Depeche Mode - Spirit

I wanted to like it but the original is a slog and doubling down on the goth doesn't save it

Reading some of the chatter on the official FB page is...interesting. Not the band's posts, the comments from people in the direct fan presale. Basically: I bought my copy of the album in advance (as I was going to do anyway), broke social media silence a couple of times around my birthday to share the personalized link and ended up 54th in line for Oakland, in for the first group of tickets going on sale and got twelfth row seats as mentioned. So zero complaints on my end, and very little effort, though I pretty much dropped the Strobe app as soon as I secured said tickets.

But I figured given the whole gaming nature of the enterprise -- share out your own link, buy as many copies of the album as you like to improve your place, etc. -- I was thinking to myself "There are going to be a lot of crazy fans out there whose friends will be HATING them by the time this is all over." And there's plenty of gnashing and wailing of teeth going on, I half suspect from people who...don't go to big shows much or understand how the whole ticket breakdown/presale/VIP/reserved seating thing works? But also just plain crazy -- saw one comment from someone who was aiming for the number 1 spot somewhere (ended up number 3 in Portland) who said she bought...45 copies of the album. You read that right. And she said she spoke with others who bought over a hundred. What on god's green earth.

I hope she goes to the show wearing a suit made out of physical copies of the album

"I DID THIS FOR YOOOOOOU! DAVE! LOOK AT ME!"

fwiw I was somewhere near 800th in line for Chicago, and when I loaded the page it offered me some spots in the first ten rows but I wasn't going to pay $600 for tickets. The entire center front section was $400- $600 so I decided I was fine with the second section back.

"Wisdom. We're probably going to the same show -- what section did you get?

― Ned Raggett, "

110!

I guess what I'm getting at is that I bought one copy and could have had four seats in the first ten rows pretty easily!

xpost -- same side as us, then! We're section A.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I bought one copy and could have had four seats in the first ten rows pretty easily!

I have to assume the hyperpurchasers and the like were after the 'meet the band' option. (Which, if they got, say, spot number 2 would probably...hurt.)

dare I ask how much the row 4 tickets were in LA?

this is Depeche Mode we're talking about here? wow

Yep. The electronic Rolling Stones.

In terms of career, DM's Rolling Stones equivalent right now is halfway between Bridges to Babylon and A Bigger Bang.

I mean, okay, the hardcore obsessives are always going to try to go the extra mile with an intensity and passion that makes 'em look like they're just a tad unhinged, and I understand that this affects various bands both big and small but... it just feels to me that the music they've been making in recent years hasn't quite warranted it.

If this was off the back of Violator or Songs... I wouldn't have batted an eyelid, but... Playing The Angel is 12 years old at this point. Ultra is fucking 20!

Think it's less the album, more the fact that they can still kill live. (I mean, apply that argument across the board for a LOT of acts, obv.)

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that it really does feel to me that Depeche at this stage are living off the brand name now, rather than on the strength of new material - as the Stones did before 'em. They don't really need to release new material now. They can still cut it live, of course, but I'd be very surprised if they played anything from Delta Machine or Sounds of the Universe on this tour. Of the Ben Hillier era, pretty much only 'Precious' is guaranteed, but expect the greatest hits of the 1986-1998 period!

"Shut up and play 'Enjoy The Silence'" is the new "Shut up and play 'Satisfaction'"

Granted but nothing about what you're saying is surprising at all. I mean, in terms of creative development (dare I say), I look much more to Dave and Martin's solo work and collaborations now. We're not really seeing that feed back into the main band per se. As such, Depeche-as-brand really is how to view it; it's long been clear that it's turned into a careful alliance more than anything else, with the members spread out over two hemispheres etc. etc.

I think you're quite correct what will/won't surface on the setlist -- last time out they did absolutely nothing from SOTU, which honestly surprised me, and I'm sure Delta Machine will likely not be acknowledged. They do occasional still do a random deep album cut or two as a full band thing, but it's Martin's solo turns during shows where he tends to pull a lot of rabbits out of hats -- not that he's changing everything night to night, but it seems like they figure that the full band performances kinda have to focus on the big numbers/current songs while Martin can go deep with the nerdery on his own. It's not a bad solution.

We're not really seeing that feed back into the main band per se.

