insert city]!” and usually Berlin, since they’re the Black Swarm and Germans LOVE their DM! That’s another story for another time, LOL!

However, he kept saying the city name, and at the end of a song (forgot which), he said “DETROIT, YOU’RE THE BEST!!” I have never heard him say that about any city over the 25 years I’ve been seeing them live. 

As the night progresses, I look over to my right, and I see a father and his son. The boy was approximately 8-10 years old, and this kid was rocking and banging his head as if he was at a heavy metal concert. He was motioning his hands as if he was playing the drums. I was so happy to see this kid having the time of his life and enjoying a great show. It made me smile. 

Unfortunately, there were no setlist changes…shocking <<< sarcasm. It IS a great setlist indeed, but it’s safe to say that every song exclusive of the new ones, the majority of us fans have heard live already. I really felt it was The Singles Tour plus Spirit. Corrupt is a fave of mine, but I’m not sure it works so well live. I’m not going to go into setlist details since it’s barely changed throughout this tour. 

Overall, it was a wonderful night with perfect weather! I’m glad Shannon got to see them, and it was great to see Keri again. 

Side note: As much as I wanted to post pics on facebook that night, I tried to avoid it because it was the SAME night as the Game of Thrones finale. I didn’t want to read/see any spoilers!

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Thanks Sangeeta!

LIVE REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE, BELL CENTRE, MONTREAL, 5 SEPTEMBER 2017

This review sums up exactly why I started doing this project last May. I wanted to capture the essence of a Depeche Mode tour, not only so that fans could revel in reading about fellow Devotees' experiences but also so that people who aren't hardcore fans could get an idea of what following the band around for a tour means to people. Amanda Chaffeee who runs the superb And Then blog, is the perfect person to tell the type of story I want people to tell and this review is one you are all going to love. Fans of Dave - get ready to get jealous towards the end....

As I write this, I'm sitting on my plane, and then in a taxi, on my way to New York. Where do I even start to process such an incredible night? Montreal was my second show of the North American leg, with the same setlist as my first show in Montreal. I thought Toronto was a fantastic show, but Montreal was even better. 

The VIP pre-show experience was slightly different than Toronto. Where Toronto had catered curry chicken, rice and stir fry veggies, Montreal had snacks and appetizers. Popcorn, veggie chips, sliders shrimp spring rolls, etc. available in a nice, small restaurant/bar setting. The "Spirit" photo backdrop was conveniently placed in the middle of the room for photo ops. Curiously, the bar allowed us to redeem our drink tickets for basic cocktails, instead of just wine and beer like previous VIP experiences. Score! My friends and I definitely took advantage of the rum and cokes! 

The show was packed, and security provided all the front row ticket-holders with purple wristbands – then enforced them. Anyone without one was kicked out of the area between us and our seats, so we had lots of room to dance and jump around. 

When the lights went down and the band began their entrance, the sheer volume of the crowd's cheers took me a bit by surprise. This was an arena ready to party. The band, hot off the heels of an electric crowd in Toronto, was also in high spirits. Dave was in a cheerful and cheeky mood – a couple times he buzzed his hands over Martin's head as he ran by, like a child playing imaginary airplanes. He even goofed off with Fletch, bouncing around and gesturing in front of his keyboards trying to make him laugh.

Amanda gets into the Spirit of things (sorry)

For the first few songs I kept thinking just how incredibly lucky I was and amazing it was to be so close to the band. The stage was slightly lower and we had more centred seats, so there was a greater feeling of intimacy than Toronto. Of course, Dave found his favourite fans along the ranks in front row and gave them lots of love, singing select lines from Corrupt, Walking in My Shoes (WIMS) and others just to them. During the Detroit and Toronto shows, Dave picked out my friend, Tara, in the crowd and extended the mic stand as far as he could to sing the last lines of WIMS and Enjoy The Silence. He did the same in Montreal, inviting those of us next to her to share the love. We made funny faces at each other during Never Let Me Down Again (NLMDA), and there were also his classic finger points and crotch grabs, saying hello to various others in the crowd. But the focus wasn't just on us – as always, he carefully balanced his performance, making sure his energy could be felt from the front row to the very last, highest seat in the arena.

