Depeche Mode kicked off their world tour on Thursday night at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, delivering their first U.S. concert in nearly five years.
Excitement for the show was palpable inside arena, even before Depeche Mode took the stage. The performance came just a day before the release of the band’s new album, Memento Mori, the 15th studio LP of their impressive career. Several tracks from the album were featured in the night’s set list, including opening song “My Cosmos Is Mine.”
Early set highlights included a pair of tracks from the ’90s, “Walking in My Shoes” (from 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion) and “It’s No Good” (from 1997’s Ultra). The band was in fine form on the night, with frontman Dave Gahan displaying primal enthusiasm on top of his distinctive baritone voice. The singer spent much of the night slinking across the stage, twisting, dancing and writhing as he belted out tunes.
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘Walking in My Shoes’
The performance also notably marked Depeche Mode’s first U.S. concert without founding member Andy Fletcher. The keyboardist died suddenly on May 26 of what was later revealed to be “an aortic dissection.” Though he’s no longer alive, the rocker’s presence was certainly felt during Depeche Mode’s show.
As the band played “World in My Eyes” a little more than midway through their set, a giant black and white picture of Fletcher was shown on the screens behind the band. The song, from 1990’s Violator, was one of the keyboardist’s favorite tracks, and Gahan dedicated its performance to Fletcher.
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘World in My Eyes’
Depeche Mode closed their initial set with a triumphant performance of “Enjoy the Silence,” before returning for a four song encore. Gahan and guitarist/backing singer Martin Gore dueted on an emotional rendition of “Waiting for Tonight,” before closing the evening with three of the band’s biggest hits: “Just Can’t Get Enough,” “Never Let Me Down Again” and “Personal Jesus.”
Videos and the full set list from the band’s Sacramento show can be found below.
This leg of Depeche Mode’s tour will continue through an April 14 performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden. From there the band heads overseas for a run of European dates, lasting through the summer. The group returns Stateside for a fall trek in September.
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘Enjoy the Silence’
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘Ghosts Again’
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘Speak to Me’
Watch Depeche Mode Perform ‘Personal Jesus’
Depeche Mode, 3/24/23, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
1. “My Cosmos Is Mine”
2. “Wagging Tongue”
3. “Walking in My Shoes”
4. “It’s No Good”
5. “Sister of Night”
6. “In Your Room”
7. “Everything Counts”
8. “Precious”
9. “Speak to Me”
10. “A Question of Lust”
11 “Soul With Me”
12. “Ghosts Again”
13. “I Feel You”
14. “A Pain That I’m Used To”
15. “World in My Eyes”
16. “Wrong”
17. “Stripped”
18. “John the Revelator”
19. “Enjoy the Silence”
20. “Waiting for the Night”
21. “Just Can’t Get Enough”
22. “Never Let Me Down Again”
23. “Personal Jesus”
Ranking Every Depeche Mode Album
Depeche Mode have come to define the synth-pop genre like no other.