Goodbye Europe, Welcome to My World!

The first European leg of the Delta Machine Tour is now over, marked by the July 29 show in Minsk. By now the band is settling into their three-week break before picking back up in Detroit on August 22.

As an American fan waiting impatiently for their arrival, I've enjoyed living vicariously through my European counterparts these past three months. I've followed the rhythm of the setlists and celebrated some amazing moments, but I'm cautious to delve too deeply as I want it to be fresh when I see them in September.

But I will delve balls deep into the setlist. Ohh yes. The bulk of it has remained solid with most of the variation revolving around Martin's lead numbers, my favorites being Only When I Lose Myself, Home, and (Martin-sung versions of) When the Body Speaks and Higher Love. Shake the Disease and Judas were also fucking great surprises, though they are still holding out on perhaps the most beloved MLG song ever, The Things You Said. Of course a drawback to their playing it would be audiences simply dying a sweet death then and there, and I can see how some people might frown upon such a thing.

So what should we expect for the American tour? I've already gone into great detail about how much I'd like to see rarer songs, but first things first. There is as yet no Sounds of the Universe representation, which I find a bit strange considering it's their second to most recent album. I'd dig it if they switched out the beaten-to-death Policy of Truth for Wrong, or perhaps Come Back.

Also, two enthusiastic thumbs up to Black Celebration and Precious, but I'll take Stripped over A Question of Time and Behind the Wheel over Barrel of a Gun any day. (Better yet: It's No Good or Freestate.) 

I suspect they will swap Delta track Secret to the End for Broken, especially considering the recent sharing of the in-studio version on Facebook. The rest of the hard-hitting Delta songs will likely remain.

And what about Just Can't Get Enough? Their breakthrough 1981 hit made a resurgence on this tour, and while there have been some spellbinding performances of this classic, I don't think diehard fans are as attached to it as some others. I would replace JCGE with another beloved song from the early days, like--I don't know--Blasphemous Rumours, Everything Counts, or The (Motherfuckin) Sun and the Rainfall, if they really want to turn some heads. Again with the rare songs obsession! I know! But really, I am now imagining a beefed up 2013 live version of that song, like Dominatrix's remix + real live DM, and I'm all DEAR GOD.

What do you think of the tour so far? What are you most looking forward to or hoping for on the next leg of it?

p.s. Zoinks! Did I mention I'm going to the Austin City Limits Festival in October? You'll hear more about that next time.