It was a special evening last Monday night at United Center as legendary electronic band Depeche Mode made their way through town. The band put on an incredible two-hour performance of nothing but the most renowned hits that they’ve released over the past 40 years. The arena filled up with a myriad of fans ranging from entire families to hardcore mature fans that have definitely never missed a single Depeche Mode show before.
Having Brooklyn native indie rock band DIIV open up for the legacy band Depeche Mode was the perfect gateway opener for older fans to dive into a whole other realm of music that they otherwise wouldn’t have ever wandered into. DIIV’s opening set for the evening was nothing short of a precisely layered shoegaze heaven. The band came on stage with little time to waste, as they only performed a very brief set of seven songs to warm up the anticipating breadth of Depeche Mode fans. DIIV’s set had the flow of a jam session, which worked perfectly with their dreamy guitars, especially during their performance of “Doused.” The repetitive and catchy flow of this tune echoed beautifully throughout the arena. Although brief, DIIV put on a worth-arriving early opening set for the handfuls of fans that showed up early for the night.
Roaring screams weaved throughout the room as Depeche Mode came out on stage in elegant fashion. Lead singer David Gahan paraded on stage sporting a dazzling sports coat that twinkled perfectly under the colorful spotlights. The band quickly got into their places and commenced the show with their haunting and heavy hitting song “My Cosmos Is Mine,” which made for a grand entrance for the incredible band. The stage lit up to reveal a massive letter ‘M’ in front of a massive visual screen. Gahan got up close and personal with some of us photographers in the photo pit; walking right up to a crowd of us and pointing at his white boots, signaling us to snap a shot of them.
Depeche Mode really got the crowd going with their performance of “Policy of Truth,” a synthy catchy tune that had the entire room dancing along. Gahan periodically strutted his way down the stage catwalk, which drove fans crazy to get to be so up close to their musical idol. Bandmate Martin Gore was absolutely shredding it on guitar all night as he had his fair share of guitar solos and the duo were rocking some impressive outfits at the same time (with Gahan having a few outfit changes). Depeche Mode definitely knows how to put on an iconic and energetic set as they are incredibly seasoned performers.
The evening was sure filled with some nostalgic feels for many, and of course we always want just one more song from our favorite bands; but it has to be so difficult for Depeche Mode to determine what songs to cram into their tour setlist with such an extensive discography. Despite that fact, the legendary band put on a masterful show that I’m sure warmed many folk’s hearts to see their favorite band still kicking and able to perform all of their phenomenal hits. You don’t see many bands like Depeche Mode any more; driving electronic music rooted in synths but still loaded with a heavy rock and roll influence. This was definitely a show for me to remember and it is truly always a treat to get to see bands that have been around for decades.
All photos by Andrew Lagunas