Depeche Mode Bong 38 (1998-12)
Bong 38 (December 1998)
Articles:
Screening Mr Corbijn by Michaela Olexova
The Singles 86-98 (comments on the singles) by various contributors
I Met That Bloke From Depeche Mode Once by Tobias Schulze / Gea de Roo
The International Bong Convention 1998 by Michaela Olexova
Russia a la Mode (review of performances in Estonia and Latvia) by Ilja Judeikin
LA Convention (review) by Holly Poon
Pictures:
page 1 sketch of the Singles Tour stage design
page 2 the 1999 calendar
Articles:
Screening Mr Corbijn by Michaela Olexova
The Singles 86-98 (comments on the singles) by various contributors
I Met That Bloke From Depeche Mode Once by Tobias Schulze / Gea de Roo
The International Bong Convention 1998 by Michaela Olexova
Russia a la Mode (review of performances in Estonia and Latvia) by Ilja Judeikin
LA Convention (review) by Holly Poon
Pictures:
page 1 sketch of the Singles Tour stage design
page 2 the 1999 calendar
Attachments
SCREENING MR CORBIJN
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Michaela Olexova.]
It’s not always easy to catch up with Anton Corbijn – one of the World’s busiest people, especially when you want him to give you some details on one of his latest projects, the stage set and video projection he was once again asked to design for Depeche Mode’s tour. We sat down and talked about his ideas during the last week of August – just before “The Singles Tour” hit the road…
The stage design is what you call low-tech and the stage itself is a bit of an idea that resembles a peepshow, a sexclub or a nightclub, so it’s quite intimate and a bit kitschy. Therefore there’s a lot of red velvet used on stage to get this vibe. The band is quite close together, only Dave has some space around him and there are some video screens (like a peepshow) in the middle of the stage. They are not massive screens, and are actually the same height as the lower screens on the last tour. We only use three of them now so people from all sides can see it and there’s the same image on every screen. The images are usually quite clear, but I don’t mind if not everybody can see it on this time. It’s more of an idea that there is something, it’s more of a concept thing. The visuals last time were the show, whereas now it’s more part of the whole concept.
It’s No Good
It is a recycling of old videos and putting them together. I think it’s OK, because it’s ‘the greatest hits’ tour, isn’t it? It’s only the videos that I’ve made, there are of course a few others, but they are not in there. As the video screens are upright and as all the old videos are made horizontally because of the TV, that’s the only time when the images are a bit small.
Walking In My Shoes
The idea was that people, at many points in their lives, have to make decisions that can also be influenced by things that are important in their life. So, for instance, you have people who in their teenage years want to be Gary Glitter or David Bowie, and that’s what the band show. It’s on the catwalk so it looks like a show… I think Fletch’s Elvis is great! Then there are other things, some trivial, some important, that you decide about – knife, fork, wedding dress, army helmet, etc.
A Question Of Lust
The faces of the band morph into each other and morph into a female body and then back into the faces of the band again. It’s a very slow video. It’s nice that everything morphs, which is a technical process.
Enjoy The Silence
I took some of the elements from the original video, which are the deck-chair and the crow. They gradually become graphics and like in a club, they are pulsing on the beat. I think that’s a really good part of the show.
Barrel Of A Gun
It is a re-edited version of all the stuff of Dave in Morocco. It’s very manic and I think it’s a brilliant edit, myself. You really get that vibe of someone who is possessed, and obsessed. This video is shown with the mirror ball above it.
Stripped
Here the sexuality is brought into fruits or half cut fruits. It’s very simple but it looks very beautiful.
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Michaela Olexova.]
It’s not always easy to catch up with Anton Corbijn – one of the World’s busiest people, especially when you want him to give you some details on one of his latest projects, the stage set and video projection he was once again asked to design for Depeche Mode’s tour. We sat down and talked about his ideas during the last week of August – just before “The Singles Tour” hit the road…
The stage design is what you call low-tech and the stage itself is a bit of an idea that resembles a peepshow, a sexclub or a nightclub, so it’s quite intimate and a bit kitschy. Therefore there’s a lot of red velvet used on stage to get this vibe. The band is quite close together, only Dave has some space around him and there are some video screens (like a peepshow) in the middle of the stage. They are not massive screens, and are actually the same height as the lower screens on the last tour. We only use three of them now so people from all sides can see it and there’s the same image on every screen. The images are usually quite clear, but I don’t mind if not everybody can see it on this time. It’s more of an idea that there is something, it’s more of a concept thing. The visuals last time were the show, whereas now it’s more part of the whole concept.
It’s No Good
It is a recycling of old videos and putting them together. I think it’s OK, because it’s ‘the greatest hits’ tour, isn’t it? It’s only the videos that I’ve made, there are of course a few others, but they are not in there. As the video screens are upright and as all the old videos are made horizontally because of the TV, that’s the only time when the images are a bit small.
Walking In My Shoes
The idea was that people, at many points in their lives, have to make decisions that can also be influenced by things that are important in their life. So, for instance, you have people who in their teenage years want to be Gary Glitter or David Bowie, and that’s what the band show. It’s on the catwalk so it looks like a show… I think Fletch’s Elvis is great! Then there are other things, some trivial, some important, that you decide about – knife, fork, wedding dress, army helmet, etc.
A Question Of Lust
The faces of the band morph into each other and morph into a female body and then back into the faces of the band again. It’s a very slow video. It’s nice that everything morphs, which is a technical process.
Enjoy The Silence
I took some of the elements from the original video, which are the deck-chair and the crow. They gradually become graphics and like in a club, they are pulsing on the beat. I think that’s a really good part of the show.
Barrel Of A Gun
It is a re-edited version of all the stuff of Dave in Morocco. It’s very manic and I think it’s a brilliant edit, myself. You really get that vibe of someone who is possessed, and obsessed. This video is shown with the mirror ball above it.
Stripped
Here the sexuality is brought into fruits or half cut fruits. It’s very simple but it looks very beautiful.
