Turns out my "Chicago Adventure" was NOT over last night... I had a Depeche Mode concert to go to with fellow-blogger Kevin Apgar and his charming wife Katie!
As expected, it so totally kicked ass. Depeche Mode is easily the best live band I've ever seen, and one of the very few who sound better live than in a studio. Their latest album, Playing the Angel, is not their best work... but every song was -stunning- when performed live (oh how I want a DVD release of the concert). Dave Gahan is an amazing singer who puts everything he has into a performance yet STILL manages to deliver crisp vocals that strike you at your very soul. Personally, I don't understand where he gets the energy... I think he must be 45 years old now, but is kicking more ass on stage than guys half his age.
And what a funky cool stage it was...
The artistic genius behind the band, Martin Gore, was in fine form... delivering emotionally wrenching lead vocals for a few songs, including Home which is a favorite of mine. But I think people will most remember him for running around the stage in a little black chicken suit. Needless to say, I simply must get one of my own, because I think I would look fabulous in feathers...
As I mentioned, the set list was a pleasing blend of new and old that ensured there was something for everyone. All songs were well-received, but I dare say that the older material had a bigger impact on the crowd than the new stuff. When songs like Enjoy the Silence and Just Can't Get Enough started blasting through the arena, the crowd just went nuts. This in turn energized the band, so it looked like they were having more fun with the old stuff as well. And as if that weren't enough, they've managed to update the classics yet again to make them sound all shiny and new (one of my favorite DM songs, Everything Counts was given a blistering rock beat that totally killed).
My only complaint was the band's selection for the final song of the evening... Goodnight Lovers from their somewhat boring Exciter album. After all the high-energy drive they put into the rest of the concert, it seemed like a week weak ending. Had they went out with a pumping crowd-pleaser like People Are People or something... they would have totally freaked out the entire arena and allowed them to sign-off on a high note. And isn't that how you WANT to leave a room when you're a rock band?
Anyway, even though I had to catch a plane to L.A. just five hours after the concert, and only managed to get 3 hours of sleep... it was all so totally worth it. My only regret was not getting to spend more time with Kevin and Katie, because they are alarmingly nice people. Not only that, but Kevin thinks I'm cool. You can read about just how totally cool I am in his entry over at Kapgar.com (oh... and I think that he wrote something about the concert as well).
Seriously though, meeting your readers and fellow-bloggers is really the best part of having a blog.
Well, except the guy who keeps emailing me to tell me that I am going to hell.
That's just mean.
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“Alarmingly nice”?!? Are you on drugs? We’re the most vile, cruel, and wicked people you’ll ever meet. I guess DM’s music really does have that disorienting effect on people’s psyche.
Yeah, it was a kick-ass concert. We do wish we could’ve spent more time with you. And Katie says if you ever need a traveling companion/personal assistant, call her. She’ll quit her job in a heartbeat. But, can you afford her? She’s got great interpersonal skills.
Next time you’re in town… you know the routine.
Nice chicken in tar cartoon, BTW.
Typo-alert! “week” ending?
Sorry if you didn’t want that pointed out, you kick ass in a million other ways I guess I can let grammer errors slide..this time.
Good deal about the concert, I picked up a couple DM albums since you mentioned them, and my personal favorite is “Dream On”
See… that’s what I’m saying! When people are nice, it usually means that they are compensating for some unspeakable evil. I can only guess that you and Katie kick puppies for sport or something equally horrifying!
A typo? ME?!? That’s what I get for trying to blog on 3 hours of sleep in the past 38 hours!
DM concerts never disappoint! I wish I could attend one someday.
Dave is 43 (born in 1962), but you’re absolutely right that he seems to have amazingly tons of energy!
Oh, I really love your blog, BTW. I’ve been reading the blog for several months but have lurked… until now.
Awesome photos you and Kevin took! How’d you smuggle a camera in? Or does DM have a more enlightened attitude about such?
I used to hide a camera between my boobies for Def Leppard shows. Hope that’s NOT the method you used. If it is, you have not been entirely accurate in your cartoon self-portraits …
Cameras and recording devices of any kind were strictly forbidden, and they strip-searched you right there at the door! Well, not really… but you did get a pat-down.
I stole the photo from the DM site… hoping they wouldn’t mind the blatant promotion and worship of their tour.
Apgar? All three of my kids took his test at birth.
(That’s probably a joke he’s tire of hearing.)
We drove five hours over to Glendale, AZ last Friday to catch them because we couldn’t get tickets at all for Las Vegas (fucking scalpers). It would’ve been great to catch them at “The Joint” at The Hard Rock Hotel, but it wasn’t meant to be.
I’ve been to a few DM concerts and Dave just gets better and better. I don’t think they’ll ever sing their old classics like “People are People” again, which is too bad, since that was the song that totally devirginized me into the DM obsession. I had the best seats (5th row center) for their Singles Tour and it was just out of this world.
Glad you were able to catch them this time around, especially since they only tour once every few years. I also think it’s great seeing the wide age group of the fans that attend DM concerts as well. I was in line with a 57 YO woman who paid her broker extra $$$ so that she can have 4th row seats. How great is that?
Delmer, nope, not tired of it. In fact, we’re related. It was created by Virginia Apgar and she just turned her last name into an acronym.
The really funny thing is that, when I took a child development psych class in college, I failed the final exam question about what my last name stood for regarding that test. I still don’t remember it entirely. Something like.
Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Aphasia (?), Reflex… or some such crap.
Did your kids pass the test? 😉
Oh man, I am really regretting not going to that DM concert now. Between your entry and my co-worker talking about how great it was, I am kicking myself in the ass.
But the best live band? Have you not seen The Cure live? Sheesh! 😉
I have not seen The Cure live (except on DVD!)… but even though I love The Cure and Robert Smith’s music… I just can’t imagine anything better than Depeche Mode! 🙂
I will totally pay you to photograph yourself in a “little black chicken suit.”
Now PLEASE sleep for 2 days.
Right on Dave. When it seems many bands do the lipsync thing these days, DM really does SING and manage to sound as good, if not better in person than in some studio. My wife and I saw their show in Glendale, AZ after failing to secure tickets in Las Vegas (very nice arena by the way, that Glendale one) and one fan managed to storm the stage. Dave did not see this until she was right next to him and not suprisingly, he was kinda taken aback, even pausing for a split second, probably thinking “What the F*$#?”. He was very gracious however, and neither Dave nor the rest of the band ever lost their composure. They just kept right on performing, never missing a beat. Dave even treated her with a short dance before she left the stage. Long live Depeche Mode!