Depeche Mode in Berlin, January 17 or "as it gets wetter and wetter"

The question after the unbelievable Cologne concert was: Could there be a better concert?

I was ready to find it out after two workdays in the office. I flew in the late afternoon to Berlin.
The night before it snowed in Cologne and Berlin, but everything worked fine and I arrived in Berlin Friedrichshain in time to meet friends for a vegan dinner.
I love Berlin, because it is so easy to find vegan restaurants. I had a very tasty raw vegetable bowl  at "The bowl" above the supermarket "Veganz" at Warschauer Street.

Then a short stop in our trendy hotel "Nhow". It is a "Music Hotel". In every elevator you hear a different playlist of music. If you want you can rent instruments or Dj equipment. Very stylish, everything is pink. And with a little bit luck you have a wonderful view to the "Oberbaumbrücke" and the river. They have a small but good equipped fitness room and a sauna area. Sounds like an unbelievable stay....yes, but what I need most is a personal atmosphere and a friendly service and this is still missed there. I will not return to this hotel, sorry, guys!
But thank you, dear Ohst, for the possibility to stay there with you.

So, short changing of the clothes. I chose a pink glittery shirt this evening, don't know why, maybe I was inspired of the colors in the hotel.

As we went into the Mercedes Benz Arena we saw Daniel Miller arriving with a younger women. He looked very good and I believe I have heard him speaking German to the hostess at the entrance.

It took a time with wardrobe and everything until we reached the Front of the stage area.
As usual we met a lot of friends. the concert started in time with the usual setlist. Very good from the beginning. A very very good concert, not like Cologne but I think everyone has here or there its one magical moment and another devotee would say this berlin concert was the best on tour. So... the truth lay in the eye of the beholder.

But Dave did again a very good job. I saw some pics in the web of the day before as the band arrived in their hotel in Berlin. He wore a mouthguard to protect himself against all the typical winter diseases. He looked a little bit exhausted in general. He is older than all of us ( including me, lol) but he is doing this unbelievable show every second  day. I'm sure you all couldn't to this.....

As the show went on, friends went out to buy beer, they came back with really big ones, nearly one liter in one cup. As I tried to take some pictures, I hold the cup like always with my teeth. But ouch, this cup was to big and heavy for my teeth and I lost the control about it....
The beer flowed over my shirt and into my bag. If I had not had my cell phone in my hand .... it would have drowned in beer. The beer dripped from my bag all evening. If there should have been a prize that evening, then the Miss Wet T-shirt prize.
Shit happens. Later a friend bought himself a new Depeche ModeT-Shirt and lent it to me for the rest of the evening. Thank you, Szapi.

A very well done show and we met some friends for a drink after the show. I met an early entrance devotee and ask him for the policy of The Early Entrance, because for the next show I had this kind of ticket. He said, the first fans will arrive lately in the early evening before the concert, he will arrive at 6 o'clock in the morning to wait for the entrance. You will get a number ( written on your hand) in line, but you have to stay there....ok? What a price for being in the first rows, I paid nearly 190€ for the ticket and have to wait nearly 18 hours to get in the arena where I will wait 4 hours until the show will start?
Sorry Depeche Mode, you have to think about this policy. It is very unfair and sick. You must reward your best, not punish!!

We were back at Midnight in our hotel. Not really late but we all are little bit knocked from the last days and looking forward to our bed.
Good night, Berlin!

Depeche Mode in Cologne, January 15 or takeover by André

Hope you like the

review of my birthday concert.

Now it is time for André, he had birthday, too.

André and me are Depeche Mode travel mates since 2013 and we are ticking in the same way.

I do not necessarily believe in this Zodiac thing, but somehow there must be something in it, because André and I immediately understood each other without much effort.

It is a pleasure for me, that he wrote his own review of our special day.

Have fun reading it:

"Birthday celebration in Cologne"

It is one of these rare occurrences when the heroes of your youth play a birthday serenade for you. 

