Tour of the Universe!!! aka the Depeche Mode Experience

This passed weekend I went to my 7th Depeche Mode concert. This is something that should be experienced at least once in a lifetime, and I'm lucky enough to make to 7. I've had the privilege to attend DM concerts with friends, some of the same friends more than once, and my husband for three of them, though the first time he attended with me, we weren't married yet. Chris came with me for this recent Tour of the Universe tour at the US Air Arena (formally America West Arena) in Phoenix.

As usual, DM did NOT disappoint (how could they? It's DM for heaven's sake!!!), even though with this tour, the band was showing their age with some health problems that prompted the cancellation of some American and European and South American shows. 2 of the 5 recent California shows were canceled just in the last couple weeks, so I was VERY nervous about lowly ol' boring Phoenix being canceled. But thankfully, it didn't happen. The DM boyz have been going strong since 1979-80. Now they're 48 and 49 years old. It makes sense that some of their age is showing in what has effected the concert. But other than that, they manage to be completely immortal - if that makes any sense. Their performances are as awesome as ever. And Dave was always adorable, but at 48 he's sexier than ever.

At this passed weekend's show, it was pretty clear in some spots that Dave's voice had issues (that is what prompted the cancellation of San Francisco and San Diego - voice rest), but the show was still amazing. Chris complained a little about Dave having the audience sing some of the main lines and parts, but I have NEVER had a problem with that (Chris is a DM fan by marriage though, so you can't expect him to completely understand. lol) because it's part of the "experience", not Dave being lazy.


The second to the last song was Personal Jesus. Now while that is a major hit for them and has stood the test of time since its 1989 release, I wouldn't have been upset if it wasn't sung (it has been overplayed since its release, so for me, it's kind of been worn out). BUT...the video graphics they used with it were....omigosh...I can't completely be frank with how I felt about it due to the "mixed company" of readers to my blog. But this should do the trick:

Get the point?

And the ANTHEMS of Depeche Mode - at least as far as I'm concerned - Enjoy the Silence and It's No Good (I have added those to the top of my playlist for now), Never Let Me Down Again, and Question of Time. Holy-Climatic-Stellar-Sounds, Batman!! I remember in the Singles Tour in 98' how they OPENED with Question of Time. Rockin. Perfection. Completely STELLAR.

I also added the 2004 version of Enjoy the Silence and further down on my playlist is the standard 1990 version, along with other faves like Wrong, Precious, and so many others. I have so many DM faves, that I always leave something out.

My only complaints of this recent "experience" (it's not a concert. It's an experience): The one person in the whole arena who snuck in smokes and lit up cigarettes was next to me. I thought about ratting him out, but he was such a devoted fan and otherwise very cool and polite, I decided to risk the few minutes off my life his three cigarettes caused, and let it go for the love and devotion of the band.n But if someone else ratted him out, I wouldn't have exactly cared.

And then there was the idiot behind us that would go, "Yeeah!..yeeah!..yeeah!" like an elephant seal with too much testosterone. I almost preferred smoker guy to elephant seal guy.


Other than that....Holy Shiitake Mushrooms!!!! It was awesome!!