THE SINGLES 86-98
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
Stripped > This single reminds me of 1986 and the “Black Celebration” period. When the tour dates were announced you can imagine my delight when Bristol’s Hippodrome was one of those venues. It was a Saturday morning and I was on the bus stop bright and early to get to the centre of Bristol to eagerly await the opening of the Hippodrome. As I got there, the fans already awaited the ticket office opening. A couple of hours later, to my delight, at last the doors opened and we were in!! I purchased my two tickets for row B (row A sold out already, how I don’t know!?!). Very, very excited I left with my tickets safely in my pocket, and went into the shopping centre. I can remember buying a DM T-shirt. All this I can remember so clearly, and as soon as I hear “Stripped”, it takes me back to that Saturday. A. Lawrence, UK
A Question Of Lust > This is one of the songs I used to sing to my brother as lullabies. I was singing them almost every night for five or more times until he fell asleep. I was, of course, switching “she” for “he” where necessary. Anna Avekova, Moscow, Russia
A Question Of Time > The inevitable loss of innocence caused by puberty and the vulnerability that can lead to under age sex provides an underlying element of danger throughout the song, while still retaining some warmth as it is told through the fears and concerns of an understanding adult. Lisa Davenport, UK
Strangelove > This song reminds me of the band’s concert during the “Music For The Masses Tour” when Depeche came to Prague in 1988. The Czech Republic was still struggling with the communist regime and Depeche Mode were one of the very first bands from the western part of the World to come and perform in our country. I remember the interest in this concert was overwhelming and there were thousands of people coming from abroad. The capacity of the venue was 16,000 but there were about 90,000 plus requests for the tickets!!! I also recall that the atmosphere on the night was amazing, although there were many state police officers to calm the crowd down, in order to prevent possible riots!?! To remember this special day, the DM fans started to gather on the date of the show in front of the venue for their black celebrations… Michaela Olexova – Bong
Never Let Me Down Again > My favourite track from the singles collection is “Never Let Me Down Again”… because I love its mood. I listen to it when I am down and sing to it when I am happy (especially in my shower). I remember missing school just to buy the 12” single only to find out it wasn’t on sale on that day yet. Great memories. Kwok Kah Mun, Singapore
Behind The Wheel > This must be one of the most beautiful songs ever. I already knew Depeche Mode before this single was released, but one evening I was just lying in the dark listening to a radio, and it was when I heard that song, that music and those incredible sounds… I sat down on my bed and the only thought in my head was “that’s it! That’s my song!”. It was “Behind The Wheel” (remix) and it was for the first time ever I have felt music so close to my mind and heart. Its mood and atmosphere just surrounded me. It was the reason for me to fall in love with Depeche Mode. For good… Jurga Raskauskaite, Alytus, Lithuania
Personal Jesus > Although people associate this track with religion, your own Personal Jesus can be anything – sex, love, music almost anything that gives you pleasure – reach out and touch whatever moves you. Andrea Matthews, UK
Enjoy The Silence > It’s one of the best Depeche Mode songs. I love it very much for the power that it gives me when the world around me goes crazy. I listen to this song and vision myself on the top of the mountains, in the country, near the sea and hope that nobody will ever come and break the silence… Patricia Sellin, Concarneau, France
Policy Of Truth > I have become a real devotee with this song and fell in love with it the very first time I heard it, and it hasn’t changed so far. It brings deep feelings inside of me and I consider it to be the most powerful song Martin has ever written. The melody captivates my senses completely and it has often helped me in low times. A great thrill and one of the immortal songs! The song of my life, indeed! Vanina Moreillon, Sion, Switzerland
World In My Eyes > I remember when this song was released as a single and I thought to myself – that’s it – the sound, music and lyrics just opened my eyes!! Since then I have become a huge devotee of the band, and although I have liked Depeche Mode ever since 1981, the year 1990 made my life liveable!! Manfred Greisert, Erkrath, Germany
I Feel You > The first time I saw the video for this song I was shocked. Was this my beloved Depeche Mode? They looked and sounded like a hard rock band. The band were yet again changing any preconceptions people had about them. The song has such a powerful and positive energy and whenever I play it, it always inspires me. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
Walking In My Shoes > I can never listen to this song without being reminded of Anton’s really dark video with all the strange people and images of the group in it. I consider it to be one of the best videos Anton has ever done for the band. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
Condemnation > The rack has the basic meaning – they again deal with what other people think of us, but they do so from different emotional standpoints. You beg “Why do you think that of me? How can you judge me?” mixed with a longing for the accuser to have some understanding. Lisa Davenport, UK
In Your Room > I really like “In Your Room”, especially Zephyr Mix. We were listening to this song together with my girlfriend all night long in one room three years ago and I had the words in my head all that night. We are still together and she is still my little girl… sorry Martin. Patrik Kardoheli, Presov, Slovakia
Barrel Of A Gun > A great comeback single. Really hard sounding keyboards and Dave’s sneering distorted vocals. A really challenging song with confrontational lyrics by Martin that remind me of the great pain and torture Dave has suffered over the last few years. Yet against all the odds he and the rest of the band have managed to pull through, even though they were staring down the barrel of a gun. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
It’s No Good > Destiny and belonging to someone, they know, you know, everybody knows – perfect. No reading horoscopes here!! Andrea Matthews, UK
Home > Oozes with the warmth and security a loving relationship provides. Home isn’t a place – it’s a state of mind, inner calm, contentment and a sense of belonging tinged with an element of surprise that anyone could make you feel that way. Lisa Davenport, UK
Useless > I remember showing the “Useless” video for the first time at The International Bong Convention, which we held in Prague in October 1997. Since it was only a few days after it was released no one in the venue had seen it before, and so we were really fortunate to have the first run of the video on that night. I loved it so much myself I couldn’t wait till I press the play button and the video projection lights up. When the time arrived I could see all the 600 plus fans waiting in anxiety, turning their eyes towards the massive screen. It was all so exciting and as soon as the first tones of “Useless” began and the yellow car appeared on the screen everyone went completely mad! The crowd turned into the one I know from the live shows and it almost seemed as if the band were actually on stage. Loud screaming and applause followed every movement in the video; needless to say what went on after a close-up on Martin with his fresh hair cut. It was so emotional and moving seeing the smile and happiness in every single face… We, of course, had to show the video a few more times later on. Michaela Olexova – Bong
Only When I Lose Myself > The lyrics, the vocals make this such a wonderful song for me, I lost count of how many times I cried when I first listened to it. Andrea Matthews, UK
Little 15 > I remember the first time I heard this song on “Music For The Masses” album. It felt so weird. I was sad and happy at the same time and the melody haunted me for a long time. I found it quite strange when it was released as a single. As Martin said in Bong 37, it was not a hit, but it was played regularly on the radio. I remember listening to a radio programme once where the listeners were supposed to phone in and vote for one of the two songs and “Little 15” won with more than 400 votes which apparently was quite a high score! Rozenn Leborgne, London, UK
Everything Counts (Live) > Whenever I listen to this song, whether it’s an album or a live version, it reminds me of this one night when I was drawing a picture of Dave. I had put my CD player on “repeat” so the song would just keep playing over and over and over again. As I drew the picture, I just kept listening to “Everything Counts”. I was drawing the picture for about an hour, so during that whole time, all that was playing was “Everything Counts”. I have no idea as to exactly how many times in a row I listened to that son that night, but I’ll never forget it. And now, whenever I hear that song, I am constantly reminded of that one night. I must say though that although I listened to it on repeat so many times for an hour, I never got sick of it. That is the beauty of Depeche Mode songs – I never seem to get sick of them. Laura Iwanenko, Hickory Hills, USA
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Various contributors.]