We couldn't resist the pulsing beats of So Much Love and A Pain That I'm Used To, which turned us into hyper jumping beans. Unfortunately most people in the North American crowds aren't as into jumping and dancing, so we were our own little cyclone of fun. That's not to say the crowd was tame – quite the opposite. Cheers for the opening lines of WIME we're deafening. Fans responded well to the audience participation for songs like So Much Love, Cover Me, and Poison Heart, which I wasn't sure would take off here as well as Europe. 

Martin's performances were as strong as ever, with him starting out serenely in the middle of the stage, and breaking out into his hops, skips and cross-stage dashes for Home. The crowd started out quiet but quickly picked up on the sing-a-long after the song, after hearing hundreds of others. I could hear the audience singing every word of A Question Of Lust at nearly the same volume as Martin, which was impressive.

The sound was great for most of the show, but the bass in I Feel You was so low and loud that I could feel it vibrating my innards, and my arm hairs felt like they were blowing in the wind! I had to plug my ears. No idea what happened there but it was disturbingly loud.

During most of last half of the show, I was fanning myself with a paper hand fan (Dragonball Z merch, like a proper nerd) because I couldn't stop sweating. My heat tolerance has been crap for the last few months for medical reasons, and with all the dancing I was sweating like crazy. I kept thinking to myself if the band could see me, if they wondered why there was this dork in front row with a fan. Was it that hot down there? I wondered, “How funny would it be if Dave noticed and threw me his towel?" But I never thought he actually would! He swung it around over his head as he does, walking around the stage, then stopped in the center and bent back, lobbing it upward with a soft arc over the pit, right into my hands. Sweet!!

Amanda and towel

Throughout the performance, I kept returning to this feeling of gratefulness and awe, taking internal pause while my external presence was anything but. Watching this band consistently pour their souls into shows, continue to make emotionally moving music, and share themselves with an ugly and sometimes ungrateful world – 37 years of blood, sweat and tears for us. How lucky are we that we're all here to celebrate the best music in the world together? To be able to escape the hellscape of real life for just a few hours, and let all our feelings and energies out like some sort of existential exorcism? Six shows in, "Heroes" still makes me cry, and I have to fight it on Walking In My Shoes, Home, Poison Heart and Cover Me (I frequently lose). I've seen DM 28 times now over five tours, and when people ask me how I could possibly be interested in seeing the same band more than once in the same tour, this is why. While the intensity may change, that magic never goes away, and no two shows are exactly the same. 

Hours after the show, a convergence of circumstances lead to us meeting Dave, but it wasn't just a random run-in... he approached us because he recognised us, especially Tara – whom he called his "singing girl” and gave a big hug. He chatted with us for a good 10-15 minutes, like we were old friends. Nobody asked for pictures and autographs – we didn't even think of it. It was just a natural, genuine conversation. He seems larger than life on stage, and at times we tend to see the members of DM as god-like. However, one to one he exuded nothing but calm and friendliness. His energy was exactly as I remember him when we met the first time, 10 years ago next month. I am so incredibly fortunate to have done either. Dave isn't just the singer of Depeche Mode to me – he's an inspiration and someone I deeply admire on a number of levels.

As we look on to our upcoming shows in North America, we are staring into the eye of Hurricane Irma. It will make landfall Sunday, three days before the Tampa show. There's a real threat the Florida shows may not happen, but I am still feeling incredibly grateful for the experiences I have had this tour so far, and Montreal was certainly one of the most memorable. I hope for the people of Florida that by some miracle, the hurricane damage is less than expected, and maybe they can have some reprieve with their heroes... just for one day. Stay safe out there, Floridian fans, and I hope to see you soon for a review of the Miami show!

