Depeche Mode light up Kia Forum on Memento Mori tour

After a sold-out efficiency earlier this 12 months on the Kia Forum, English digital icons Depeche Mode returned to the identical venue to start closing out their U.S. tour. Singer Dave Gahan and guitarist/keyboardist Martin Gore carried out the primary of 4 sold-out reveals: two on the Forum and the ultimate concert events going down at Crypto.com Arena.

A large Christmas tree illuminated the parking zone, appearing as a pillar to information followers to the venue. Cars lined in droves, reaching the neighboring SoFi Stadium, revealing simply how packed the efficiency was. Much of the seats had been crammed whereas the explosive Scottish band Young Fathers opened. Not lengthy after, followers in Violator tour merch set free screams of pleasure because the lights dimmed to disclose fog and an instrumental outro to “Speak to Me.” The closing music off the band’s newest document, Memento Mori, opened the present. The band then carried out the primary two tracks of that album, “My Cosmos is Mine” and “Wagging Tongue,” as a big LED-filled letter “M” grew to become increasingly more obvious.

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With a extra brooding tone set, Depeche Mode kicked it into excessive gear with a throwback to 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion, “Walking in My Shoes.” Gahan strutted left and proper of the stage, coming to the perch of the catwalk, the place he pointed at his personal white boots throughout the monitor’s efficiency. Much of the set consisted of fan favorites, transporting the viewers to their youth with songs like “Policy of Truth” and “Everything Counts.” Gahan saved the depth at a excessive, usually asking followers to clap and sing alongside as he pointed his mic to the viewers. “Great job LA, much better than San Diego,” Gahan expressed with a large smirk.

For the tenth monitor, Gahan left the stage and allowed Gore to take the highlight, performing “A Question of Lust” (one of many few tracks with him on lead vocals, though he wrote a lot of the band’s music). A shock adopted, the place Gore took to the catwalk, getting near the viewers for a solo acoustic model of “Strangelove.” The 17,500 capability area shrunk to an intimate dive bar setting, with viewers members gleefully cheering him on. Gahan, as soon as again onstage, requested the viewers to present Gore his flowers as soon as extra earlier than going into the Memento Mori music “Ghosts Again.”

Although the band commanded the sector, oozing stage presence as a duo, the absence of founding member Andy Fletcher was felt. The tragic lack of the keyboardist in 2022 rattled not solely the new-wave and digital scene, however the music world as an entire. With the most recent album art work and music movies, Gahan and Gore are standing alone collectively, in black and white, seemingly making it obvious how the lack of Fletcher hurts. His reminiscence continues to dwell on via the music, in addition to Depeche Mode followers. Gahan shared such sentiments, dedicating “World in My Eyes” to Fletcher. At this tender second within the efficiency, Depeche Mode ended with arguably their most well-known monitor “Enjoy the Silence” earlier than heading offstage.

After a chant from the gang, Gahan and Gore had been welcomed again for a four-song encore, treating longtime followers to 1981’s Speak & Spell minimize “Just Can’t Get Enough” and Violator’s “Waiting for the Night.” The band additionally saved 1987’s “Never Let Me Down Again,” more than likely as a result of latest uptick in reputation from its utilization in 2022’s hit HBO sequence The Last of Us. At lengthy final, the band concluded night time one in all two on the Kia Forum with “Personal Jesus,” having followers groove to the heavy baselines and lyrics. Gahan and Gore wiped the sweat from their brows, smiling ear to ear with a famous appreciation for the followers of Los Angeles, more than likely recalling reminiscences of ’80s and ’90s runs at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and LA’s Dodger Stadium. The band will proceed touring, taking their dwell present spectacle again to Europe for the primary half of 2024.

Depeche Mode December 10, 2023 setlist, by way of Setlist.fm