The Devotees have come out in full-force tonight. Synth-pop titans Depeche Mode may be over 40 years into their career, but early reviews for the opening gigs on their six-date UK and Ireland arena tour in support of their 15th studio album Memento Mori, suggest that they're at the top of their game, ensuring an electric buzz around the AO Arena long before show-time.
When the arena is plunged into darkness as set opener My Cosmos Is Mine pulses to life, a wave of feral howls welcome the arrival of dark silhouettes onstage. As Dave Gahan takes centre-stage, his ghostly form raising his arms above his head gracefully, the tension reaches a peak, all before those rich, full-bodied baritone vocals wash over the crowd as he croons “Don't play with my world…”
It’s an immediate reminder of what has kept Depeche Mode so exhilarating over the years - their sense of showmanship. Gahan’s face is still obscured by darkness, yet the movement of his body is distinctive enough. Each twirl of his hand has the crowd frozen in awe, the flick of his wrist amplifying the boom of the monolithic darkwave of the track.
Yet there is a duality to Depeche Mode. This gothic, brooding poignancy is offset by a sense of wonder and grace; when the band are finally plunged into light, the euphoria exuding from Gahan is infectious. While Wagging Tongues and Walking In My Shoes lyrically muse, he's a puppet on a string, whirling round the stage in a sparkling waistcoat and billowing pirate shirt. Walking In My Shoes finds him playfully getting the camera man to zoom in on his pure white heeled boots, before laughing triumphantly and whirling into Ultra cut It’s No Good.
This joyful, nimble energy is a staple of the duo's career-spanning performance tonight, sashaying through decades of hits. One moment Gaham is cheekily pole dancing on his mic stand for Violator’s formidable Policy of Truth, the crowd relishing the spectacle of showmanship, the next Martin Gore is receiving howls of adoration as he takes the spotlight to knock out acoustic number Strangelove.
Within this pot-spinning of eras, the band take a moment to remember the late Andrew Fletcher, with Behind the Wheel and Black Celebration rumbling out with more poignancy than ever before. But tonight is a celebration Fletcher’s life and contributions to Depeche Mode, and Gahan and Gore ensure the crowd soak up every second in his honour.
The encores perfectly round things off. Waiting For The Night is the gold-standard of Depeche Mode’s gorgeously dark soundscaping, Just Can’t Get Enough a life-affirming burst of synth-pop transforming the black celebration into technicolour, before Personal Jesus delivers the knock-out blow. It's a climactic ending that reminds the faithful and the curious alike just why Depeche Mode have stood the test of time.