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Thanks Amanda!

LIVE REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE, HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE, CHICAGO, 30 AUGUST 2017

This review was written by Jenny Wilson Siklos from Madison, Wisconsin who is a long time Depeche fan and was chosen to be one of the band's Facebook Takeoverees this year. Jenny's written a great piece, capturing how much she loved the gig.The photos are all hers except where otherwise credited. Enjoy!

Picture courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

I have written before about how Depeche Mode had been my personal holy grail of concerts. Having loved this band for over 30 years, I had still not had the chance to see them. Tours tended to come through our town in the summers, while I was usually away, or doing something else, like travelling, or, later, having babies, meaning years of frustration. That all came to an end this week, when I finally got to see my favourite band of all time, with my dear friend Melissa and my eldest son, Oszkár. 

We arrived just as Warpaint were finishing their last few songs… I’m sad that we were stuck in the mess of getting into the venue and missed most of their set, they appear to be a great band. 

The anticipation I was feeling, the relief, at finally being there, was overwhelming. I was happy to have The Beatles’ Revolution start playing to almost give me a breather to gather my thoughts before the band arrived. I was in a state of extreme excitement… I hadn’t seen Dave, Martin, and Fletch in person (though I had met Alan Wilder years earlier), and it was such a thrill. Finally, there was Dave, my favourite living singer in the flesh.

The elevated catwalk that ran the length of the main stage video screens allowed Dave to dance and play with his silhouette against the backdrop of the modern art imagery in Going Backwards and other songs… it was a lovely effect that I hadn’t seen done for quite some time… (perhaps during one of the U2 tours?) 

They went on to rip through dramatic renditions of Barrel Of A Gun, A Pain That I’m Used To, and then surprised me with Corrupt, which is about the sexiest song I’ve ever heard in my life. But it was when In Your Room landed, that I lost it a bit. The incredible visual of a woman on a sofa, invited to dance with a partner that enters the room, distracted me at first. But then, the orchestral depth of the song, the dramatic layering, the lust and longing, the memories of how that song has soothed me, in the dark, in the low moments of my 20s, I began to cry with a deep gratitude. There I was, with my son and my friend, sharing in this joyful moment of the music I love so very dearly. That was the moment I had hoped for… one that I will never, ever forget. 

Picture courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

The visuals for this show were lovely from the beginning. From marching boots, to a beautiful modern art backdrop that morphed in and out of live shots from the show and audience to videos of Dave and short art films, the visuals were stunning and no doubt added greatly to the experience of those in the back. Another incredible moment of visuals and music was Cover Me, when Dave is an astronaut. The song, an atmospheric song that conjures up the big skies at night, plays beautifully live. To me, it is the best moment on Spirit.

Picture courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

Martin’s moments in A Question Of Lust, Home, and Somebody, were absolutely lovely. As my personal focus is so heavily on Dave and his vocals, I regularly fail to appreciate what a great and unusual singer Martin is (I am, always, aware of Martin’s wonderful songwriting abilities, of course). It was such a pleasure to hear him in these quieter moments, which, surprisingly for me, were some of the most special of the evening. 

Stripped is probably my favourite song by Depeche Mode. When they did it, they chose to focus just on the song, with a bare bones visual backdrop of painted stripes. I was very glad for it, as it allowed us to focus on our own vocals, which Dave encouraged right away. Hearing the crowd sing the lyrics so knowingly was such a treat. As it is a much older, lesser known song, I wasn’t sure how many in the crowd would know the words. The ability to sing the words is always an insight into just how much a song means to an audience, and it’s always so heartening when it’s one that was never on mainstream radio, and full of such dark themes and longings. In a weird way, it gave me a great deal of hope, as if we were all in on the same beautiful secret.

