Depeche Mode at the Allstate Arena Rosemont Illinois 11/29/05
Depeche Mode is David Gahan Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher.
Darkness. Isolation. Narcissism. Vanity. Perfection. These are the feelings one get when they see Depeche Mode during the winter season. The cold, blistery weather of Chicago fits the season to see Depeche Mode, one of the better working musical groups of the 1980’s go and earn their rep and one of the best bands to see live.
The stage was relatively spartan. There was a mirror ball stage right of the area. It looked like any other mirror ball and the background had a Tarp with the image off the Playing the Angel cover. When the show started though the ball starting to glow with neon words of sex, love, fear, and other emotions while the bottom scrolled out various themes to the songs performed. And when the tarp went down, the monitors with the related images of the song or distorted images of the band in live action strolled on the screen.
The basic trick of touring as musicians do, is to remember that in order to get people in the mood, one must play hits. That is what was done when Depeche Mode went on the road for their new album Playing the Angel. They know that even if they want to play their new material they need to bring the old fan favorites along as well. For every song like A Pain That I’m Used To and Precious, They had to go and pull out an Everything Counts, World In My Eyes, and Never Let Me Down Again
This is a rule that is sad but true. The new album is a very good work, it has a couple of really good songs that were performed amazingly with a vitality of a well-known hit. Sadly that is not what made the audience pop out of their seats. The stadium packed with thousands of fans displayed apathy to the new material. It is as if their audience trapped itself in a cultural dead zone dated 1992 and it refuses to get out and listen to something new. Fortunately for some, disappointing for others; David Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher played a real heavy amount of classics. Vanity is vital to being a musician. It is also vital to know when the audience will follow you in with your expression.
Their greatest hits performance started with Gahan performing A Question of Time and taking off his jacket and vest and displaying his newly etched tattoos for the fans. The band went into a very fast and furious set. Peppering in new material with a lot of the loved songs. Yet it looked like Gahan and company were a bit bothered. One gets the feeling that they wanted to do more of their new stuff, but the fans would sit down and stare if they did.
The big shocker of the show is that Martin Gore went up and performed live. His grace filled performance of Somebody as the first encore song literally drove the audience into wild uncontrollable frenzy. It reminded me that, yes, Martin can sing and looked really cute with the angel motif wings on his back. He helped save the show at the midway point.
Overall, Depeche Mode gave a wonderful concert filled with energy, inspiration and pressure in a performance that few could match.
- Francis Davis a career drunk with a love of comics and movies, lives in and works for the City of Chicago. Confidentiality agreements prevent him from saying exactly what he does, but it is important.