Depeche Mode Begins North American Tour, Releases New Video

THEY'VE ARRIVED! Depeche Mode are finally in the States, preparing for their first show of the North American tour tonight at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit.

Coinciding with the kickoff is the release of an official video for Should Be Higher, which I imagine is their third single after Heaven and Soothe My Soul. Shot by longtime visual collaborator Anton Corbijn, the video is a live performance from one of their recent European shows. I want to say Berlin, but I don't know, that's probably bullshit; don't quote me.

 

The band is in top form. Compare this video to, say, one of their earliest pre-tour promo performances, and they're worlds apart. It's obvious that they've found their groove on this one. And there's frontman Dave, like an ancient Tantrika come to sweep us all into the stratosphere of bliss. Or a sexy Whirling Dervish.

Enjoy the show, Detroit! 

xx

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. 

    

Reach Out and Touch Depeche Mode: The Quest for the Meet & Greet

Ahh, that elusive Meet & Greet. For a big name band it can be a luxurious achievement, one that either comes with a hefty price tag or is bestowed by the hands of fate through a promotional contest or some other "lucky break." In the case of Depeche Mode, good luck is priceless.

Depeche is renowned for being pretty inaccessible, understandably so when they regularly sell out 40-50,000 capacity stadiums and their zealous fans were once dubbed the Black Swarm (though we mostly go by the more casual term 'Devotees'). In recent years, the rare Meet & Greet experience with them has become famously perfunctory, a quick handshake down a single file line and a group photo. No bullshit whatsoever.

St. Petersburg Meet & Greet; Dave (center) looking consistently uncomfortable in a sea of Russian women. Martin (left) probably digging it. Fletch (back) umm...

Of course I'm all about the bullshit and granted, there are stories of more involved Meet & Greets, but they are not for purchase with any ticket level, not available for every show, and for those that are, you must win a pass. There's a unique opportunity currently running for German fans, a United Charity auction for a Meet & Greet in Düsseldorf. Though my Deutsch is limited, I can see that the bid is up to nearly 3000 euros, quite the pretty European penny for even the most devoted fans. (Cheeky charities, dangling the carrot of Depeche Mode for their own selfish purposes!) If I paid that kind of money for a meeting with DM I'd need at least a couple of hours, and there'd better be full body massages involved.

So what to do to ensure my time with a band that has ensnared me with such intensity? If they do hold a Meet & Greet in Atlanta, I believe I will be there. The tricky part will be staying aware of the fan contests, as I don't live in ATL so am not exposed to the local radio. But if there is no organized meeting? Doing the classic waiting out back by their tour equipment seems pointless, as they likely have intelligent escape routes and don't tour by bus anyway. The next point would be running into them at their hotel. (Not creepy. Not.)

Comment below if you've ever had the chance to meet DM, through the official channels or otherwise. :D

*Photos courtesy of the Depeche Mode World Tour 2013-2014 Facebook page