Another wonderful moment that moved me deeply was their cover of David Bowie’s "Heroes". Like many fans, I know that David was both Dave and Martin’s personal hero. This is true of so many alternative artists. For me, David Bowie is beyond a rock star… he is a cultural and heritage icon, an artist of the purest intent and in the truest sense, who by all reports had a delightful sense of humor even up to the end. I have so enjoyed all the beautiful tributes from so many musicians that have come in the wake of Bowie’s death. I love moments of respect between generations and influences in all of the arts, but especially in music, where the connections are so visceral. I was especially touched by Dave taking on some of Bowie’s signature stage moves… 

This show was an absolute joy to experience. The very best aspect of it for me, as I had expected, was the stage presence of Dave Gahan. I can’t think of another front man (other than Jagger) that has had this much fun, for this long, on stage. He looked happy, relaxed, and into their music. He danced, frolicked, played, seduced, and did it all in over-the-top, rock and roll style. Though alternative music is my thing, it is far too often taken much too seriously by the bands who play it. How utterly refreshing to see a lead singer have so such damn good fun on stage. Thank you, gentlemen, for an unforgettable evening!

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Thanks very much Jenny!

LIVE REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE, PEPSI CENTRE, DENVER, 25 AUGUST 2017

This review comes courtesy of Stephanie Koren who very kindly got in touch with me after I posted on her Depeche Mode Denver fanpage on Facebook. As you'll discover when you read this great review, Stephanie is already in love with this Depeche tour (who isn't?) and she has numerous other gigs lined up. She'll be rejoining the blog in October for the Portland show too. Thanks very much to Stephanie for the review, pictures and videos. Enjoy everyone - I guarantee that you will

Depeche Mode Global Spirit tour in Denver 25 August 2017

It has been two days since Depeche Mode’s return to Denver after leaving us out for the Delta Machine tour, and I am still thoroughly drunk on DM. Having attended the Salt Lake City show two days prior (right at the front!), I knew what to expect and had mostly eliminated my star struck anxiety that always accompanies me to see these guys still after all of these years. However there is something to be said for seeing your absolute favourite band in your home town. We were seated on the very right of the left section of the floor in row 6 (DM management hooked me up with these after the pre-sale shenanigans), almost directly across from Martin, exactly where we wanted to be.

Stephanie (left)

And my god, they did not disappoint. As “Revolution” started and the DM feet trekked across the screen we started preparing, and Mart and Fletch, Peter and Christian walked on to loud cheers. Followed, of course, by the man, Mr. Dave Gahan, waltzing along to the start of Going Backwards. And in Heaven we were.

Somehow, the 6th row seats seemed better than being right up against the barricade in front of the stage at the Salt Lake City show. The stage at the Pepsi Center was not as tall and I was almost eye level with MLG. Swoon. The Denver crowd was much more into it than the Salt Lake crowd was, I could mostly tell by the way the band reacted and the energy throughout the stadium. It was just – different. It was like a reciprocal admiration you could feel in the air. Amazing.

Dave continued the evening with moves particularly more frisky than two nights prior. To each end of the stage he sashayed, all the while the crowd cheering him on.

At one point, as I was dancing with my hands in the air, I assume Dave spotted my rather prominent Violator rose tattoo on my wrist/inner arm and he smiled big and pointed right at me as if saying “niiiice!”. I could have died there.

Home, as always, brought goose bumps and smiles galore from Martin as he skipped his way back to Gore side of the stage and beamed for the crowd cheering “we love you!”

When it was time for Everything Counts it seems there was a bit of a keyboard malfunction and Martin had trouble getting the notes to play – at one time throwing his hands up halfway, but it all worked out and he got it to come back. As Dave hypnotized the crowd to sing “the grabbing hands grab all they can, everything counts in large amounts” again and again I noticed Martin, again grinning, as if wondering when we would stop and Dave would return from the catwalk. I could have gone on and on.