Stripped > This single reminds me of 1986 and the “Black Celebration” period. When the tour dates were announced you can imagine my delight when Bristol’s Hippodrome was one of those venues. It was a Saturday morning and I was on the bus stop bright and early to get to the centre of Bristol to eagerly await the opening of the Hippodrome. As I got there, the fans already awaited the ticket office opening. A couple of hours later, to my delight, at last the doors opened and we were in!! I purchased my two tickets for row B (row A sold out already, how I don’t know!?!). Very, very excited I left with my tickets safely in my pocket, and went into the shopping centre. I can remember buying a DM T-shirt. All this I can remember so clearly, and as soon as I hear “Stripped”, it takes me back to that Saturday. A. Lawrence, UK
A Question Of Lust > This is one of the songs I used to sing to my brother as lullabies. I was singing them almost every night for five or more times until he fell asleep. I was, of course, switching “she” for “he” where necessary. Anna Avekova, Moscow, Russia
A Question Of Time > The inevitable loss of innocence caused by puberty and the vulnerability that can lead to under age sex provides an underlying element of danger throughout the song, while still retaining some warmth as it is told through the fears and concerns of an understanding adult. Lisa Davenport, UK
Strangelove > This song reminds me of the band’s concert during the “Music For The Masses Tour” when Depeche came to Prague in 1988. The Czech Republic was still struggling with the communist regime and Depeche Mode were one of the very first bands from the western part of the World to come and perform in our country. I remember the interest in this concert was overwhelming and there were thousands of people coming from abroad. The capacity of the venue was 16,000 but there were about 90,000 plus requests for the tickets!!! I also recall that the atmosphere on the night was amazing, although there were many state police officers to calm the crowd down, in order to prevent possible riots!?! To remember this special day, the DM fans started to gather on the date of the show in front of the venue for their black celebrations… Michaela Olexova – Bong
Never Let Me Down Again > My favourite track from the singles collection is “Never Let Me Down Again”… because I love its mood. I listen to it when I am down and sing to it when I am happy (especially in my shower). I remember missing school just to buy the 12” single only to find out it wasn’t on sale on that day yet. Great memories. Kwok Kah Mun, Singapore
Behind The Wheel > This must be one of the most beautiful songs ever. I already knew Depeche Mode before this single was released, but one evening I was just lying in the dark listening to a radio, and it was when I heard that song, that music and those incredible sounds… I sat down on my bed and the only thought in my head was “that’s it! That’s my song!”. It was “Behind The Wheel” (remix) and it was for the first time ever I have felt music so close to my mind and heart. Its mood and atmosphere just surrounded me. It was the reason for me to fall in love with Depeche Mode. For good… Jurga Raskauskaite, Alytus, Lithuania
Personal Jesus > Although people associate this track with religion, your own Personal Jesus can be anything – sex, love, music almost anything that gives you pleasure – reach out and touch whatever moves you. Andrea Matthews, UK
Enjoy The Silence > It’s one of the best Depeche Mode songs. I love it very much for the power that it gives me when the world around me goes crazy. I listen to this song and vision myself on the top of the mountains, in the country, near the sea and hope that nobody will ever come and break the silence… Patricia Sellin, Concarneau, France
Policy Of Truth > I have become a real devotee with this song and fell in love with it the very first time I heard it, and it hasn’t changed so far. It brings deep feelings inside of me and I consider it to be the most powerful song Martin has ever written. The melody captivates my senses completely and it has often helped me in low times. A great thrill and one of the immortal songs! The song of my life, indeed! Vanina Moreillon, Sion, Switzerland
World In My Eyes > I remember when this song was released as a single and I thought to myself – that’s it – the sound, music and lyrics just opened my eyes!! Since then I have become a huge devotee of the band, and although I have liked Depeche Mode ever since 1981, the year 1990 made my life liveable!! Manfred Greisert, Erkrath, Germany
I Feel You > The first time I saw the video for this song I was shocked. Was this my beloved Depeche Mode? They looked and sounded like a hard rock band. The band were yet again changing any preconceptions people had about them. The song has such a powerful and positive energy and whenever I play it, it always inspires me. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
Walking In My Shoes > I can never listen to this song without being reminded of Anton’s really dark video with all the strange people and images of the group in it. I consider it to be one of the best videos Anton has ever done for the band. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
Condemnation > The rack has the basic meaning – they again deal with what other people think of us, but they do so from different emotional standpoints. You beg “Why do you think that of me? How can you judge me?” mixed with a longing for the accuser to have some understanding. Lisa Davenport, UK
In Your Room > I really like “In Your Room”, especially Zephyr Mix. We were listening to this song together with my girlfriend all night long in one room three years ago and I had the words in my head all that night. We are still together and she is still my little girl… sorry Martin. Patrik Kardoheli, Presov, Slovakia
Barrel Of A Gun > A great comeback single. Really hard sounding keyboards and Dave’s sneering distorted vocals. A really challenging song with confrontational lyrics by Martin that remind me of the great pain and torture Dave has suffered over the last few years. Yet against all the odds he and the rest of the band have managed to pull through, even though they were staring down the barrel of a gun. John Bretherton, Warrington, UK
It’s No Good > Destiny and belonging to someone, they know, you know, everybody knows – perfect. No reading horoscopes here!! Andrea Matthews, UK
Home > Oozes with the warmth and security a loving relationship provides. Home isn’t a place – it’s a state of mind, inner calm, contentment and a sense of belonging tinged with an element of surprise that anyone could make you feel that way. Lisa Davenport, UK
Useless > I remember showing the “Useless” video for the first time at The International Bong Convention, which we held in Prague in October 1997. Since it was only a few days after it was released no one in the venue had seen it before, and so we were really fortunate to have the first run of the video on that night. I loved it so much myself I couldn’t wait till I press the play button and the video projection lights up. When the time arrived I could see all the 600 plus fans waiting in anxiety, turning their eyes towards the massive screen. It was all so exciting and as soon as the first tones of “Useless” began and the yellow car appeared on the screen everyone went completely mad! The crowd turned into the one I know from the live shows and it almost seemed as if the band were actually on stage. Loud screaming and applause followed every movement in the video; needless to say what went on after a close-up on Martin with his fresh hair cut. It was so emotional and moving seeing the smile and happiness in every single face… We, of course, had to show the video a few more times later on. Michaela Olexova – Bong
Only When I Lose Myself > The lyrics, the vocals make this such a wonderful song for me, I lost count of how many times I cried when I first listened to it. Andrea Matthews, UK
Little 15 > I remember the first time I heard this song on “Music For The Masses” album. It felt so weird. I was sad and happy at the same time and the melody haunted me for a long time. I found it quite strange when it was released as a single. As Martin said in Bong 37, it was not a hit, but it was played regularly on the radio. I remember listening to a radio programme once where the listeners were supposed to phone in and vote for one of the two songs and “Little 15” won with more than 400 votes which apparently was quite a high score! Rozenn Leborgne, London, UK
Everything Counts (Live) > Whenever I listen to this song, whether it’s an album or a live version, it reminds me of this one night when I was drawing a picture of Dave. I had put my CD player on “repeat” so the song would just keep playing over and over and over again. As I drew the picture, I just kept listening to “Everything Counts”. I was drawing the picture for about an hour, so during that whole time, all that was playing was “Everything Counts”. I have no idea as to exactly how many times in a row I listened to that son that night, but I’ll never forget it. And now, whenever I hear that song, I am constantly reminded of that one night. I must say though that although I listened to it on repeat so many times for an hour, I never got sick of it. That is the beauty of Depeche Mode songs – I never seem to get sick of them. Laura Iwanenko, Hickory Hills, USA
I MET THAT BLOKE FROM DEPECHE MODE ONCE
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Tobias Schulze / Gea de Roo.]