So happened in Cologne on 15.01.2018.

I did research for a while and was a bit surprised, it was only the 4th time in the long band history that a Depeche Mode concert took place that day:

1988 Music for the Masses Tour, Birmingham

2006 Touring the Angel, in Hamburg

2014 The Delta Machine Tour, in Barcelona

2018 Global Spirit Tour, in Cologne

The first and so far only time I could experience it in Hamburg 2006, even as a double concert on 15. and 16.01.

Now it was time again! And because the dear Claudia also commits her day of honor on this day, the decision was quickly made for a pre-concert party in the restaurant "Henkelmännchen" near the hall.

As special area was reserved, the Kölsch ( local Cologne beer) was cold, and about 40 guests had promised to come.

In time at 5 o'clock in the afternoon they opened the doors and more and more wishers came, so far so good....but there was that only football fan from the local club in Cologne ( FC Köln/ EffZeh) FC with his old school t-shirt, which pointed me to the derby victory of his club( I'm fan of Borussia Mönchengladbach and the FC Köln and my club are not friends, if you know what I mean....)

It meant for me to show greatness and silence him with a few beer. It worked very well and I discovered he is a really nice guy and we had lots of fun later this evening.

one of the presents from my friends

After, not only, felt 200 Cologne beer glasses ( called "Stange" like barre) of beer substitute ( how I like to call the Cologne beer), it was time to went into the arena. Stagetime was announced for 8:45 but it was only 8:15 ... so still enough time to wiggle comfortably to the wardrobe, take another "Currywurst"( typical german sausage with curry and ketchup) on the fist and to provide for beer. Just in time to the beginning of the concert we reached the front of the stage area, exceptionally on the right side, as it was closer to the beer business. I don't want to be beery, but we didn't know HOW close we actually stand to the catwalk.

The setlist is the same like always, unfortunately not a single change to my last gig in Birmingham at the end of last year, nor to the gig two days earlier in Amsterdam. And since a while this is not an important topic for us, because we were more involved in celebrating ourselves, and as always, we grab all we can ... including the drinks.

Everything  as usual ... if not that  magical moment on  "Cover me" would have been, as we realized first time how close we were to the catwalk. The birthday girl Claudia on the shoulders of a friend, Dave made his typical expression dance, everything the same. But then, a look, a kiss and the hand on Dave's heart, all of us, and also Schulzi, immediately knew who was meant. Screeching, almost fainting, goose bumps and pee in the eyes. What a moment! We needed beer!

We sang further to " Home", celebrated " Everything Counts" and to " Stripped" it called: one, two, three....shirtless. Then the concert came nearly to the end with my all time favorite " A question of time", shortly back in the setlist since Dublin.

Then it went exhausted and "over hopped" ( a new word creation, full filled with hop) direction parking garage to celebrate there with a box of Pils ( German beer) and sound from the car still a worthy conclusion of the evening!!!

Thanks to all who celebrated this evening with me / us, for the many fun, the thirst, the presents, the party, the memory of a great concert, for everything.

See you next time! André


Yes, very well written André, everything is said.

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotee #cologne #birthday

Depeche Mode in Cologne, January 15 or "Happiest girl"

My birthday was always a good time to become a concert with Depeche Mode. They played many times in January. And I celebrated my birthday with Depeche Mode in Birmingham 1987, in Hamburg 2006, in Barcelona 2013. 2009 I was the night before on the concert in Prague and celebrated into my birthday after she concerts with friends.
So I was really nervous as they announced the second European Leg. Will I get another birthday concert? I was in Rome, as my friend Martin called me and said" yes, you have a birthday concert, guess where!" I answered " Italy?", because I love the concerts in Italy and to celebrate my birthday with the Italian fans, what could be better? " He said : " No, better, believe me, think hard....."
I laughed " no, cannot be, Cologne?" And yes, they would come to play their second concert in Cologne  of the Global Spirit Tour to celebrate my birthday with me in my hometown.
It wasn't easy to get so many tickets I needed for all my friends and family.