As the chords to Enjoy The Silence began I realised we were almost at encore and my heart sunk, but the crowd was electric and when the boys left the stage the cheers and lights were abundant as we awaited their return.

And as Martin started lulling us with Somebody we collectively melted. When he wrapped up the masterpiece with his slow “ohhhhhhh” the audience grew excited and could not hold their applause. This produced a huge grin on MLG as he bellowed the last beautiful note. Ahhhhh.

I did not see smiles like this in the previous show, another clue that the Denver audience was on their game for the boys, it had been 8 years after all.

As Dave began his tribute to the late David Bowie with “Heroes” a hush came across the audience. Perfection.

Although the set list bore no surprises, this hardcode devotee was not disappointed. They wrapped up the show with none other than Personal Jesus and we all sang out hearts out along with the boys.

As the final notes played I could have cried, but I cheered and screamed along with the entire arena. Dave exclaimed “we’ll see you next time!” and all was right in the world. 

They all lingered on the stage, waving and making sure to engage each corner of the audience as the deafening cheers continued. This lasted easily three times longer here than in Salt Lake City. It was apparent that they felt the love. We definitely did too.

Until October 18 in Hollywood, and October 23 in Portland where we get to meet the band, I will be remembering this show as the best ever.

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Thanks Steph! What a wonderful review.

LIVE REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE USANA AMPHITHEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY 23 AUGUST 2017

And we're back. On 23 August, Depeche Mode started the second leg of the Global Spirit Tour in Salt Lake City. They're on the road in North America until October 27 and once again, the blog aims to get you a review of every gig, written by a fan who was there. I still need reviewers for Austin (Sept 20), Dallas (Sept 22), Houston (Sept 24), Phoenix (Sept 27), Seattle (Oct 21) and Vancouver (Oct 25) so if you fancy that, let me know. I appreciate that at the time of writing people in Houston have much bigger issues on their mind however. I do hope that anyone from Houston and all affected areas who reads the blog is safe and well. 

Back to the tour then. Roger Erikcson from St. George, Utah was at the Salt Lake City gig and this is his wonderful review. Thanks so much Roger. Thanks too to the chaps at Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group for letting me once again run riot. Enjoy!

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

The Global Spirit Tour kicked off its second leg tonight in Salt Lake City. After some tricky and quite frankly dodgy directions from Google, we arrived at the USANA Amphitheater after a 5-hour car ride. Arriving at the venue we quickly parked close to the entrance to do our best to ensure a quick exit after the show. Walking up to the venue we saw a mass of people waiting at the front gate for the venue to open. The USANA Amphitheater is nestled on the outskirts of the Salt Lake Valley. The Venue is a mix of seated areas with a large lawn area in the back to accommodate general admission audience. The temperature in the sun was in the upper 80’s lower 90’s when we arrived to the gate. After a quick security check we were ushered in. We made the requisite stop at the merchandise kiosk to purchase a t-shirt and then we made our way down to our seats. We approached the area we were to be sitting in we suddenly realized that due to the unique way the venue had arranged seating we ended up on the front row. We passed the time before the opening band ,sitting in the shade and admiring the various t-shirts from the many prior tours of Depeche. It became very clear that this was a venue filled with true Depeche mode fans. 

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

At 7:30 the opening band Warpaint to the stage. I wish I could give more in depth review of them but I was not familiar with their catalog or sound and so their set came and went without much notice from me. They were far from the worst opening band I have ever seen and had a unique sound but due to my lack of knowledge of their song titles their set came and went as we awaited the main act. 

Pre-show music began pumping as the anticipation of the audience grew and grew. The large screen at the back of the stage flashed a test sign as the Depeche crew prepared the stage for the night. By this time the weather had begun to cool and a slight breeze picked up from the southeast. Suddenly the strains of The Beatles Revolution began to play across the speakers as the lights dimmed and the crowns excitement reached a fever pitch. Then the two small feet appeared on the back screen marching as the intro played. Eventually as the intro music grew louder and more instant, the band took the stage to thunderous adulation from the crowd of 20,000 fans. The feet marched off as the Jackson Pollock like background appeared to the opening chords of Going Backwards. Dave appearing on the second stage while the rest of the band played below. Following came the song So Much Love with its accompanying video screen of the band preforming in what looks to be a vacant lot. 

