I’ve seen Depeche Mode live for the first time in 2013. I went to that concert only because I was offered a ticket. I left there with a profound respect for the band, their music, and with an ear more than willing to listen to their tracks than I had been 3 hours before. When hearing that they are touring and coming to Stockholm I knew what I had to do: buy a ticket! Not my type of music, yet I got acquainted to it when I was around 7. They were a constant presence on TV when I was in high school and it took seeing them live to understand the impact they have on music listeners. Or how amazing they are as a live band. Their new album, released as a duo, is good. If you don’t believe me, go see them live.

I waited for their show with impatience and curiosity, same as everybody else. The crowd was very diverse in terms of age, painting a clear picture of how many generations their music has touched. They opened the show with My Cosmos Is Mine, the opening track from their new album, and continued directly to the second track, Wagging Tongue. The crowd listened carefully, the faithful fans sang along, I just listened. The third song was a classic: Walking in My Shoes, this is when most of us lost it. Their live sound is quite different than their recorded tracks, heavier, more rockish than electronic. Dave Gahan’s voice is distinct, clear and strong. His charisma and ability to capture the audience’s attention are those of a true rock star. He shares the spotlight on stage, and the vocals to the songs, with his bandmate, Martin Gore. The two used to be completed by Andy Fletcher, who passed away in 2022, whom they paid tribute to during the show.

One song after the other, they took us on a walk through their whole career. The energy of the music is contagious, it’s impossible to stand still. Just when things were beginning to flare up, they would calm us down with one of their new songs, just to get our excitement up again by playing one of their greatest hits, like Precious, Stripped or the mesmerising live version of Enjoy the Silence, which is one of the best tracks that I’ve ever seen an artist play live during a concert, definitely because of its popularity, its catchy rhythm and its ability to draw the audience in, turning the concert venue into a living organism that breaths and sings in sync.

They ended the show with 4 power tracks, taking us years back to their glory days when the World was split in two: Depeche Mode fans and everyone else. Having Personal Jesus as last track left us all cold turkey, trying to ride the adrenaline wave through getting out of a huge arena and making it home together with thousands of other people.

I don’t want to talk about what I didn’t enjoy that evening, and at the whole event experience as a whole. What I can say is that this aspect has absolutely nothing to do with the band, their music or performance. While my energy levels were really low before the concert, the day after I couldn’t sop smiling. Having so much energy and positivity and simple beauty to recharge on was wonderful. Ever since then I keep telling whoever I get to talk about Depeche Mode with to go see them live. It may not be on the list of favourites, nor even a presence in the playlists, but Depeche Mode are an act of good music that is worth seeing at least once, to live first hand and on the spot the greatness that this English band transposes.