Depeche Mode in Torino, December 11 or "the air is so cold here"

I woke up in Torino on Monday morning after a restorative sleep.
I went again to the small "Pasticceria" where I had breakfast on sunday.
The nice waiter recognized me and brought me my double espresso and a croissant. They had vegan croissants, never got one in Germany!
Then went back to my hotel, enjoying the privacy of our small hotel. I had a single room for half price of a double from, in our new modern world a relict of old times,
I loved this single room....so much I like to travel with my friends and share a room with them, from time to time it is more relaxing to be alone in a room.

If you ever come to Torino you should book a room in this nice small hotel: Hotel Valentino du Parc. Very friendly crew and spacious clean rooms for a fair price.
Later one of our friends came back from Milan. He tried to flew back on Sunday to Germany, but because the massive snowfall in Germany his flight was displaced to Monday. Monday afternoon his flight was completely cancelled. So he booked the same flight as ours for tuesday and came back to spent the time with us and the second Depeche Mode concert.
How can you spend your time better than going to a Depeche Mode concert while waiting for a flight?
We asked in our hotel if they have a free room for him, they only had a double room but they only demanded half of the price. That was so unbelievable friendly, not normal in the hotel industry.
We welcomed our friend with some goodies like Lambrusco, olives and anchovies.
We went very early to the concert to drink again an aperitif at the nice bar of Saturday evening but it was closed.
In generally many bars, cafes and restaurants are closed in Torino on Sunday and Monday.
And that was the mood in the second concert. The story was told very quick.
Maybe on of the worst concerts of the tour, especially in Italy, I was very surprised.
Dave made a good show but he wasn't able to interact with the crowd.
Monday seemed not the best concert evening in Italy and Depeche Mode started with the same set until Martin sang" Strangelove". It is a pity that the band defines a setlist before and does not try to react flexibly. Dave was annoyed and showed it to the audience as well, maybe not the best idea.
" Black celebration" ( instead of "Stripped") cooled the mood right down.
We went out for smoking at " Judas" and I said to a friend " Only  "I feel you" can save the mood" and maybe they heard my babble. They played " I feel you" and a little bit spirit came back into the shack...
" Personal Jesus" then was so great like every times, really strange things.
As Depeche Mode bowed, the Italians started a funny sing a-long, they made clear which song they wanted to hear: " Just can't get enough".

You cannot play in every country or city the same, maybe Depeche Mode have to react  to the special mentality of a country. And maybe a Monday evening in a hard working country needed another setlist than on Saturday. And great show Mr. Gahan, but sometimes it would be nice if you would realize, ok, here I have to change my normal behavior and have to try something new...
I'm sure you realize that I did not like this concert so much. But here I do not blame the audience. They listened very attentively but it seemed like they didn't want to hear what they heard . Very similar to the 2nd Paris concert.
So, please do us a favor, dear Depeche Mode, work with that bad experiences and try to be more flexibel.
By random " I feel you" was the rescue of the evening, but after the show a friend of us picked up the setlist which showed that they have planned to play " I feel you".

In our hotel we shared a few beers and slept only a few hours. Then I drove my travel group safely back to Milan airport through darkness and fog. Our flight was in time and so I came in time to work.
Now I have a few pictures for you from the Monday in Torino. I recognized I was  every time in winter in this small nice city. Next time I will come back in summertime without Depeche Mode. Maybe for football....

snowy Torino on Monday

I saw this great dress in a shop in Torino and thought, wow, could be a cool dress for Mr. Gore.

But this times are gone.

my lunch

medival castle in the Valentino pard

Stressed but healthy Mr. Gahan

" I feel you"

Good night Mr. Fletch Fletcher. You was very friendly to us in Torino saying hello in the hotel bar.

This picture was taken by Torsten Werner

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotees #torino #italy #fletch

Depeche Mode in Torino, December 9 or " Let me take you on a trip"

After Paris I spent 3 days at home. I had to deal with some problems, a dental appointment and a water damage in the bathroom.