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

The crowd was on their feet from the start but as the sounds of Barrel Of A Gun began the crowd seems to become even louder in response to a now classic Depeche mode song. The songs continued with A Pain That I’m Used To, Corrupt and the transcendent In Your Room with its accompanying haunting imagery. World In My Eyes brought the crowd again to a ecstatic high as Dave prowled the stage seeming almost like a caged animal running the length of his tether bursting with energy. 

Next we were presented with the beautiful sound and video for Cover Me. Effect smoke filled the stage as small pin lights appeared as stars above the band. All the while the video of Dave as an astronaut played behind, a sort of homage to Major Tom and an allusion to the astronaut from the Devotional tour's Never Let Me Down Again. It was a surreal, beautiful piece of artistry. Next, we were greeted by Martin taking the stage for his requisite two songs and tonight we got an acoustic version of A Question Of Lust and a full band version of Home. Following this, Dave reappeared for what I would consider the only low point in the set list, the song Poison Heart. While not a bad song, it seemed to plod along in comparison to the rest of the set list. Where’s The Revolution and Wrong came next bringing the energy back up. Then the new intro to Everything Counts began with a pulsating, manic light show, again bringing the crowd up to its full level of excitement, beginning what would be a knock out punch of song to the main set list. The crowd sang the everything counts refrain back to the band as the song ended. Dave appeared overcome by the crowd response and was honestly grateful. 

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

Stripped, Enjoy The Silence and Never Let Me Down Again all came in rapid succession stoking the energy of the crowd to astronomical proportions. I looked back from the front row as Dave led the audience in the now famous arm wave at the end of the song. I got to witness 20,000 people waiving their arms in unison and for a moment tried to comprehend what it must be like for the band to get to see that night after night. Something I will never forget. I took my earplugs out at this point as the band said goodbye before the encore and was blown away by the sheer volume of the crowd. This was a sea of Depeche fans grateful for the band and begging for more. They were not disappointed.

Finally Martin appeared on stage as the video screen projected a flag with the word “Somebody” written out. Marin sang this now classic song, as cell phone lights appeared through the audience in an almost reverent fashion. Dave arrived back on stage as the band kicked in with Walking In My Shoes. I did notice during this that many around me were more watching the video that played rather than the band. But what came next took me as a fan by surprise. I knew that Depeche was going to preform "Heroes" but I didn’t anticipate I was going to enjoy it much, how wrong I was. I was truly almost moved to tears by how beautiful and heartfelt this rendition was with Dave blowing a kiss to the sky at the songs close. The night grew on and ever closer to the 11pm curfew as the band finished the night with I Feel You and finally Personal Jesus. 

Pic courtesy of Depeche Mode Classic Photos & Videos Facebook Group

I have seen the band many times since my first show in 1993, and I can say that this was honestly second best if not the best I have seen the Mode. Dave was well rested and his voice sounded amazing. The band seemed to be having a great time on the stage and it was reflected back to the audience. I was only aware of two mistakes in the show, one at the start of Everything Counts when Peter didn’t come in at the right time and I Feel You when the backing track didn’t start quite right. But even with that it’s hard to say it took anything away from the performance. It was enough to make me purchase tickets for the Las Vegas show hoping to again get the chance to live in that beautiful word the bands creates for us, even for just two hours at a time.

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Thanks Roger!