It was on June 21, 1993 in Munich, when a friend of mine and I met Depeche Mode. They came to the town for one of their brilliant “Devotional” concerts. By chance I knew the hotel where the band was staying, and so we went there in the early afternoon and took a seat near the reception. We ordered a drink and waited to see if we could get a glimpse of the band. Then it happened… Alan was the first one who appeared. He was on his way out and so we quickly moved over and approached him in order to ask for an autograph. After a while we saw Martin and Andy coming down to the lobby. There was a car waiting for them outside the hotel, and of course quite a few fans. We later assumed that they had gone to the venue for the sound-check as they returned in about an hour. Upon their return, they were again patiently signing our stuff, but unfortunately there was no chance of speaking to them, as there were too many fans around. Nevertheless, it was a great experience just standing next to them, realising they are ‘normal human beings’. Dave, we didn’t see the whole afternoon and we had to wait long hours to meet him at last. We were getting more and more nervous and it was 7:30pm when he finally came down from his room, followed by his bodyguard. He immediately went outside to his car, but was stopped by a group of fans who asked him for an autograph. He then left for the concert, together with Alan. Meanwhile, Andy and Martin came down to the lobby, sat at a table and really didn’t look like they were to play a concert. They left soon after, and we tried to follow them in a taxi but lost them in traffic on the way. But we were lucky, because when we stopped at the crossroads, we spotted them in front of us again. From then on, we were right behind them up to the Olympic Hall. The support band was nearly over when we entered the venue, but it really didn’t matter after what we had experienced that afternoon… and the show was an excellent one!!!
Tobias Schulze
Schoneck, Germany
It’s the evening of Monday 19th February 1990 and I have my ex-boyfriend on the phone telling me that the next day Depeche Mode are going to be in a Dutch studio for a programme called “Countdown”. I have to decide very quickly whether I go or not as this is an opportunity you don’t get that often. So I cal my penpal from Haarlem and make some arrangements. The next day I call my school to tell them that I am sick and have to stay in bed. (?!?). First, I get the train to Utrecht to meet my friends and then we all go to Naarden-Bussum where the studios are. On our way there, we talk about Depeche Mode and what we’re going to say or do if we have a chance to meet them face to face. When we arrive we notice two limousines and think they must be Depeche Mode’s. There are a lot of fans waiting outside already but they don’t look anything like DM fans. Suddenly, they start screaming and we realise it’s for the band Wet Wet Wet. When the doors open we are unsure of whether we are allowed to go in or not as you usually have to make a reservation, but after a while we are asked to go in. The studio looks great, but it isn’t as large as we expected. Soon the show starts and we are ‘forced’ to watch the Wet Wet Wet performance twice, as the first one isn’t good enough. This also makes me decide never to buy a record of this band. Then we are told to be silent and to enjoy the silence. It means Depeche Mode are on!! They, of course, perform “Enjoy The Silence” and what a brilliant performance!! After the band are off stage, we hurry outside and wait to get a glimpse of them on their way out. Dave is the first one to appear, followed by Alan, Martin, Andy, manager and bodyguards; we quickly ask them for their autographs and to take some pictures. They are all very nice but it’s going really fast and when I went to approach Andy he was in the car already. They are gone in a minute and we have a train to catch. On the way back, we chat about the band and the event we’ve just experienced. Funny, we never got what we planned on the way to the studios… The following day I take my film to a photo-shop to have the photos with the band developed and it’s a long time waiting (one-hour service). When I get my photos and see the proof of yesterday’s events I still can’t believe that this has happened to me. The very same day, the programme with the Depeche Mode performance is broadcast, reminding me of the unforgettable experience. I, personally, think that I will never get such an opportunity again, but you never know what the future might bring…
Gea de Roo
Emmen, The Netherlands
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Tobias Schulze / Gea de Roo.]
It was on June 21, 1993 in Munich, when a friend of mine and I met Depeche Mode. They came to the town for one of their brilliant “Devotional” concerts. By chance I knew the hotel where the band was staying, and so we went there in the early afternoon and took a seat near the reception. We ordered a drink and waited to see if we could get a glimpse of the band. Then it happened… Alan was the first one who appeared. He was on his way out and so we quickly moved over and approached him in order to ask for an autograph. After a while we saw Martin and Andy coming down to the lobby. There was a car waiting for them outside the hotel, and of course quite a few fans. We later assumed that they had gone to the venue for the sound-check as they returned in about an hour. Upon their return, they were again patiently signing our stuff, but unfortunately there was no chance of speaking to them, as there were too many fans around. Nevertheless, it was a great experience just standing next to them, realising they are ‘normal human beings’. Dave, we didn’t see the whole afternoon and we had to wait long hours to meet him at last. We were getting more and more nervous and it was 7:30pm when he finally came down from his room, followed by his bodyguard. He immediately went outside to his car, but was stopped by a group of fans who asked him for an autograph. He then left for the concert, together with Alan. Meanwhile, Andy and Martin came down to the lobby, sat at a table and really didn’t look like they were to play a concert. They left soon after, and we tried to follow them in a taxi but lost them in traffic on the way. But we were lucky, because when we stopped at the crossroads, we spotted them in front of us again. From then on, we were right behind them up to the Olympic Hall. The support band was nearly over when we entered the venue, but it really didn’t matter after what we had experienced that afternoon… and the show was an excellent one!!!
Tobias Schulze
Schoneck, Germany
It’s the evening of Monday 19th February 1990 and I have my ex-boyfriend on the phone telling me that the next day Depeche Mode are going to be in a Dutch studio for a programme called “Countdown”. I have to decide very quickly whether I go or not as this is an opportunity you don’t get that often. So I cal my penpal from Haarlem and make some arrangements. The next day I call my school to tell them that I am sick and have to stay in bed. (?!?). First, I get the train to Utrecht to meet my friends and then we all go to Naarden-Bussum where the studios are. On our way there, we talk about Depeche Mode and what we’re going to say or do if we have a chance to meet them face to face. When we arrive we notice two limousines and think they must be Depeche Mode’s. There are a lot of fans waiting outside already but they don’t look anything like DM fans. Suddenly, they start screaming and we realise it’s for the band Wet Wet Wet. When the doors open we are unsure of whether we are allowed to go in or not as you usually have to make a reservation, but after a while we are asked to go in. The studio looks great, but it isn’t as large as we expected. Soon the show starts and we are ‘forced’ to watch the Wet Wet Wet performance twice, as the first one isn’t good enough. This also makes me decide never to buy a record of this band. Then we are told to be silent and to enjoy the silence. It means Depeche Mode are on!! They, of course, perform “Enjoy The Silence” and what a brilliant performance!! After the band are off stage, we hurry outside and wait to get a glimpse of them on their way out. Dave is the first one to appear, followed by Alan, Martin, Andy, manager and bodyguards; we quickly ask them for their autographs and to take some pictures. They are all very nice but it’s going really fast and when I went to approach Andy he was in the car already. They are gone in a minute and we have a train to catch. On the way back, we chat about the band and the event we’ve just experienced. Funny, we never got what we planned on the way to the studios… The following day I take my film to a photo-shop to have the photos with the band developed and it’s a long time waiting (one-hour service). When I get my photos and see the proof of yesterday’s events I still can’t believe that this has happened to me. The very same day, the programme with the Depeche Mode performance is broadcast, reminding me of the unforgettable experience. I, personally, think that I will never get such an opportunity again, but you never know what the future might bring…
Gea de Roo
Emmen, The Netherlands
THE INTERNATIONAL BONG CONVENTION 1998
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Michaela Olexova.]
Hi Bongsters,
Like so many times before, we chose the Camden Palace in London as the venue for this year’s Bong Convention. Weeks of preparation preceded the doors opening on Sunday 25th October at 4:30pm. Unlike in previous years, we decided to move the event forward slightly by beginning earlier so we can spend some extra time with our devotional friends. Boy, was I wrong!!! Right in the middle of the night, I realised I wouldn’t be able to dance or to have a chat with anyone apart from the DJ. I was constantly running around, introducing the contests to the audience from the stage, selecting the prizes, taking pictures… trying to catch a breath when possible. What a shame the clock couldn’t be stopped for a minute as I had looked forward to meeting up with the devotees and practising my dance routine!!
