Last night, at Sleeptrain in San Diego, Depeche Mode performed with vigor and successfully pierced my core… for the ninth time. As I enthusiastically awaited the realization of what this show would do to me, I understood that my 27+ year relationship with the men of Depeche Mode changed vastly based on what condition my life was in at the time. As I always do, I prepared by learning the setlist, getting to know the new record and mourning the smashes I wouldn’t hear.
The show was amazing, fantastic, awesome! – it was literally flawless, despite my obstructed view of Martin and Dave. I name them in that order on purpose. I was more gripped by Gore’s vocals last night than ever before. His unhurried rendition of “But Not Tonight”, corny as this sounds, brought tears to my eyes and shook me to the very soul of my being! I was equally impressed by Dave’s execution of “Soothe My Soul” – eloquently reminiscent of tracks from Songs of Faith and Devotion. While I thoroughly enjoyed Dave (and those classic mic spins), through no fault of his own I longed for him to give over control to Gore again. It’s probably just where I’m standing in my life today.
Further notable features included the video collection of pets exhibited during “Precious” and the aptly placed melodic sounds that pepper Delta Machine. These guys DO NOT have to play old favorites to keep me engaged! Both “Heaven” and “Child Inside” were executed fearlessly and Depeche Mode proved to this nostalgic and loyal fan that they are worthy of being my favorite band of all time.
On the car ride back to Escondido, as my head reeled, I realized that back in ‘05, “Policy of Truth” did not remind me of the misery that can be wrought by unfaithfulness. And “Question of Time” did not make me anxious wondering what teenaged boys would be thinking of my daughter in two years!
To the men of Depeche Mode, thank you… again!
Download Delta Machine here: