Depeche Mode Tour Of The Universe Blog

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Blog #79 The O2, London - February 20th

The O2, London - February 20th
author: brat
date posted: February 25th, 2010

The O2. After the Royal Albert Hall performance, who knew what to expect. I knew what I was looking forward to: Nitzer Ebb. Sadly, due to meetings with DM management (which consisted of 25 minutes of hallway waiting, and two actual minutes of "meeting"), I missed almost the entire Nitzer Ebb set (boo!). I did, however, manage to get back in time to catch the last two songs. Pictures are included in this blog set.

Before the show (and just before Nitzer Ebb hit the stage), the band participated in a "Meet & Greet" with some fans. Let me take a minute here, and address what has to be my number one topic via email during the tour: Meet & Greets. Meet & Greet events are (usually) done by the record label, and through contests on radio stations. I don't have a way to get you into a Meet & Greet. Even my friends don't get to participate in them. While I appreciate that fans want to have a minute to shake the hand of the band, and get a picture, I can not help you on your quest. Ok, public service announcement over...back to the show.

As usual, another great set by the boys. Highlights include the return of the catwalk stage (which made for some fine pictures), the jam at the end of "Home" (Mr Gahan: "Sounds like Essex is in the house"), and the crowd singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr Gordeno. Actually, after the crowd sort of stumbled through part of "Happy Birthday", and Mr Gahan shouted "You can do better than that!", Peter then played "Happy Birthday" on the piano to help the crowd. Nice.

On to the after show. Again, while I can not hook people up with after show passes, I do usually attend the after shows. Most of the time, an after show consists of a free soft drink, and some chips. On one side of the room, you can spot Martin and/or Fletch, due to the absolute swarm of people around them. That lasts for a few minutes, and that is that. The RAH after show was much larger (and atypical), but it had nothing on the O2 after show. Now THIS is what fans have in mind when they think "after show". Another who's who of DM history in the house (Lynn from Bong, Dave Bascombe, Mr Wilder, Gary Numan, JD, most of Mute, Douglas of Nitzer Ebb...the list goes on and on). Personally, I have never seen so many people (had to be a minimum of 300), in so large of an after show area. I was in awe. So many people to chat up, live DJ, free drinks - this was not your usual after show! Very cool.

While Mr Wilder did not perform at the London O2 show, he was in attendance. Alan was kind enough to give a brief interview for the site. Definitely worth a viewing.

After the show (and after show), it was off to stand in a queue for one hour in -2C weather (plus wind chill = ouch!) for a taxi. A special thanks to the London Underground for closing their rail service on such a huge show night. The next day, I headed back to Los Angeles, and proceeded to pass out for a few days.

To everyone I met while in London, thanks for your kindness.

Peter, Big Pete and May will pick up the last four shows.

"See you next time!"

 

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Blog #79 The O2, London (2)

 

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Blog #79 The O2, London (3)

 

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Blog #79 The O2, London (4)

 

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Blog #79 The O2, London (5)

 

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Blog #79 The O2, London (6)

 

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Blog #80 Horsens (1) - February 22nd

Horsens (1) - February 22nd
author: big_pete
date posted: February 27th, 2010

With Daniel taking care of the last few London blogs I had some time on my hands. Time, which was well spent in the company of Nitzer Ebb who were playing 2 UK shows - York, and my home town Nottingham (where they needed a hand with their dry cleaning - I was only too happy to see to it that their freshly laundered stage gear was delivered in time for the show). Both shows were amazing - if you get the chance to go and see them at one of their own headliner shows, grab it!!

As for Depeche Mode, Daniel's already filled you all in on what went down at the Royal Albert Hall and O2. And now, after 2 great London shows, it is now Horsens turn to play hosts to Depeche Mode.

Horsens is a small town on the east coast of Jutland - and I think it's fair to say that there isn't much going on here normally. But today and tomorrow the Depeche Mode tour is in town.

The venue is great, like a school gym - very compact, the stage very low and is recessed in the back of the floor area.

Its an early show tonight, a 10pm curfew brings things forward by an hour. So at 7pm Nitzer Ebb took to the stage and got things started. The audience gave them a great reception, and seemed to be well up for the show.

As Depeche walked on the screams were deafening, the adrenaline was pumping and the roof was blown off the Horsens Forum.

Having seen a few of the more "intimate" shows i knew it would be great, but not this great, it was a phenomenal show, and the 4500 people strong crowd were amazing.

We had two band "jams" tonight - after "Home" and after "Dressed In Black", the second one being cut short by Dave saying "this sounds great, but we have a curfew tonight". Funny guy!

The aftershow was great, 40 people (including band members, family and crew) in a cordoned off hotel bar. It's not often that both crew and band are in the same hotel, so tonight's inpromptu party was a really great end to a perfect day, and myself and fellow blogger-Peter were last seen staggering up to our room at around 4am feeling slighty worse for wear.

I am really looking forward to the second show in Horsens - it's a very special venue.

Big Pete

 

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Blog #81 Horsens (2) - February 23rd

Horsens (2) - February 23rd
author: peter
date posted: February 27th, 2010

Sitting back at the hotel after another breathtaking show. Horsens truly did impress me. Everything about these two gigs was perfect. The atmosphere was fantastic, the shows were great - very intimate affairs, with somewhere in the region of 4500 people in the crowd both nights.

The floor and lower tier seating was all general admission, meaning that you could go sit if/when you wanted to, and go dance and jump around on the floor if that was your thing. The upshot of that being that noone was forced to sit down so as to avoid blocking other people who had paid for their seat, and were insisting on actually sitting in it. The entire lower tier and floor was on their feet and moving, jumping, singing, clapping throughout. And despite the small crowd, they even put on a pretty good balloon show.

Highlights were plentiful, but one did stand out slightly more than others for me. After "Home", the crowd's chant was just stunning, prompting the band to do a very extended version of their post-Home jam. According to Dave, the best ever. Nothing wrong with that!

After Horsens it's on to Dusseldorf, for an early set up, and then the final two. It's gonna be so weird!

 

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Blog #82 Dusseldorf - February 26th

Dusseldorf - February 26th
author: peter
date posted: February 27th, 2010

From one extreme to the other. Horsens = 4500. Dusseldorf = at least ten times that. Wow, this place is big. Wow, the stage is big. Wow, the crowd is big. It's surreal how different tonight's gig was, compared to Horsens. What it may have lacked in intimacy, it more than made up for with energy and the shear grandure of the whole thing.

A great place to finish off what started as a stadium tour. A vast stadium gig, without all the tedious mucking about with daylight, rain and what not.

The crowd was amazing last night. The wave got a little emotional for pretty much everyone I think. Truly awesome.

After the gig, the band, crew, family and friends had their end-of-tour party - complete with karaeokee bar and all. Some electrifying performances, I tell ya. Joe (Fletcher's son) played host to what quickly became a thoroughly amusing night. Selected highlights included Douglas McCarthy and Peter Gordeno doing a hauntingly bromantic rendition of the classic "I Got You Under My Skin", Jez Webb's medley of Elvis' "Jailhouse Rock" and Nitzer Ebb's "Payroll", Peter G. (again) and Grainne Fletcher doing "Islands In The Stream" and Martin and Viva Gore doing... can't remember right now, but it was funny. Rumours of a love-duet between Martin and Jez are circulating, but must've happened after I left. I'll ask around to get

 

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Blog #83 Dusseldorf (2) - February 27th

Dusseldorf (2) - February 27th
author: peter
date posted: March 4th, 2010

So that's it. Tour is officially over. I'm sat in the airport with a surreal kind of feeling in my stomach. I am on my way home, and the Tour Of The Universe is over. It's been a ride, I tell ya.

The final show was obviously quite emotional, and it's all a bit of a blur now to be honest. Nitzer Ebb bringing guitar tech Jez Webb on stage for their track "Payroll" was a lot of fun. Depeche doing "Photographic" for only the second time this entire tour was a nice surprise. Dave's little speech was lovely - he thanked the entire crew, then pointed out Jonathan Kessler on one side of the stage, and Daniel Miller on the other (the follow spot that was supposed to find him instead found one of the band's security people - most amusing). At one point there were at least ten thousand people holding up signs saying "DM - Come Back". Very moving.

After the gig everyone was saying their goodbyes - first at the after show party, later on at the hotel bar. There was a mixture of relief and sadness doing the rounds.

The funny thing is of course, that due to the massive delays and cancellations, people are getting to say goodbye in all corners of Dusseldorf airport right now, as they await word about the planes home.

It's been a long and hard tour, but a thoroughly enjoyable one. Can't wait till the next time!

Thank all those checking in to read about the shows, and the occasional random minutiae from life on the road. It's been fun keeping you all updated as best we could.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!!

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Blog #84 Echo Awards - March 4th

Echo Awards - March 4th
author: mm
date posted: March 12th, 2010
What a way to end a successful tour - with a win at the Echo Awards in Berlin. Depeche Mode clinched the title of Best International Band from U2, Razorlight and the Black Eyed Peas!

A couple of us on the team flew in to Berlin 4 days in advance of the show to take in the sights and prepare for the ceremony. Along with Martin, we check out the Holocaust memorial (very moving) and the modern art museum (fantastic). Andy flew in the day of the show after having spent just a few days back home. They were both in good spirits and excited to end a 10-month run on such a high note. The nomination itself was thrilling but when Paul Van Dyke named Depeche Mode as the winner of the award, we were all overwhelmed.

Backstage was the usual award show scene: performing artists; entourages; make up; security. But unlike other award shows, the atmosphere was quite mellow and the boys enjoyed themselves in the Wii Lounge before heading off to be seated for the show. Also, free candy. There was free candy, which is pretty much awesome.

Check out some images taken of the night, taken by Daniel Miller and Anne Haffmans.

Until next time, folks. It's been real.
MM

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