Saying that, I hope that I was not the only one who really enjoyed myself – my only complaint being the low attendance of the fans and the quickness of time, although we had over six hours of DM madness!! I must say that I am really sorry for those of you who couldn’t make it this year for one reason or another. You missed the first opportunity to buy a brand new long-sleeve DM T-shirt (please see ad section for purchasing) and the mastery of our new DJ Rich (who did a brilliant job – big thanks go to you, Rich!). Also a superb live performance by Monochrome, our exclusive Bong video documentary from the tour, a variety of competitions (Best Jacket / T-shirt Design, DM look-a-likes, Raffle and Mastermind), and a chance to win many of the superb prizes supplied by DM office, Mute Records and Gareth Jones (DM gold disc awards!!!). Well, there is always next time, isn’t there?!?
The competitions alone were a lot of fun and it seemed to me that all the contestants had a great time, especially when receiving a prize for their extraordinary abilities. The first was a contest for the best design of DM jacket or DM t-shirt (hand made!) which was won by Martina Oriskova (received: “The Singles 86 98” promo box and signed photo), followed by Greg Mason (tour programme and promo T-shirt) and Marion Klewin (“Ultra” promo box). Not many of the fans answered correctly all ten questions in this year’s mastermind, but there were enough to pick an overall winner and two runners up. They were Angie Trafford (received: “Black Celebration” gold disc), Debi Gentry (“The Singles 86 98” promo box) and Antony Mew (tour t-shirt). Instead of having Karaoke as in previous years, we decided to run DM look-alike and what a change it was, especially seeing all the female Martin Gore-alikes?!? Finally, the audience chose their own Depeche Mode for the night and picked Paul “Dave” McMillan, Sara “Martin” Morel and Mario “Fletch” Vella who each received a gold disc from the archives of Gareth Jones. Towards the end of the evening, we picked ten winners in the Raffle and gave away some interesting memorabilia, including three grand prizes which went to Rebecca Oliver (received: gold disc and signed “Ultra” cover), Davina Roseblade (“The Singles 86 98” promo box) and Sarah Schaschke (tour t-shirt and signed “Ultra” cover).
We had just enough time to throw all the give-aways that we had brought along to the Camden Palace into the crowd and dance to the very last track of the night before we cut off at 11pm. Time to go home – as they said. But we will be back!!!
Thanks for coming, all of you.
Best,
Michaela x
Here is what the attendees had to say:
We thought we would go closer to home this time… The Camden Palace convention was very different to Prague. It was great to see and speak to English DM fans and exchange addresses so we could keep in touch. However we were a bit disappointed with the amount of people there. Where were you all?!? You missed a great night, great music, video footage from the concerts and backstage, mastermind, look-a-likes and raffle with extremely good prizes – CDs, box sets, T-shirts, signed pictures and best of all gold discs. Unfortunately we did not win these but did get free CD singles, promotional cards and a fantastic night out. Thanks to Bong and also a big ‘thank you’ to Paul Harris and Darren from Birmingham for the lift home to Eastbourne. We would have missed our train if we stayed for the raffles, so they made it possible for us to stay to the end. Thank you!!
Kirsty & Katherine
Eastbourne, UK
I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to the Bong crew for organising the recent Bong convention. As it was my first Depeche Mode convention I have been to I thought it was brilliant and to meet some of the friends I met on the trip to Berlin was also great. I certainly will make every effort to attend next year’s convention!!
Ian Miller
Rugby, UK
I felt compelled to write and thank you, and the many passionate devotees I met, for a brilliant time I had at the DM Convention ’98. Not only was this my first convention, but the first time I met two of my DM crazy penpals! We had a very entertaining and amazing night and were really impressed with the look-a-like competition. We’ve never seen anything like it! And it was definitely worth the entrance fee! Congratulations to everyone who won one of the many prizes - I’m so jealous. But, although I wasn’t one of the luck winners, I am proud of my promo CD of “Only When I Lose Myself” that was handed to me. Thank you Bong! I will definitely be at the next one and I thank you Dave, Martin and Fletch for continuing to make exceptional music which really touches the mind, body and soul of so many people around the world, especially me.
Nadine McKenzie
London, UK
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Michaela Olexova.]
Hi Bongsters,
Like so many times before, we chose the Camden Palace in London as the venue for this year’s Bong Convention. Weeks of preparation preceded the doors opening on Sunday 25th October at 4:30pm. Unlike in previous years, we decided to move the event forward slightly by beginning earlier so we can spend some extra time with our devotional friends. Boy, was I wrong!!! Right in the middle of the night, I realised I wouldn’t be able to dance or to have a chat with anyone apart from the DJ. I was constantly running around, introducing the contests to the audience from the stage, selecting the prizes, taking pictures… trying to catch a breath when possible. What a shame the clock couldn’t be stopped for a minute as I had looked forward to meeting up with the devotees and practising my dance routine!!
Saying that, I hope that I was not the only one who really enjoyed myself – my only complaint being the low attendance of the fans and the quickness of time, although we had over six hours of DM madness!! I must say that I am really sorry for those of you who couldn’t make it this year for one reason or another. You missed the first opportunity to buy a brand new long-sleeve DM T-shirt (please see ad section for purchasing) and the mastery of our new DJ Rich (who did a brilliant job – big thanks go to you, Rich!). Also a superb live performance by Monochrome, our exclusive Bong video documentary from the tour, a variety of competitions (Best Jacket / T-shirt Design, DM look-a-likes, Raffle and Mastermind), and a chance to win many of the superb prizes supplied by DM office, Mute Records and Gareth Jones (DM gold disc awards!!!). Well, there is always next time, isn’t there?!?
The competitions alone were a lot of fun and it seemed to me that all the contestants had a great time, especially when receiving a prize for their extraordinary abilities. The first was a contest for the best design of DM jacket or DM t-shirt (hand made!) which was won by Martina Oriskova (received: “The Singles 86 98” promo box and signed photo), followed by Greg Mason (tour programme and promo T-shirt) and Marion Klewin (“Ultra” promo box). Not many of the fans answered correctly all ten questions in this year’s mastermind, but there were enough to pick an overall winner and two runners up. They were Angie Trafford (received: “Black Celebration” gold disc), Debi Gentry (“The Singles 86 98” promo box) and Antony Mew (tour t-shirt). Instead of having Karaoke as in previous years, we decided to run DM look-alike and what a change it was, especially seeing all the female Martin Gore-alikes?!? Finally, the audience chose their own Depeche Mode for the night and picked Paul “Dave” McMillan, Sara “Martin” Morel and Mario “Fletch” Vella who each received a gold disc from the archives of Gareth Jones. Towards the end of the evening, we picked ten winners in the Raffle and gave away some interesting memorabilia, including three grand prizes which went to Rebecca Oliver (received: gold disc and signed “Ultra” cover), Davina Roseblade (“The Singles 86 98” promo box) and Sarah Schaschke (tour t-shirt and signed “Ultra” cover).
