The fog had dissipated into a slight haze as Depeche Mode hit the stage. The legacy electronic/goth band started out their set in the dark, playing a brooding but pulsing intro, followed by "My World Is Mine" from their latest album Momento Mori. The lights blasted through the audience to the beat of the music as singer Dave Gahan's vocals cut through the arena.
Depeche Mode was a religious experience at AAC; you could almost "Reach Out and Touch Faith."
Vera "Velma" Hernandez
From the jump, the entire crowd were on their feet, singing along to every song from the set. Gahan thrusted with the microphone, in between his signature twirling and dancing for songs such as "It's No Good," "Everything Counts" and "Stripped."
Gahan made use of every inch of the stage and the T-shaped runway, displaying moves that would earn him comparisons to the Mick Jagger of goth. The band played an emotional "World in My Eyes," which they dedicated to their original keyboardist (and one of Depeche Mode's original founding members) Andrew Fletcher, who died in May 2022. His photo was displayed on the backdrop. This is the band's first tour without Fletcher on keyboards. Martin Gore, guitarist and original founding member, took to the stage playing an acoustic version of "Strangelove," which did not take away from the song's original upbeat tempo. The band ended their set with "Enjoy the Silence" right before the encore, as the arena lit up with thousands of cellphone lights, with fans yelling and chanting for the band to come back.
The clamor of the fans had the band rushing back to the stage within minutes, Gahan and Gore made their way to the end of the stage to start a four-song encore with a somber acoustic rendition of "Condemnation," immediately ramping it up with "Just Can't Get Enough," arguably one of the most recognizable synth dance songs of the 1980s.
The sold-out show's nonstop dancing, clapping and singing were mesmerizing; the audience kept up that energy most of the night. Gahan acted as a conductor, lowering himself to the floor, then rising while directing fans to sing the "whoas" at the end. The singer also initiated a full-body wave during the explosive "Never Let Me Down," ending the night with "Personal Jesus."
A roar of applause rang out while the band members hugged each other and gave a heartfelt bow, walking to all ends of the stage to wave at every section of the stadium, showing their appreciation for the people who have made them personal Jesus figures in rock for the past 43 years.
