Not two days after headlining a San Jose show, Depeche Mode paid a second San Francisco Bay Area visit to Oakland’s Oracle Arena where the fans were packed to the rafters and eager. From the looks of things, one date was clearly not enough to sate the Bay Area’s appetite.
So when the house lights finally dropped at 8:45 and the Beatles “Revolution” started blaring out of the PA, the entire room was quickly on its feet. While the band casually strolled on stage with a few happy waves, frontman Dave Gahan appeared on the catwalk at the back of the stage and launched into “Going Backwards” from their March, 2017 release Spirit.
Thirty-seven years in and sounding better than ever, Dave Gahan is a master showman that had the crowd wrapped around his little finger as he danced and preened around the stage. It was clear early on that this evening was going to be a good time for all involved.
Not long into the set, the crew moved Martin Gore’s mic stand center stage while Dave took a much-deserved break and a good portion of the crowd went nuts for what was about to happen—Martin taking over vocal duties on a pair of tunes, “A Question of Lust” and “Home,” the former backed only by Peter Gordeno on keyboards and an arena full of fans on vocals.
With a heaps of lights rigged above and around the stage, the production still managed to maintain its moodiness but when Dave Gahan strolled down the off-center stage extension during “Everything Counts,” the room lit up revealing an audience on its feet singing along at maximum volume. And while the t-shirt cannon got the desired excitement from the room, it was by no means necessary; Depeche Mode frankly doesn’t need any gimmicks to deliver an entertaining performance.
Now five months into their “Global Spirts Tour,” the band shows no weariness. Tuesday night’s two-ish hours of ‘wow’ wrapped with a five song encore that started with Gore back on vocals for “Somebody,” included “Heroes” as a tribute to David Bowie, and sent the fans home with “Personal Jesus” ringing in their heads.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
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Depeche Mode
WARPAINT
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SETLIST
Going Backwards
So Much Love
Barrel of a Gun
A Pain That I’m Used To
Corrupt
In Your Room
World in My Eyes
Cover Me
A Question of Lust
Home
Poison Heart
Where’s the Revolution
Wrong
Everything Counts
Stripped
Enjoy the Silence
Never Let Me Down Again
ENCORE
Somebody
Walking in My Shoes
“Heroes” (David Bowie cover)
I Feel You
Personal Jesus