We had just enough time to throw all the give-aways that we had brought along to the Camden Palace into the crowd and dance to the very last track of the night before we cut off at 11pm. Time to go home – as they said. But we will be back!!!
Thanks for coming, all of you.
Best,
Michaela x
Here is what the attendees had to say:
We thought we would go closer to home this time… The Camden Palace convention was very different to Prague. It was great to see and speak to English DM fans and exchange addresses so we could keep in touch. However we were a bit disappointed with the amount of people there. Where were you all?!? You missed a great night, great music, video footage from the concerts and backstage, mastermind, look-a-likes and raffle with extremely good prizes – CDs, box sets, T-shirts, signed pictures and best of all gold discs. Unfortunately we did not win these but did get free CD singles, promotional cards and a fantastic night out. Thanks to Bong and also a big ‘thank you’ to Paul Harris and Darren from Birmingham for the lift home to Eastbourne. We would have missed our train if we stayed for the raffles, so they made it possible for us to stay to the end. Thank you!!
Kirsty & Katherine
Eastbourne, UK
I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to the Bong crew for organising the recent Bong convention. As it was my first Depeche Mode convention I have been to I thought it was brilliant and to meet some of the friends I met on the trip to Berlin was also great. I certainly will make every effort to attend next year’s convention!!
Ian Miller
Rugby, UK
I felt compelled to write and thank you, and the many passionate devotees I met, for a brilliant time I had at the DM Convention ’98. Not only was this my first convention, but the first time I met two of my DM crazy penpals! We had a very entertaining and amazing night and were really impressed with the look-a-like competition. We’ve never seen anything like it! And it was definitely worth the entrance fee! Congratulations to everyone who won one of the many prizes - I’m so jealous. But, although I wasn’t one of the luck winners, I am proud of my promo CD of “Only When I Lose Myself” that was handed to me. Thank you Bong! I will definitely be at the next one and I thank you Dave, Martin and Fletch for continuing to make exceptional music which really touches the mind, body and soul of so many people around the world, especially me.
Nadine McKenzie
London, UK
RUSSIA A LA MODE
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Ilja Judeikin.]
We’ve been waiting for Depeche Mode for many many years to come over here and finally our dream came true in September of this year…
When, on May 5th, I got a letter from the UK with information about the possibility of DM playing in Estonia in early September, I just couldn’t believe my own eyes. In about an hour I told everyone I knew the wonderful news, but nobody would believe me – it sounded almost unreal that DM should start their European tour in Estonia, a country they’ve never played before. We were to wait for the official announcement of the tour dates, then suddenly the schedule changed and Helsinki was the first gig, not Estonia. Our hopes disappeared… So the same day every single fan here started to think about a trip to Finland. It was close to Estonia and a great chance to see DM (the first time for some fans). Days were passing by and tickets were already bought for Helsinki and other shows when we heard the news. I still can’t forget that evening when I received an official e-mail from Mute saying that the very first gig of “The Singles Tour” will take place in a small university town Tartu on September 2nd. I can’t describe what I felt – I was excessively happy! The next morning every fan knew about this e-mail, and it was the happiest day in the history of DM fans in Estonia! The second happiest day became September 2nd – the day of the show – the first show in the past four years and the first one in Estonia ever! It was to be the very first chance to see the band live for a lot of fans in this part of the World! And that day came!!!
Tartu
The show was going to take place at the Tartu Festival Ground, which is a very nice open-air venue in a beautiful green park. The arena was built a few years ago and its capacity is about 14000 – 16000 people. There were around 14000 tickets released for this particular show.
We arrived in Tartu at about 11am. We had a bit of a walk around the venue, had a meal and then went to the airport to see the arrival of Depeche Mode. We came to the airfield just two minutes before their plane landed. There were about 30-40 fans from Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, and even Mexico waiting at the airport for the historical moment. The plane landed and the fans went insane – everyone started to scream, yelp, jump, etc. The first person who came out of the plane was Andy Franks, followed by Tony (security) and Jonathan Kessler. It went quiet for a while… then suddenly Andy Fletcher appeared at the plane’s exit, together with Tim Simenon, Martin, and finally Dave.
Every member of the band took one car and they all went to the venue. We followed them all the way from airport to Tartu Arena. It was very funny to see six cars with DM and the crew on board, and eight cars with fans in hot pursuit! We reached the entrance of the venue by car, but were soon split from DM by local security.
After a while we heard Depeche sound-checking “In Your Room” (twice), “World In My Eyes”, “Useless”, “Home”, “A Question Of Time” and “Somebody”. By that time a lot of fans had already arrived by cars and buses – I noticed three buses from Latvia, one from Lithuania, I also met fans from Germany, UK, Russia, Sweden, Finland and even from the USA! Many of the Estonian fans arrived on a special train called “Johanna” which took people to the concert in Tartu directly from Tallinn. The Estonian Depeche Mode Fan Club (
The show began at exactly 8:00pm and the support act Purity came on stage… The sound was terrible and the technicians had big problems with the microphones. It was more noise than the sound of Purity. The crowd, of course, weren’t very happy with such a performance and started to shout “Depeche Mode”!!! When Purity left after half an hour, the technicians started to prepare the stage for Depeche Mode. At the same time Tim Simenon took over the stage and we were in for some of his DJing. Finally, at 9:16pm we could hear the first sounds of “Painkiller” and the crowd of 12,000 fans went totally crazy!! During the first beats of the intro the blue curtains were pulled down and two big letters “D” and “M” appeared, as well as a three-part video screen, which began to sparkle.
As the intro was about to finish, two additional musicians (Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno) appeared on stage followed by Depeche themselves. All of them looked extremely nervous, and no wonder – it was their first show in several years and the beginning of another tour. Dave looked great in his purple jacket and so did Andy and Mart who wore light sweaters, as it was pretty chilly outside. The band relaxed a bit after the first couple of songs, maybe due to a fact that the crowd was showing enormous support. At the same time I could see Dave being a bit unsure of what to do on stage, but he soon returned to his famous dancing, movements, and he even tried a mic spin-a-rama during “World In My Eyes”. Well, it wouldn’t be the first show without a few ‘oopses’. So we forgave the technicians for a 40-second delay after Martin’s mic broke at the beginning of “Home” and he had to sing without it until it was changed. We also forgave Dave for missing the beginning of “In Your Room” and the little hiccup in the middle of “I Feel You”, because the general atmosphere of the show was just GREAT!! The crowd were singing along with every song, jumping, waving together with Dave and enjoying every moment of the night – the most exciting song of the show being “Never Let Me Down Again”, “I Feel You”, “Enjoy The Silence”, “Personal Jesus” and “Just Can’t Get Enough”. Every song came as a surprise to everyone as we had no idea about the play-list or what to expect. We didn’t even know how many encores the band would play and this all added to our excitement!! I was hoping for “Behind The Wheel” and “Strangelove” to be honest, and although they were not performed I was very pleased with the play-list.
After the show ended we got in our cars and went off to Riga.
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Ilja Judeikin.]
