Depeche Mode playing the San Siro stadium in Milano in the year 2017 is nothing short of a miracle in itself, considering the trials and tribulations of the band and especially Dave Gahan, but it’s fairly safe to say there is NO other band that hails from 1980 to evolve as much as DM have.
They will not be joining the Rewind Festival anytime soon! Always pushing the boundaries of popular music, the band have been able to stay in tune with the times. Not even U2 or the Red Hot Chili Peppers from across the water have been able to adapt and define, again and again, the next generation like DM. Only Radiohead come to mind but they were formed a good five years after DM which is ages in pop/rock history.
Two years on from the last show at San Siro, with an excellent and exhilarating new album ‘Spirit’ in tow, they appear to be more alive than ever on stage. There is still that pop/electronic core, the ‘dark’ overtures both in sound and manner as is their vogue, but it’s the excitement and passion that alights now. It’s as if they finally, we finally, have realized what an incredibly strong body of songs they have. There is no inferiority complex anymore as even their most offensive critics have all been subdued by now. DM have won and now along with their adoring fans, and there are many in Italy, it’s time to celebrate.
The show opens with two new songs ‘Going Backwards’ and ‘So Much Love’ and almost effortlessly they hit a musical seam rich in aural and visual content. They play a wonderful set list that has songs selected from 10 different albums. That in itself defines the band’s ability to have always been omnipresent over time, managing to fly low somehow remaining in between being an indie and a chart band in their stature even if they are a major league player.
Dave Gahan is a fabulous front man with his constant gyrations and body whirls, enticing the audience to participate, the voice strong, his older more weathered but still oh so cool looks rendering him even more appealing visually.
Martin Gore is however no less the star. Vocally he sings better than ever magnifying and completing the DM sound. His guitar sounds and melodic hooks are so underrated. The guy just doesn’t miss a beat.
The drum and keyboard electronics core is however what elevates the band to such dizzy heights in the live situation. Along with DM founder Andy Fletcher on keyboards, is drummer Christian Eigner and keyboard/bassist Peter Gordeno and together they create intense and hard sounds that seem to pulsate along with the bio rhythms of the heart, a perfect soundtrack to the visual aids and videos, always a passion of the band’s, on display. It just makes for a great show.
A heartfelt and believable cover of ‘Heroes’ is included amongst the encores, black flags waving on the screens, a salute to the band’s hero, Bowie.
Ending the show with the mesmerizing ‘I Feel You’, so powerful and captivating, and then ‘Personal Jesus’, a most atypical hit song for a popular stadium band such is its uniqueness and quirkiness, they leave the stage after a band hug and curtain call bows, happy and smiling as everyone on stage and in the stadium realizes it is a ciao and not a goodbye.
1. Going Backwards
2. So Much Love
3. Barrel of a Gun
4. A Pain That I’m Used To
5. Corrupt
6. In Your Room
7. World in My Eyes
8. Cover Me
9. A Question of Lust
10. Home
11. Poison Heart
12. Where’s the Revolution
13. Wrong
14. Everything Counts
15. Stripped
16. Enjoy the Silence
17. Never Let Me Down Again
Encore
18. Somebody
19. Walking in My Shoes
20. “Heroes”(David Bowie cover)
21. I Feel You
22. Personal Jesus