So, finally the day arrived and you could read my whole review on the blog of David Mc Elroy " Almost Predictable", because he asked me  for a review. Read it here:

http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.de/2018/01/live-review-depeche-mode-lanxess-arena.html


Funnily enough my friend André has birthday, too at the same date and we celebrated the day together.... starting with a huge pre-show party.

It was together with Rome the best concert for me and I became a present from Mr. Gahan,

which threw me a kiss and after I threw him one back, he patted his heart for a long time, and remained in that pose as he looked deep into my eyes. One of the best moments in my long history with the band and Mr. Gahan. Happiest girl I ever was!

I thank you all for being with me. For your warmth, your hugs and kisses, your presents and all the minutes we spent together my dear friends and devotees. I love you!

Depeche Mode in Amsterdam, January 13 or takeover by David "Almost Predictable"

So, in return, the famous David, who is the owner if the great "Almost Predictable" Blog has written the review for Amsterdam. I met him before the concert in the Ziggo Dome.
A little bit unbelievable that Depeche Mode playing there the second time in one tour. But Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities and  I was really happy to be there again and in the well organized location Ziggo Dome.
But this is not my review, please read was David has written:


MORE THAN A PARTY – DEPECHE MODE, ZIGGO DOME, AMSTERDAM, 13 JANUARY 2018

Hi everyone. My name’s David and I run the Almost Predictable Almost blog which is hosting a project called the Global Spirit Tour Project. The aim is to have every gig on the tour reviewed by a fan who was at the show. For full details and to read the reviews to date, here’s a link:

http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/depeche-mode-global-spirit-tour-project.html

Claudia is one of the fans who has reviewed a gig or two for the project and I was delighted when she asked me to return the favour by reviewing Amsterdam for My Daily Mode Blog. Claudia has been a tremendous help to my own blog project and I’m hugely jealous of the number of times she has seen Depeche, both on this tour and on all other tours.

When the Amsterdam gig was announced last June, it was one I had to go to. It was on a Saturday, there are plenty of direct flights from my hometown Glasgow and it was just after New Year – a great way to beat the winter blues. Last Friday, me and my friends John and Andrew left Glasgow for Amsterdam and a weekend of partying and Depeche Mode. After a rather lively Friday night out and an understandably quiet Saturday morning, we set off for the Ziggo Dome fuelled with a few beers on the way.

                                                          David is the one in the middle!!

The Ziggo Dome is a wonderful venue. It was our first visit there and we all thought the same – the sound was incredible, the venue really easy to get around and overall, it was a really memorable experience.

We weren’t just there for the venue though – we were there for Depeche Mode. As with every other gig I’ve seen on this tour, the band were in great form. It’s wonderful that they are playing with such energy and enthusiasm. It almost seems as if the really positive reaction to Spirit has given them new life (pardon the pun) and, even nearly 9 months into their world tour, they are still playing as if it is the first gig on the tour.

Dave was a ball of energy as ever, pirouetting, prancing, preening and grooving his way around the stage and catwalk as if he was half his age. For me, there are very few singers who can touch Dave when he is on this form. Every single person in the audience, from the early entry crazy people to the very back row of the seats was captivated by his performance.

As ever, Cover Me, World In My Eyes, Everything Counts and a gargantuan Never Let Me Down Again were highlights. Cover Me has the feeling of an old favourite Depeche song. Its place in any future tour sets is surely guaranteed.

Along with everyone else, we sung every word of the show from the first “We are not there yet” to the last “Reach out and touch faith” of the night, with every other word screamed as tunefully as we could in between. The shows I’ve been to on this leg (Dublin, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam) have all the feel of a real (black?) celebration with the very best of Depeche Mode on display at each. Once they hit the run of songs from Stripped onwards, I defy anyone not to have one of the best live music experiences of their lives. The band grab you, lift you up and take you on a journey that still has you buzzing for days after the show. When Depeche Mode are playing as well as they are very hard to beat.