We’ve been waiting for Depeche Mode for many many years to come over here and finally our dream came true in September of this year…
When, on May 5th, I got a letter from the UK with information about the possibility of DM playing in Estonia in early September, I just couldn’t believe my own eyes. In about an hour I told everyone I knew the wonderful news, but nobody would believe me – it sounded almost unreal that DM should start their European tour in Estonia, a country they’ve never played before. We were to wait for the official announcement of the tour dates, then suddenly the schedule changed and Helsinki was the first gig, not Estonia. Our hopes disappeared… So the same day every single fan here started to think about a trip to Finland. It was close to Estonia and a great chance to see DM (the first time for some fans). Days were passing by and tickets were already bought for Helsinki and other shows when we heard the news. I still can’t forget that evening when I received an official e-mail from Mute saying that the very first gig of “The Singles Tour” will take place in a small university town Tartu on September 2nd. I can’t describe what I felt – I was excessively happy! The next morning every fan knew about this e-mail, and it was the happiest day in the history of DM fans in Estonia! The second happiest day became September 2nd – the day of the show – the first show in the past four years and the first one in Estonia ever! It was to be the very first chance to see the band live for a lot of fans in this part of the World! And that day came!!!
Tartu
The show was going to take place at the Tartu Festival Ground, which is a very nice open-air venue in a beautiful green park. The arena was built a few years ago and its capacity is about 14000 – 16000 people. There were around 14000 tickets released for this particular show.
We arrived in Tartu at about 11am. We had a bit of a walk around the venue, had a meal and then went to the airport to see the arrival of Depeche Mode. We came to the airfield just two minutes before their plane landed. There were about 30-40 fans from Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Sweden, and even Mexico waiting at the airport for the historical moment. The plane landed and the fans went insane – everyone started to scream, yelp, jump, etc. The first person who came out of the plane was Andy Franks, followed by Tony (security) and Jonathan Kessler. It went quiet for a while… then suddenly Andy Fletcher appeared at the plane’s exit, together with Tim Simenon, Martin, and finally Dave.
Every member of the band took one car and they all went to the venue. We followed them all the way from airport to Tartu Arena. It was very funny to see six cars with DM and the crew on board, and eight cars with fans in hot pursuit! We reached the entrance of the venue by car, but were soon split from DM by local security.
After a while we heard Depeche sound-checking “In Your Room” (twice), “World In My Eyes”, “Useless”, “Home”, “A Question Of Time” and “Somebody”. By that time a lot of fans had already arrived by cars and buses – I noticed three buses from Latvia, one from Lithuania, I also met fans from Germany, UK, Russia, Sweden, Finland and even from the USA! Many of the Estonian fans arrived on a special train called “Johanna” which took people to the concert in Tartu directly from Tallinn. The Estonian Depeche Mode Fan Club (
You must be registered for see links
) had especially decorated it, and there were lots of DM music and videos played during the journey. While everyone was waiting for the gates to open, we explored the “Singles Tour” merchandise. The gates finally opened at 6:30pm and the arena started to fill. All we could see at that moment was an empty stage with three huge boards covered in blue curtains, plus another red one in the background.The show began at exactly 8:00pm and the support act Purity came on stage… The sound was terrible and the technicians had big problems with the microphones. It was more noise than the sound of Purity. The crowd, of course, weren’t very happy with such a performance and started to shout “Depeche Mode”!!! When Purity left after half an hour, the technicians started to prepare the stage for Depeche Mode. At the same time Tim Simenon took over the stage and we were in for some of his DJing. Finally, at 9:16pm we could hear the first sounds of “Painkiller” and the crowd of 12,000 fans went totally crazy!! During the first beats of the intro the blue curtains were pulled down and two big letters “D” and “M” appeared, as well as a three-part video screen, which began to sparkle.
As the intro was about to finish, two additional musicians (Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno) appeared on stage followed by Depeche themselves. All of them looked extremely nervous, and no wonder – it was their first show in several years and the beginning of another tour. Dave looked great in his purple jacket and so did Andy and Mart who wore light sweaters, as it was pretty chilly outside. The band relaxed a bit after the first couple of songs, maybe due to a fact that the crowd was showing enormous support. At the same time I could see Dave being a bit unsure of what to do on stage, but he soon returned to his famous dancing, movements, and he even tried a mic spin-a-rama during “World In My Eyes”. Well, it wouldn’t be the first show without a few ‘oopses’. So we forgave the technicians for a 40-second delay after Martin’s mic broke at the beginning of “Home” and he had to sing without it until it was changed. We also forgave Dave for missing the beginning of “In Your Room” and the little hiccup in the middle of “I Feel You”, because the general atmosphere of the show was just GREAT!! The crowd were singing along with every song, jumping, waving together with Dave and enjoying every moment of the night – the most exciting song of the show being “Never Let Me Down Again”, “I Feel You”, “Enjoy The Silence”, “Personal Jesus” and “Just Can’t Get Enough”. Every song came as a surprise to everyone as we had no idea about the play-list or what to expect. We didn’t even know how many encores the band would play and this all added to our excitement!! I was hoping for “Behind The Wheel” and “Strangelove” to be honest, and although they were not performed I was very pleased with the play-list.
After the show ended we got in our cars and went off to Riga.
Riga (Jurmala)
We arrived in Riga at 6pm after a sleepless night in our cars and had to take an hour of sleep before going to Jurmala, which is about 20km away from Riga. On the highway, we met a column of stage trucks that were also heading for the venue. They were already late for about three hours after being held up on the Estonian-Latvian border. We reached the venue at 9:30am and dropped off our friend Roman Aksenenko, the leader of the Latvian fan club. He had his production assistant pass and started to do work there. We all went back to Riga to find out what was going on in Radisson SAS, the hotel where the band were staying. All day long we were receiving permanent updates from Roman at Jurmala venue and were reporting back about events in the hotel.
After our arrival in Radisson, we met Andy who was coming back from his morning run and so we exchanged some opinions on the last night’s show in Tartu. He said he liked the sound, the venue, and appreciated the crowd’s support. After that, we talked to a sound engineer and some technicians. They were a bit upset about the technical problems in Tartu, but at the same time very optimistic about the forthcoming shows. Someone also mentioned that it was too cold last night and it wasn’t very easy to sing and perform. We also managed to see Dave, but he looked extremely pre-occupied, so we didn’t get a chance to speak with him. At about 3pm, Martin went out to take a walk in the old town along with Tim, Christian, Peter and Tony (the security), who arranged a quick autograph session for us. Thanks ever so much, Tony!! We chatted for a while, Martin and Tim were very relaxed and friendly. As soon as Martin returned from his sightseeing tour the band went to Jurmala venue for the sound-check. We also decided to leave and when we arrived in Jurmala there were already a lot of fans waiting in front of the doors. All 5500 tickets were sold very quickly, in only three days!!
There was a meet & greet organised for the Latvian fans who had won a competition on the local radio station, a few minutes before the show started. Mr Arvids Murnieks, the Mute representative in Latvia, used this opportunity to present the band with a golden disc for “Ultra”, the best selling album in Latvia for 1997.
The show took place in a big metal hangar called Lielupe Tennis Hall. Due to a lack of ventilation in the venue and fans smoking on the ground it got extremely hot and humid soon after the show began. However this didn’t seem to bother any of the fans because everyone was enjoying the show. Martin was wearing his silver overalls, but Dave and Fletch had more conventional outfits. Unfortunately, the sound was even worse than in Tartu as the venue was like a big metal box creating a huge echo. The playlist was exactly the same as in Tartu and the band members looked more relaxed than on the previous night. Dave was smiling a lot, dancing, spinning and walking around the stage. The crowd was singing along to every song, waving with Dave during “Never Let Me Down Again” etc. Many people already knew that there were only two encores, but the fans were calling for Depeche Mode again and again!! I must say that I really enjoyed this show despite the hot air in the venue.