REVIEW: FAITHFUL AND DEVOTED - CONFESSIONS OF A MUSIC ADDICT

As Depeche Mode gear up to start the second leg of the Global Spirit Tour and fans all over the world arrange to meet up via the likes of Home and seemingly endless numbers of Facebook groups, Jenna Rose Robbins' book Faithful And Devoted serves as a gloriously nostalgic reminder of how tours used to be before the internet arrived. A wonderfully written memoir of her trek from America to Spain to follow the band on the Devotional tour, Faithful And Devoted is a book that no Depeche Mode fan wants to miss. 

If you're old enough to remember Bong magazine, Faithful And Devoted will strike a chord with you. Bong was the much missed official Depeche Mode fanclub and its magazine was a source of Depeche info that fans would devour when it popped through their letterboxes. One section of the magazine was given over to people looking for penpals, and through this section, Jenna met Marta, a Spanish Depeche fan. Ahead of the Devotional tour, Marta persuaded Jenna to head to Marta's native Spain to take in three gigs on the tour. That's how it was done in the old days kids.

The book is much more than just a Depeche Mode book however - it would be unfair to pigeonhole it that way. All music fans will recognise bits of themselves in Jenna, from the thrill of taking in a concert where your heroes are within touching distance, to the obsession with the music, all the way to the wonderfully buzz you get covertly sneaking around, your parents oblivious to it,  just to make sure you see your band. Ok, there might not be that many people who went to the lengths Jenna went to, but you will recognise elements of yourself throughout the book. The tension in the storyline is a key aspect to the tale too. Jenna is constantly aware of the fact that she's going against her parents' wishes and there are times she feels desperately alone, feeling a million miles away from home in a country she doesn't know. 

Music is the one thing that keeps her going though, with Depeche Mode soundtracking her act of rebellion. She sees them live and ends up befriending members of support act Marxman, that friendship leading to unforgettable moments spent in the presence of her heroes. Backstage passes, parties and drinks bought by Alan Wilder - that's just a little bit more exciting than the educational trip to France she pretended she was travelling to Europe for.

Jenna's words of faith and devotion will be familiar not just to Depeche Mode fans, but to all music fans, especially those who remember how mysterious tours seemed in the pre internet days. Set against a very personal backdrop, the book is a gripping read from start to finish. As you prepare to attend gigs on the next legs of the Global Spirit Tour, arranging meet ups online, booking tickets to pre and post show parties and memorising setlists widely reported all over the internet, take time to read this and relive the Devotional era through the eyes of a Devotee.

Faithful And Devoted - Confessions Of A Music Addict by Jenna Rose Robbins is available now via Amazon and all good retailers.

Jenna Rose Robbins http://www.jennarobbins.com/about/

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Devoted-Confessions-Music-Addict-ebook/dp/B06XQMPVMZ/

SO MUCH LOVE - THE GLOBAL SPIRIT TOUR PROJECT PART 1

Well that's been an interesting few months. 

When I first had the idea of getting together reviews for every gig on the tour, I somehow thought that would be straightforward as, at the time of thinking it, the Global Spirit Tour Project (hereafter referred to as the Project as you would not believe how bored I am of typing that phrase) didn't exist. Once I posted the blog idea in April, it became very real and I wondered what I had done. At the point, all we had were the 1st leg gigs...and then they announced more. And more. And more again. Bloody hell.

Thankfully, so many people wanted to take part that I actually had to refuse a few folk which I felt bad about. The fact that all of you wanted to give up your time to essentially do my job for me was incredible and I owe you all big time. The purpose of this post is to say thank you. 

Writers wise then, thanks a million to: Kevin May, Linda Meijer, Carsten Drees, Nikola Pokupec, Panos Sialakas, Rachel Blackman, Conkan Larsson, Daniel Cassus, Jane Cotton, Martin Sernestrand, Stuart Cowan, Michael Lyons, Paul Embleton, Stephen Lawson, Amanda Stock, Lynsey Halliday, Dave Dunton, David Cartwright, Bev Maxey, Tim Sowdon, Alex Ferguson, Robbie Sargent, Niggels Uhlenbruch, Jan Cvengros, Nikolay Sabev, Dan Turner, Chris Snoddon, Ana Soto, Mike Cooper, Mark Henderson, Brian Christopher, Yvette Trubuil, Polina Lipezina, Mariah Perezhogina, Natalie Gladkaya and Peter Fenn for all their wonderful contributions.