As well as seeing the band, I got to catch up with a few people at the gig too, including Claudia and her travelling companions Thomas and Michael. The celebration I mentioned above not only refers to the music but also to meeting up with old and new friends at these gigs and it adds a special edge to already special events.

Tours have to end sometime sadly and we have until July to enjoy this current Depeche show. Whether or not they tour again remains to be seen, but, for now, Depeche Mode are unmissable and playing some of their best concerts ever. That’s why I went to Amsterdam and that’s why so many other Depeche Mode fans follow them all over the world. Our band, our music and our friends – what a combination.  

Thank you David, great! I'm proud that you know being part of my blog. Devotees forever and ever!

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotees #amsterdam

Depeche Mode in Hamburg, January 11 or " The World we live in or live in Hamburg"

After a normal office day I took the train to Hamburg.  I plonked my luggage into my huge hotel room and met a big group of friends and we went by taxi to the Barclay Card Arena.
Happy to was on tour again, happy to was in Hamburg again. I came here the first time in 1984 for the concert which was filmed for the the video tape" The world we live in and live in Hamburg.
34 years ago, can you imagine this?
 I wrote the blog together with my friends Thomas and Michael for the blog of David " Almost Predictable". He is the owner of this great blog I wrote the Manchester review for.
Check the full blog out here :
http://almostpredictablealmost1.blogspot.de/2018/01/live-review-depeche-mode-barclaycard.html

The world we live in and live Hamburg,

review by Thomas Ostermann, Michael Pinzon and Claudia Schulzi

The tour started again two days ago in Copenhagen and we all are happy to meet us again in Hamburg.

Ohst and me we met the first time in 2001.

And we met Michael the first time on the Delta machine tour.

Sometimes the chemistry works and we three are like the Stooges.

We were almost in the arena, as we read, that David didn't have a reviewer for the Hamburg concert and we decided out of the belly to takeover David's blog for Hamburg.

So here we are in the train to Amsterdam with the first wine of the day and start to write this blog.

Hamburg was always a good Depeche Mode location. They recorded the genious Video there: „the world we live in and live at Hamburg“ at December 14, 1984.

Schulzi was there, she saw Depeche Mode including this concert 9 times, Thomas 5 concerts, Michael 3.

Now is time to answer some questions.

Only one sentence to answer.

Depeche Mode:

Thomas: What can I say?

Michael: Oh Shit!

Schulzi: Can't live without them

Dave Gahan:

Thomas: strongest man of the universe

Michael: best ramp pig of the world, in German we say Rampensau

Schulzi: love of my life

Martin Lee Gore:

Thomas: „Spielführer“

Michael: Martin, my genius

Schulzi: he wrote the soundtrack of my life but I have a split relationship to him, a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Fletch:

Thomas: my personal highlight of this tour

Michael: my secret hero

Schulzi: the one and only

Peter Gordeno:

Thomas: are you kidding me?

Michael: unfortunately he is in

Claudia: who?

Christian Eigner:

Thomas: Trommelkasper

Michael: I like him

Schulzi: Mr. Fletcher gave us the hand in Torino in the band hotel, Mr. Eigner didn't want to do a picture with us there, that's all I have to say about him

Hamburg:

Thomas: The fishmarket, „ Schlagermove“, friends and very good concerts of Depeche Mode

Michael: Elphi, Manja, miniature wonderland

Schulzi: lived there a year, not my mentality, but always good concerts of Depeche Mode

Barclaycard Arena:

Thomas: best organisation of the whole tour

Michael: best organisation ever

Schulzi: well organized arena, such a good FOS area, good sound

Audience in Hamburg:

Thomas: not like the Hesse, but quite good

Michael: very good

Schulzi: I'm a bit surprised, we could walk to row 5 after the first five songs

Best song of the evening:

Thomas: „Everything counts“

Michael: „ Cover me“

Schulzi: „ Personal Jesus“

Worst song of the evening:

Thomas: „ Precious“

Michael: „Barrel of the gun“

Schulzi: „ Precious“

Going backwards:

Thomas: great opener

Michael: I love it

Schulzi: Mr. Gahan comes on the stage, best moment

Cover me:

Thomas: highlight

Michael: my secret highlight

Schulzi: what a performance, show all what Mr. Gahan can do. Best frontman of the world for ever and ever.

Home:

Thomas: thank you for bringing me here

Michael: for showing me home

Schulzi: for singing these tears

Everything counts:

Thomas: I love this song from the first moment I heard it. 1983 my brother played a self recorded tape, altough he hates Depeche Mode

Michael: I was surprised that they play this song again, my highlight

Schulzi: my hymn

Special moments of the evening:

Dave greeted the fans twice, after „ Barrel of the gun“ the first time and again after „ World in my eyes“. Very funny moment as he said it again: „ Good evening Hambuuuurg!“

„World in my eyes“ : the screening was longer than normal.

Dave was in an unbelievable mood, he smiled the whole evening.As they left the stage Dave clapped Andy's ass. The mood was very good on stage.

In total conclusion a very very good concert, a great comeback.

After the concert we were on the Aftershow Party in the Markthalle with DJ Niggels.

We all are happy to be on tour again and looking forward to this wonderful year with Depeche Mode.

Only one hour ago from Amsterdam we looking forward to meet you, David.... almost predictable.

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotess #hamburg

Depeche Mode in Copenhagen, January 9 or takeover by Evelina

Yippie yeah, the tour started finally again. here come's the review of Evelina:



The train was coming from Sweden to Denmark really early on a very chilly and windy Tuesday. I am one of those suckers for Early Entry tickets. I like to be really close to the stage because I am only 158 cm tall or short depending on how you see it and I don’t like to see other peoples backs when I attend a concert. So there was nothing else to do than to dress up in the warmest of cloths, hope for the best and expect Dave to Cover us! He did not to my big disappointment show up with some hot chocolate and warm blankets (you’d expect that too if you tried walking in my shoes).

Standing outside in the queue with no info, no fence to make us stand in a nice line. It all just became worse and worse with no info, no staff on the inside either. Five minutes before we were let into the arena they came. Livenation does not live up to the expectations they set in their e-mail, The grabbing hands grab all they can right?

Once inside I got the spot that I wanted just a tiny bit to the left of Dave. Me and my Swedish flag was off to a good start after all those hours of being out in the cold air. The warm-up band Pumarosa was to my big surprise one of the better ones I have had the pleasure of hearing at a Depeche Mode gig (nothing ever compares to the departed Fad Gadget performance on the Exciter tour of course).
Also surprising was the fact that there was no change to the setlist. I was hoping for Martin to change one of his songs; why not sing Surrender and that they perhaps would do one more song from Spirit instead of a song from Ultra - but no. Not that I didn’t enjoy the setlist but hey Come on you’re letting me down after a Holiday break you can give the audience something new! Starting with Going Backwards, It’s no good and A barrel of a gun – I really like it when they’ve donet hat part because it means the annoying Press Photographers leave the area in front of the barrier. I think the crowd was on fire really early on and A pain that I am used to always grabs me. I love the base, I love how Gordeno plays (please let me think he’s awesome – he really is a good musician). Then it was time for Useless and it is my favorite Ultra song – as is all of the other songs from Ultra.  ;) Don’t make me pick one, it’s impossible even if Dave has stated that Nothing’s Impossible.


