This was Depeche Mode’s “The Singles Tour 86 98” so you just knew it was going to be packed with hit after hit. Purity and Tim Simenon were the support acts, although by the time Delphine, Richard and I arrived I think we managed to catch a bit of Tim Simenon’s DJ set but that was about it.

I’d only seen Depeche Mode once before at this point, and that was at the infamous Crystal Palace show back in 1993 (GIG 124) with The Sisters of Mercy supporting. I was really looking forward to seeing them live again, and they blew away from the opening bars of their first track to the end of their second encore.

Dave Gahan was on fire and the whole band looked as if they were enjoying themselves as much as the audience were. The audience was in fine voice too, joining Dave in belting out the hits.

SETLIST

1. Painkiller
2. A Question of Time
3. World in My Eyes
4. Policy of Truth
5. It’s No Good
6. Never Let Me Down Again
7. Walking in My Shoes
8. Only When I Lose Myself
9. A Question of Lust
10. Home
11. Condemnation
12. In Your Room
13. Useless
14. Enjoy the Silence
15. Personal Jesus
16. Barrel of a Gun
17. Somebody (Encore 1)
18. Stripped (Encore 1)
19. I Feel You (Encore 1)
20. Just Can’t Get Enough (Encore 2)