A special thanks too to Nastia Enavigo who was all set to write about Minsk before the gig was sadly cancelled. Let's hope it's rescheduled so that Nastia gets her turn.

Thanks also to everyone I've met on the first leg, starting with the warm up at the Barrowlands, as it's been so cool to put faces to internet names. It's also been amazing to have people come up and say hello when they recognise the blog logo on the t-shirt. No-one's attacked me yet so I guess it's all going ok. Come and say hi in Dublin, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam too.

So that's that for the first leg of both the tour and the Project. I'll be back in August and I hope you will be too. There are still a few vacancies for the remaining tour dates, so if you fancy writing a review get in touch. At the end of the tour, ten reviewers will be drawn at random and they will receive and exclusive blog t-shirt. If that doesn't tempt you I don't know what will. 

See you in August. Until then, here are all the reviews. Bye!

May 5 Stockholm - Me
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-friends-arena.html

May 7 - Amsterdam - Kevin May https://twitter.com/HALOBook
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-ziggo-dome.html

May 9 - Antwerp - Linda Meijer
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-sportpaleis.html

May 12- Nice - Carsten Drees
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-stade-charles.html

May 14 - Lubljana - Nikola Pokupec
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-dvorana-hall.html

May 17 - Athens - Panos Sialakas
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-terra-vibe.html

May 20 - Bratislava - Rachel Blackman
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-stadion.html

May 22 - Budapest - Rachel Blackman
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-groupama-arena.html

May 24 - Prague - Conkan Larsson
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-eden-arena.html

May 27 - Leipzig - Daniel Cassus
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/live-review-depeche-mode-festwiese.html

May 29 - Lille - Jane Cotton
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/depeche-mode-global-spirit-tour-project.html

May 31 - Copenhagen - Martin Sernestrand
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-telia-parken.html

June 3 - London - Part 1 by me, Part 2 by the fans
Part 1 - http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-london-stadium.html
Part 2 - http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-london-stadium_7.html

June 5 - Cologne - Alex Ferguson
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-rhein-energie.html

June 7 - Dresden - Daniel Cassus
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-ostragehege.html

June 9 - Munich - Robbie Sargent
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-olympic.html

June 11 - Hannover - Niggels Uhlenbruch
June 12 - Hannover - Niggels Uhlenbruch
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-hdi-arena.html

June 18 - Zurich - Jan Cvengros
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-letzigrund.html

June 20 - Frankfurt - Nikolay Sabev
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-commerzbank.html

June 22 - Berlin - Dan Turner
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-olympic_24.html

June 25 - Rome - Chris Snoddon
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-stadio.html

June 27 - Milan - Ana Soto
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/live-review-depeche-mode-san-siro-milan.html

June 29 - Bologna - Mike Cooper
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-stadio-renato.html

July 1 - Paris - Kevin May https://twitter.com/HALOBook
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-stade-de.html

July 4 - Gelsenkirchen - Mark Henderson
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-veltins-arena.html

July 6 - Bilbao - Brian Christopher
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-bbk-live.html

July 8 - Lisbon - Yvette Trubuil
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-nos-alive.html

Jule 13 - St Petersburg - Polina Lipezina
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-skk-st.html

July 15 - Moscow - Mariah Perezhogina
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-otkritie-arena.html

July 17 - Minsk - Nastia Enavigo - CANCELLED

July 19 - Kiev - Natalie Gladkaya
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-olimpiyskiy.html

July 21 - Warsaw - Ana Soto
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-national.html

July 23 - Cluj - Peter Fenn
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/live-review-depeche-mode-cluj-arena.html