I should elaborate -- I think for a time it was clear this was happening (Dave's growth as a songwriter in the previous decade being the key example). But that heavy lifting having been done, the band's work itself seems to be in a relative stasis. We'll just have to see exactly how dramatically dour this new album is, at least -- they can't redo Black Celebration as the quantum leap forward in terms of arrangements/production/lyrical themes, but if this is their adult equivalent of that, who knows?

Among bands that have reached institutional status, those that insist on playing newer material for the majority of the show and only throwing in a few hits are a minority. There are probably a few die-hard fans who have seen every album tour and would love a concert showcasing new work, but that's not really the way arena shows work.

I feel like The Cure excels at this balancing act; I've seen multiple tours that had emphasis on new material, that were greatest hits workouts, and one special one that was basically "these are our favorite album cuts"

I'm going to be disappointed if they don't play Satisfaction

wait

Well, Depeche traditionally play a lot of material from the album they're currently touring as well as "the other stuff", but at this stage "the other stuff" seems to cover the same period it has done for goodness knows how long.

I'd certainly expect a lot of Spirit at the shows, just don't expect much else from the last 20 years. 'Precious' definitely, 'It's No Good' and 'Home' maybe. Martin might do a solo 'Heaven' with Gordeno on the keys at a push, but...

You'd have more chance of hearing 'People Are People' and 'Love, In Itself' than 'Shine' or 'Secret To The End', it seems!

Martin might do a solo 'Heaven' with Gordeno on the keys at a push, but...

I'd be quite fine with that!

And the Cure is a good comparison point here in that everything feels just loose enough to go with Robert's whims; the endlessly rotating setlists and random deep cuts that kept surfacing as last year's tour went on made it much more of a 'whoa, okay, maybe anything can happen here' feeling, at least for the first few weeks. And it's not like they didn't have their own song films as well which were played as necessary; Depeche in contrast (and like a lot of other bands at that level) is much more structured live, and tends to stick to a couple of swapped out setlists per tour with Martin's solo spots, as noted, being the more randomish factor.

(One other thing that's interesting to consider: if they do stick to "Precious" and nothing else from the last three albums, that means Dave's now growing collection of his own Depeche songs gets completely shut out. Maybe he's always just happy enough doing his new ones and/or knows that the inevitable big hits are prior to his songwriting days, but you have to wonder if he doesn't get a little ticked off. Personally I'd love to see "Should Be Higher" again at least.)

I feel like The Cure excels at this balancing act; I've seen multiple tours that had emphasis on new material, that were greatest hits workouts, and one special one that was basically "these are our favorite album cuts"

― Rachel Luther Queen (DJP), Tuesday, March 7, 2017 8:39 PM (thirteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I agree! On one hand, it's kinda frustrating that 4:14 Scream still hasn't made an appearance, but on the other it's quite admirable how Robert has just turned The Cure into a touring-only entity for the last near-decade or so. No pressure delivering new material - even though I liked the material from the last record - just playing themed shows from their extensive back catalogue.

I think it helped here in the States that there had been no full tour in eight years too. Just random festival appearances and one-offs and maybe a couple of dates in a row here and there. To then have a full-on coast to coast go-everywhere tour after all that was good timing.

Imagine Depeche's stage show being loose enough that they could throw in stuff like 'Lie To Me' or 'Pipeline' or 'Rush' or 'Shine' or 'Dangerous' or 'People Are People' or 'The Sun & The Rainfall' ...

Or imagine 'em being brave enough to do a show without playing 'Enjoy The Silence', 'Personal Jesus', 'Never Let Me Down Again' ... Depeche have such a rabid fanbase that they probably could, but I think they'd be scared to.

listening to a 2014 live album now and they threw in "Just Can't Get Enough" :D

"Threw in." They've made that one a standard part of their set (after a mostly nineties break) for years now.

Keep in mind as well that they may well have their reasons just not to look back. "People Are People" I fully understand why they're not playing again -- for all the song's absolute sonic brilliance, Martin in particular says he really hates the lyric now (not the sentiment, but the execution). But beyond that, they or maybe more specifically he might well just think "Yeah, sorry, I think we got better."

fair

I would be happy if they just played the outtro for 5 minutes

But beyond that, they or maybe more specifically he might well just think "Yeah, sorry, I think we got better."

no way, all downhill after Speak & Spell

Why Mr. Clarke, good to see you here.

