Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim - December 22, 1998
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The Singles 86-98 Tour wrapped up it's four month run in true style with
Depeche Mode saving the best for last. After a disappointing performance two
nights earlier, Dave and the boys strutted their stuff in front of a
boisterous and very satisfied crowd. What a difference a night off between shows and the gleeful expectation of the last tour show made for a band ready to go home for a while (possibly permanently). While not the showman he used to be, Dave Gahan is still a vastly improved leader of DM two years removed from his harrowing drug and suicide problems. Fresh and wide eyed, Gahan looked as if for the first time in years he could enjoy the spotlight instead of retreating in fear to the addictions of heroin. Buoyied by the always welcoming So. Cal. fans, Dave rose to top form belting out fan favorites Enjoy The Silence and the rousing Personal Jesus. Martin Gore, subdued as always while handling the slower and somewhat depressing yet hopeful tunes Sister Of Night and Home, ushered in a new era for Mode's live performances by focusing mainly on guitar work, rarely venturing behind his bank of keyboards. Throw in full time tour drummer Christian Eigner and Mode almost becomes what they rebelled against for years, a rock 'n roll band. Fortunately, the backbone of DM's uplifting and dark sound, synthesizers, remain the feature attraction. The presence of former Mode keyboard player and sound designer/programmer Alan Wilder was sorely missed. While the band still put on a great show, there was the spark of Wilder's amazing reworking of Mode's songs for live play that was noticably absent. Then throw in weak replacement Peter Gordeno to fill Alan's shoes live, and you begin to realize just how dependent the band was on Alan's expert ability. For the final Mode '98 show, everything somehow managed to fall into place and they cemented their spot as one of the elite and time tested bands. For their final encore, Just Can't Get Enough, Dave Gahan announced that "this is for you" the hardcore fans, and he's right. Even as Depeche Mode waved their final goodbyes, almost everyone in the arena refused to leave, never getting enough. |
Review By:
-Robb Schiltz
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