Precious is a song I’d really like to hear Martin do but  Dave does it great to so why change.  Dave gave it all in World in my eyes and the crowd was magical to watch – you do turn around and watch your fellow Devotees as a front rower. Cover me really keeps hitting me hard, I love that song. Even if I have related to the lyrics in a totally different way then Dave ever thought when writing them. Then it was time for some more Ultra I mean I had an Insight or rather Martin did. I loved the way he sang it in Copenhagen. I don’t know why but he sang it a little bit differently then in Paris at Bercy on the 5th of December.  And then he brought us all Home and I kind of wish they would make him sing Surrender instead. When Dave returned to sing In your room he was more than welcome back and taking the arena to a completely different level with Where’s the revolution and the Danish fans had cut out tiny red fabric that they wawed during the song. Very cute. Then it was time for my jumping song Everything counts and I must say I was heart-broken not having my dear friend Troy by my side jumping there with me. It’s really not the same with a young girl next to you that you don’t know who only knows the lyrics to songs from Violator and nearly doesn’t move at all. Well if I jumped into you I am sorry. Or am I? It was a concert and you have to give Dave something back and you do so by clapping your hands, singing along, jumping, dancing  or what ever but you don’t just stand there…  Stripped and Enjoy the silence followed and then it was time for Never let me down again -  as if you could Dave? The crowd loved it and I think it was then Dave commited the worst crime. He claimed that Copenhagen simply was the best… oh didn’t I hear you say those exact same words in Paris – ”Paris you simply are the best”.

Martin did Strangelove as his encore and after that we all had to show Dave some love for his shoes. Walking in my shoes, not sure I would like to after a night on the stage. ;) A question of time got me jumping again and the crowd - how they wawed their arms. Dave threw his microphone stand on stage. That was new to me. Ending it with a feverish Personal Jesus.

I must say that I loved the way Dave sang – he had toned down in a way I have not seen him before not the energy but the way he sings is different – go ahead Dave let me hear you sing that way forever!

I also must thank the very nice Danish Devotee woman who paid a locker at Royal Arena for me so that I could store my stuff and not have to bring them with me in. And dear Royal Arena if you make it so that poeple only can pay by using your ap you should make sure that it works and that it doesn’t say technical error when you want to pay with a Mastercard (this happend to fellow Devotees too)!

And a big thank you to you Claudia for letting me once again take part of your blog giving you my review ot the Depeche Mode concert at Royal Arena in Copenhagen, it was a real pleasure!  

Thank you Evelina for sharing your evening!! Now I'm so excited to got to Hamburg!

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotee #copenhagen 

My life with Depeche Mode in general or 2017

These day I saw on Facebook that a guy wrote a dissertation about „the hedonic consumption & nostalgia among the DM fan community“.

I didn't read the work until now, because first I want to answer a few question a friend asked me yesterday.

He ask for my reasons to follow Depeche Mode since over 30 years and why it is not boring to watch almost the same show again and again?

I'm Depeche Mode fan since 1981. I think my life would have be another life without Depeche Mode.

I grew up with my grandmother until I was 5. My grandmother didn't listen to music.

Then I moved to my parents in Cologne. They were foreigners for me but the first thing I like in my new home was the music. My mother loved Elvis, The Beatles, Alexandra and Udo Jürgens. My father was addicted to James Last. After a few beer he like to dance on the table to James Last, he was a party guy and I think I inherited that, the total dedication to music ..

With 10 years I discovered Abba and Abba was the first band I saw live.....many years it was the only music I listened to in my small room.

As I was 14, my mother bought me the book „ Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo“, which described the experiences of a girl as a drug user in Berlin.

Through this book I find to the music of David Bowie and I from there I was a David Bowie fan. 

But Bowie was finally another generation and I felt a little bit alone. Alone at home, alone with my music.

I had a school friend, Klausi, I met him every afternoon, he collected records.

1981 he had a new record, it was "Speak and Spell“ of Depeche Mode. This moment, I think, changed my life. The combination of the voice and the music was totally different to all I heard before.. Since this day I was under the spell ( nice wordplay) of Depeche Mode and although Depeche Mode changed their sound and their members, I was remained a fan, specially of Mr. Gahan.