Just chiming in on the Cure comparison. You won't hear them play much of their last 3 albums either. I think the main difference with DM is that by now Robert Smith is playing largely for the zealots and thus throwing in a handful of B-sides and deep cuts. Not sure that would be the case if they had a new album to peddle.
DM otoh still sees itself as a mainstream arena band for, err, the "masses".

"People Are People" I fully understand why they're not playing again -- for all the song's absolute sonic brilliance, Martin in particular says he really hates the lyric now (not the sentiment, but the execution).

It would be great if they played this with completely new lyrics

They should get the phone-in guy from 101 to re-write 'em.

BTW if you have an hour to kill, Depeche talking with Jon Pareles the other day:

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/posts/10155826356100329

Just reading the comments there and trying to figure out which type of comment gives me the biggest migraine, the "bring back Alan Wilder" type or the "they're still as good as ever" type or the "you're not a proper fan because you don't like what the band have turned into" type...

i tried to buy tickets in Los Angeles. people didn't let me know they wanted to go until after they went on sale. now it's all Ticketmaster saying it's aftermarket tickets, bullshit and they want over $100 for the worst seats. i might end up going if they add more dates. i have seen Depeche Mode more than any other band and don't really feel the need to see them again, unlike the Cure.

more than any local band?

Just finished watching that video with Pareles and it's a REALLY good discussion. (Pareles trips himself up a couple of times but it's all good and the audience questions are astonishingly all kinda great, a rarity. AND there's even plenty of discussion about subjects we've raised on this thread -- there's even a Cure/Depeche live comparison courtesy Fletch!)

Their comments on how they feel about tribute acts seem to have rubbed a few people up the wrong way. On one hand, I completely understand where Martin comes from when he says he finds it weird... it must be odd to watch footage of tribute acts while actually being the person that's being imitated. On the other, when Dave said he found it "a bit sad" I was like "eh?" considering he was talking about pretending to be Bowie in the mirror in his room when he was a teenager. A tribute act is exactly that, a way for fans to express how much they love the music. Gahan seems to have these occasional moments of acting a bit big headed.

I enjoyed Martin talking about the inspiration behind 'Home' amongst the well-worn anecdotes about leaving the snare off 'Master and Servant' etc.

Well, there IS a world of difference between just trying to be Bowie (or whoever) in your bedroom as a teen and being a member of a tribute band as your main actual musical endeavor, say. (That said I'm not trying to outright trash anyone in such a path -- the turn of the century documentary _Tribute_ is essential watching in this regard.)

Hmm, not really... it still boils down to the same thing for me, which is just fans expressing love for their favourite artists' music and I really don't see anything wrong with that. Just one is done in private, and the other is done in front of people that feel the same way.

Then again, there are more than a few fans that are still upset with their post-Violator live setup of acoustic drums and Martin playing more guitar onstage than keyboards, and some of the tribute bands play not only with the old school all-keyboards setup but they also tend to play songs that Depeche Mode seldom touch live anymore. Maybe this also rubs the band up the wrong way, especially when some fans make comment that the band themselves should be doing what the tribute acts are doing.

The core impulse may be the same but I think you're handwaving the private/public difference quite a bit! (Especially since tribute bands in general aren't just performing for charity or shits and giggles.) And yeah, if it's a case where a band is out to play a 'real' Depeche set in some eyes -- four members, a manque Alan, no drums -- then I think the actual band might be a bit 'uh, well, we are here rather than there, y'know.'

Yeah, they must get seriously fucked off at this stage, 22 years down the line, being asked whether or not Alan is coming back when it's clear he isn't. For better or for worse, the band they have evolved into since his departure are the band they are now and it's what they want to do, which is fair enough.

For a certain group of people, though, it seems that they view the acoustic drums, the increased use of guitar live, the focus on "bluesy" elements etc. etc. as some sort of betrayal.

Clearly Alan Wilder was the final filter and magic sauce for this group. Ever since his departure they've occasionally showed flickers of their original greatness but not really.

Err Ultra and Playing the Angel are as good if not better than anything they released with Wilder