The iridescent skulls, the stage colored by hellish red lights and the macabre ghosts floating in the Memento Mori album become an ode to life with Depeche Mode. What remains after the death of Andrew Fletcher are dedicated frontman Dave Gahan (61) and troubled poet-musician Martin Gore (he turns 62 on July 23).
The tour, which opened Wednesday’s Italian live performances by Basildon’s band at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome – it will also take place in Milan (July 14) and Bologna (July 16) – is the first without friend and co-founder Fletch. Two hours of music which, apart from a handful of songs from the last album, has taken over a large part of the DM production from more than twenty songs in the line-up.
The scenography is kept to a minimum: an “M” (reminiscent of the lettering on the cover of the new album) is superimposed on the huge screen at the back of the scene (two more are placed on the sides of the stage). From the center of the stage, a catwalk divides the crowd in half so Dave – and sometimes Martin – can foray into the audience. Everything else is taken care of by the music and the charismatic Gahan: he twirls on stage, sways like Mick Jagger, even if he looks more like a talented Mephistophelic cabaret artist from 1920s Germany with his glittery jacket, waistcoat and double-layered eyes .
Forty years ago they started as a four-piece, now Depeche Mode are two to face the power of their synth-pop that rocks the stadiums. More united now than in the past when it was Andy’s turn to be the center of the band. On stage, drummer Christian Eigner and multi-instrumentalist Peter Gordeno support the energetic Klangwand, who have been touring with the band since the late 1990s.
The show begins with new songs: the eerie percussive rhythms of My Cosmos Is Mine (No Pain, No Shroud/No Final Breath/No Sinnless Death) and the Kraftwerkian Wagging Tongue. The rhythm intensifies, the jacket is removed, Gahan intones “Walking In My Shoes” and the first chants begin. “It’s No Good” addresses the ecological issues that are close to the heart of the band.
The atmosphere heats up as 55,000 people sing and dance to Everything Counts while Dave cheers on the crowd and waves the mic stand. The pressure of drums and guitar accompanies Precious.
The darkest part of the show begins with “Speak to me,” accompanied by images of crosses silhouetted against a gray sky. Gore takes the stage to applause to sing “Question of Lust” and “Soul With Me” and lets Gahan catch his breath, who, coming back on stage, says of his partner, “Glorious” and with it the tension sweeps away the past. Guitar, drums and synths weave the melody of Ghosts Again as you watch the video of Martin and David playing a game of chess, a nod to the 1957 film The Seventh Seal by Ingmar Bergman.
The scream of “I Feel You” blows away the black air wafting down over the show, the end of the song being devoted entirely to owner’s boisterous drumming. The rhythm picks up again and goes towards techno-rock with A Pain I’m Used To. The homage to Fletch comes with World in My Eyes: the black and white image of a young Andy fills the screens, the photo slowly changes to show the Nottingham musician holding a hand to his face in a famous portrait of Anton Corbijn. Finally a few words: “A round of applause for my friend Andy Fletcher”.
Gore’s guitar adorns the granite “Enjoy The Silence” while the screen features colorful skulls with the words “Enjoy!” The hug between Martin and Dave occurs at the end of the poignant Waiting for the Night during the encores. But the desire for tenderness doesn’t last long: we dance to “Just Can’t Get Enough” and close with the rousing techno-blues “Personal Jesus”.
Also in 2024 Depeche Mode returns to Italy: at the Palalpitour in Turin (March 23) and at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan (March 28 and 30).