But I was able to solve everything and in the morning we flew to Milan on Saturday and then continue by rental car to Turin. For 7 years I did not drive a car, but I brought my friends and me safely to Turin.
We started with a very good lunch, Pizza, what else and after a nap we walked to the Pala Alpitour, another arena with a new name. Formerly Palaolimpico.
Unfortunately we had a few tickets left, because a few friends couldn't or did not wanted to come.
We couldn't find any buyer. Same evening Juventus Turin played against Inter Milan, an important match in the fight for first place in the Seria A. The most of you know I'm a very big Gigi Buffon fan and I was in big dilemma because the Depeche Mode concert and the football game. It is the last season of Buffon and I want to see him just once more, but there was no chance to get a ticket for the game.
But luckily for me ( not for Juve) Buffon couldn't play this evening, because he was hurt.
So I hoped I see him in the concert, but no way....

We found a nice small bar near the arena and had a few aperitivos, like it is called in Italy.
Aperol Sprizz. In Italy you get always small appetizers to your aperitif and the very nice waitress liked us and brought us so many appetizers. It is for free.... amazing. So we sat there a while and everybody had 3 glasses of Aperol Sprizz. We paid not much for 15 glasses of this wonderful drink, 60 €. The waitress was so unbelievable friendly to us, one appetizer plate she served where small breads with sauerkraut and sausages... a small homage to us Germans, so so nice. I couldn't sell my second Depeche Mode ticket so I asked her, if she likes Depeche Mode. She approved it und so I gave her the ticket as a gift. Wow, she was so happy. Thank you for your unbelievable smile!!!

In the concert we met a group of friends. We sang, drank and danced together. The Italians started very slow, not the mood we excepted, but Mr. Gahan worked hard and later it was an unforgettable concert. Setlist like usual. Could not  remember to something special, I just enjoyed every minute of this wonderful show. The arena was very spacious, a great venue.
Little bit strange was the ticket policy, because they sold here Early Entry tickets for just 20 Euros more than the normal standing area tickets. We thought, it was a kind of Front of the stage area, but no, it meant really Early Entree. But I think this is a better idea than the very expensive Early Entree tickets we know from all the other concerts of Depeche Mode in Europe.
After the concert we decided to find out the truth about all the rumors about Dave Gahan.
We took a taxi to the Hotel Principi di Piemont, where the band stayed.
It was no problem to come into the bar, where we found a very good table and ordered again Aperol Sprizz. We saw Fletch with his daughter and one of Martin's daughters.
Pictures were not allowed, but later Andy came to us, said hello and asked, if we liked the show. He was very friendly.
A little time later Dave came into the bar with a big entourage. He stood nearly three  hours between his friends with a few glasses of water. Yes, water. His bodyguard, a very friendly guy, told us to take no pictures and we respected it.
Dave looked amazing. He delivered a madness show in Turin and later he stood there, really relaxed. Wow. We all was completely hypnotized by this man and happy that all the rumors wasn't true. And how happy must he feel now, I think it is another step for him to go in a bar, drank a few water, spent time with his friends instead of sitting alone in his room like the last 20 years.
Later I ask him for a picture, but he said no and what can I tell you more?

If you don't believe me.... do the same like us.
We drank again 3 Aperol Sprizz each but the bill was a little bit higher....ouch.
But it was it worth, what an evening.

Let me take you on a trip

Around the world and back

And you won't have to move

You just sit still

Now let your mind do the walking

And let my body do the talking

Let me show you the world in my eyes

I'll take you to the highest mountain

To the depths of the deepest sea

We won't need a map, believe me

Now let my body do the moving

And let my hands do the soothing

Let me show you the world in my eyes

That's all there is

Nothing more than you can feel now

That's all there is

Let me put you on a ship

On a long, long trip

Your…

She was so happy as I gave her my second ticket.

no comment

The Hotel Principe di Piemont. Very luxury.

ouch

next morning espresso

Torino is a small beautiful town and we spent to whole day off in this friendly city.

My second paradise

The Mole Antonelliana (Italian mole: "very large structure") is the landmark of the Italian city of Turin. This tower is higher than the Cologne Cathedral and the dome is awesome. Check out my Turin blog from 2014, there are more photos.

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotee #davegahan #fletch #turin #juve