I went with Depeche Mode and Mr. Gahan through all highs and downs. I suffered a lot with them/him.

From 1982 I visited concerts of the band and from year to year I saw more concert on one tour. 1987/1988 I saw the complete European tour under many hard circumstances because I haven't a lot of money at this time for tickets and the journeys.

Last year I saw 39 concerts of the „ Global Spirit Tour“, and with the upcoming concerts this year I will reach my personal record of all times on one tour ( I hope).

You see, I'm really addicted to Depeche Mode, but why?

Depeche Mode brought brightness in my life. 1981 I needed friendly easy music. I lived in a cold and ugly neighbourhood in Cologne, I felt lonely while missing my Granny.

Depeche Mode looked like teenagers at this time, not the smartest, same like me. I searched for identification and the music of „ A broken frame“ gave me answers.

1983 I made a step forward, I planned to leave my family the first time, I try to emancipate myself in this world and the lines of „ Construction time again“ helped to construct my own world. 

„ Everything counts“ was after „ Get the balance right“ the best song I heard so far. I played the whole album but speacially this song every day from morning to evening. My brother ( only a year younger ,wanted to kill me for playing it again and again). With the music of „ Some great reward“ I graduate in school.

1985 I left home and started to live alone and 1987 ( master of myself) I followed the band through Europe. The life on the streets, every day another city, another concert, sleeping in trains or at stations showed me a site of life  I didn't know before. 

The concerts were still better for me than the albums. I loved their music, but the concerts, the show, Dave, that was my big love in my life.

Until 1997 I went through very hard times in my life, I made a few experiences not so far away from them of Mr. Gahan. „ Songs of faith and devotion“ was an answer for me to my doubt at the life in generally.

„Ultra“ was a solace for my broken soul.

1998 was my first child born and better times begans. 2001 I started again a big tour through the world to see Depeche Mode with my best friend.

To see Mr. Gahan with this unbelievable power made me believe in life so deep. 

All the years I travelled alone through the world but from 2001 on I started to connect me with other fans from all over the world. And this is another part of the fascintion of  Depeche Mode.

To meet other fans, to built up friendships, to see the world.

Last year wasn't a good year from me at the first sight. Really hard problems at home with my younger son, a unknown person tried to steal money from my bank accounts, my older son left home for study and so many other complications.

But in the summary I had one of the best years of my life because of the concerts of Depeche Mode.

I met friends at the end of the year and they asked me, what happened, you look so happy, so bright, so young?

Depeche Mode happened. 

Laughing, singing, dancing, crying, embracing, travelling, swimming, sightseeing, running, testing borders, eating, drinking, meeting people and friends, making holidays, hanging around.

2017

The album“ Spirit“ wasn't not the best for me, not so bad like „ Universe“ or „ Delta Machne“ but  far away from the last good album for me „ Exciter“.

But I flew full of lust to the first small gig in Glasgow.

Summary : I was shocked, no „ Never let me down“, first concert since 1987 without this song. I couldn't feel anything.

Stockholm: 

As I went into the stadium, I met two good friends from the USA. That's Depeche Mode, meeting other devotees all around the world.

First real show with the screenings of Anton Corbjin. Mmh, still no feeling from my site, good setlist ( with „never let me down“) but Dave wasn't the same like the tours before. 

Is it possible that the fascination was gone?

Amsterdam: a bad indoor concert. I was so shocked, I was sick after the concert, no joke, it is true.

Antwerpen: Dave's birthday and a very good mood. First light at the horizon ( totally unexpected in Belgium!)

Nice: another bad concert, I was bored of all. Even „ Personal Jesus“ was boring for me.

But I met many other friends and we spent a great night after the concert.

Next morning I ran along the wonderful promenade in Nice and flew happy back to home.