When the concert finished, we went to an after-show party, but I had to leave soon to catch my coach to Tallinn. Next day, the Latvian fans went to the airport to say ‘good-bye’ to Martin, Andy and Dave, while I was about to leave for the other gigs in Moscow and St. Petersburg. That’s the story… and life goes on. See ya all!!
We arrived in Riga at 6pm after a sleepless night in our cars and had to take an hour of sleep before going to Jurmala, which is about 20km away from Riga. On the highway, we met a column of stage trucks that were also heading for the venue. They were already late for about three hours after being held up on the Estonian-Latvian border. We reached the venue at 9:30am and dropped off our friend Roman Aksenenko, the leader of the Latvian fan club. He had his production assistant pass and started to do work there. We all went back to Riga to find out what was going on in Radisson SAS, the hotel where the band were staying. All day long we were receiving permanent updates from Roman at Jurmala venue and were reporting back about events in the hotel.
After our arrival in Radisson, we met Andy who was coming back from his morning run and so we exchanged some opinions on the last night’s show in Tartu. He said he liked the sound, the venue, and appreciated the crowd’s support. After that, we talked to a sound engineer and some technicians. They were a bit upset about the technical problems in Tartu, but at the same time very optimistic about the forthcoming shows. Someone also mentioned that it was too cold last night and it wasn’t very easy to sing and perform. We also managed to see Dave, but he looked extremely pre-occupied, so we didn’t get a chance to speak with him. At about 3pm, Martin went out to take a walk in the old town along with Tim, Christian, Peter and Tony (the security), who arranged a quick autograph session for us. Thanks ever so much, Tony!! We chatted for a while, Martin and Tim were very relaxed and friendly. As soon as Martin returned from his sightseeing tour the band went to Jurmala venue for the sound-check. We also decided to leave and when we arrived in Jurmala there were already a lot of fans waiting in front of the doors. All 5500 tickets were sold very quickly, in only three days!!
There was a meet & greet organised for the Latvian fans who had won a competition on the local radio station, a few minutes before the show started. Mr Arvids Murnieks, the Mute representative in Latvia, used this opportunity to present the band with a golden disc for “Ultra”, the best selling album in Latvia for 1997.
The show took place in a big metal hangar called Lielupe Tennis Hall. Due to a lack of ventilation in the venue and fans smoking on the ground it got extremely hot and humid soon after the show began. However this didn’t seem to bother any of the fans because everyone was enjoying the show. Martin was wearing his silver overalls, but Dave and Fletch had more conventional outfits. Unfortunately, the sound was even worse than in Tartu as the venue was like a big metal box creating a huge echo. The playlist was exactly the same as in Tartu and the band members looked more relaxed than on the previous night. Dave was smiling a lot, dancing, spinning and walking around the stage. The crowd was singing along to every song, waving with Dave during “Never Let Me Down Again” etc. Many people already knew that there were only two encores, but the fans were calling for Depeche Mode again and again!! I must say that I really enjoyed this show despite the hot air in the venue.
When the concert finished, we went to an after-show party, but I had to leave soon to catch my coach to Tallinn. Next day, the Latvian fans went to the airport to say ‘good-bye’ to Martin, Andy and Dave, while I was about to leave for the other gigs in Moscow and St. Petersburg. That’s the story… and life goes on. See ya all!!
LA CONVENTION
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Holly Poon.]
Leave it to L.A. to rouse up its loyal DM fans. I wasn’t expecting the crowd to be as big as last year’s (held at the same place), but somehow I knew the hype was going to be huge. I came half an hour after the convention started (I had just got off from work), but the place was already packed. There were more booths this time, and the place had just about everything – pictures of DM from previous tours, early Bong issues, CDs, autographs, tour passes, posters, T-shirts, etc… I quickly bought what I came to get (ended up spending more than I should have) then went to the dance floor. On one balcony, DJ Daniel “Brat” Barassi was already mixing DM tracks. Half of the crowd was dancing, while others (including me) were chanting along to the songs. But all of us were just impatiently waiting to win what we really came for – the concert tickets… and those surprises in between. Silence came when DJ Richard Blade of KROQ 106.7 FM introduced the world premiere of “Only When I Lose Myself” video – people cheered and applauded every time Dave appeared on the screen. I couldn’t blame them. He looked good! And so did Martin and Fletch! Other special sneak peeks included “The Singles Tour 86-98” press conference (Cologne, Germany) and the world premiere of “Surrender”. Perhaps the highlight of the convention was the contests. Prizes included a video set of DM tracks, a big poster and a giant canvas of DM – back when Alan was part of the band. The first contest involved impersonating one of the guys. Although there were more “Dave” contestants, “Fletch” won the grand prize… The second one involved testing several fans about their knowledge of DM. Some questions even got me stumped! Finally, it came down to winning a pair of concert tickets and the UK promo of “Only When I Lose Myself” (and, like always, I never win anything). After the contests were over, it was back to dancing (or chanting, in my case) to DM music… So maybe I didn’t get what I really came for, but I had tons of fun – and surprisingly I didn’t crash that night or the next morning?! And when the night was over, I was already thinking how next year’s convention would turn out… Many thanks to KROQ and London Calling for turning the convention into an unforgettable night!
Holly Poon, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
[From Bong 38, December 1998. Words: Holly Poon.]
Leave it to L.A. to rouse up its loyal DM fans. I wasn’t expecting the crowd to be as big as last year’s (held at the same place), but somehow I knew the hype was going to be huge. I came half an hour after the convention started (I had just got off from work), but the place was already packed. There were more booths this time, and the place had just about everything – pictures of DM from previous tours, early Bong issues, CDs, autographs, tour passes, posters, T-shirts, etc… I quickly bought what I came to get (ended up spending more than I should have) then went to the dance floor. On one balcony, DJ Daniel “Brat” Barassi was already mixing DM tracks. Half of the crowd was dancing, while others (including me) were chanting along to the songs. But all of us were just impatiently waiting to win what we really came for – the concert tickets… and those surprises in between. Silence came when DJ Richard Blade of KROQ 106.7 FM introduced the world premiere of “Only When I Lose Myself” video – people cheered and applauded every time Dave appeared on the screen. I couldn’t blame them. He looked good! And so did Martin and Fletch! Other special sneak peeks included “The Singles Tour 86-98” press conference (Cologne, Germany) and the world premiere of “Surrender”. Perhaps the highlight of the convention was the contests. Prizes included a video set of DM tracks, a big poster and a giant canvas of DM – back when Alan was part of the band. The first contest involved impersonating one of the guys. Although there were more “Dave” contestants, “Fletch” won the grand prize… The second one involved testing several fans about their knowledge of DM. Some questions even got me stumped! Finally, it came down to winning a pair of concert tickets and the UK promo of “Only When I Lose Myself” (and, like always, I never win anything). After the contests were over, it was back to dancing (or chanting, in my case) to DM music… So maybe I didn’t get what I really came for, but I had tons of fun – and surprisingly I didn’t crash that night or the next morning?! And when the night was over, I was already thinking how next year’s convention would turn out… Many thanks to KROQ and London Calling for turning the convention into an unforgettable night!
Holly Poon, Los Angeles, CA, USA.