Bratislava: I was really sad about my missing connection to the band and cried deeply at „ Everything counts“, this hymn of my youth.

But the stay with the friends and a journey with a ship to Vienna was so wonderful.

Lille: best concert so far. Very good mood. The French celebrated „ Heroes“ and I got new hope.

London: deepest moment of the tour. After a funny day with my friends in Camden, I couldn't feel anything in this huge London stadium. The two attacks at the same evening in London and Torino, gave my mood the rest and I thought the first time I will cancel the tour. My best travelmates thought the same.

We said, Cologne will be maybe the last station if nothing will change for us.

Cologne: The return of Mr. Gahan. Don't know what happened, but there he was back again. The old Dave who gave everything and an audience which gave everything back to the band. Finally the show worked and so this day ended with a big happy end. I had "takeover day" ( facebook site Depeche Mode) and a day couldn't be better.

Hanover:

first double event. Two great concerts in my old home with very good friends. Two days full of singing, dancing and drinking to Depeche Mode.

Frankfurt: very good party in the Commerzbank arena. But they aren't still not so good like 2013.

Berlin: a very good pre-show party in the Hansastudios, Meistersaal, where I met devotee's from all over the world. I danced the whole night. The rainy concert in the Olympiastadium was unforgetable. Dancing in underwear to your favourite band with best friends, what could be better?

Rome: the last 4 tours the Rome concert was always under my best three. And like on the last tour: Rome won again. So full of joy the Italians celebrated the concert. 

It was a beautiful place, very hot summer day, wonderful hotel, laughing the whole three days there.

„ Everything counts“ and „ Personal Jesus“ were such amazing moments I cannot describe with words.

Milano: until the middle it was a very quiet concert and I was really surprised because Milan is everytime a bank. But with „ Home“ the Italians started singing and stopped first at „ Personal Jesus“. Wow, never heard something like this and so this concert was the second best concert of the tour.

Bologna: what a beautiful city. If you wasn't in Bologna, you didn't know Italy.

One of the best moments for me:

We are sitting together with three friends in an ugly small parc, drinking our last beer of our fridge in our B& B, before we had to go to the airport. Very unspectacular, a little bit like homeless peoples, but I think deep in our soul we all are a bit homeless and following Depeche Mode, because it feel like the home, we are all looking for. The connection between us three felt so good in this moment. We didn't speak a lot, just enjoying this great last moments of our Italy tour.

The whole time in Bologna we sat together everywhere

in this town and drank together, laugh together.... unbelievable. Thank you Arkadi, Ohst, Michael!

Paris:

not so good like expected, but again a very good aftershow party outside of the stadium where we found new friends.

Gelsenkirchen: last Germany concert and one of the best. „ Cover me“ was the song of the summer tour, this quiet small song. Mr. Gahan gave all and it was an amazing moment. Thank you Michael for putting me on your shoulders, I was so close and Dave threw me a kiss as he was on the catwalk.

Cluj:

A journey with my younger son, very important hours together with him.

Wonderful small city and beautiful country. One of the best concerts, full of love. Mr. Gore's birthday celebration. 

Las Vegas:

First concert of our USA tour. Very good concert with a good audience. I like this trashy city.

Saw first time the „Grand Canyon“. Testing my physically borders at the „ Stratosphere tower“.

Best picture of the tour besides Depeche Mode.

best picture ever!

Santa Barbara: Saw the „ Death Valley“on our way to Martin Gore's hometown.

Small venue, warm evening, a good concert.

San Diego:

the venue was to big, a very quiet concert, but a wonderful day in Mexico before the concert.

favorite tour drink

San Jose: Great indoor concert with a good audience. Mr. Gahan worked very hard and made an unbelievable show.

Oakland: One of the best concerts of the tour, believe it... in the USA. A huge dance party with my Personal Jesus.

Los Angeles:

4 concerts in the amazing Hollywood Bowl, finally a dream come true to see Depeche Mode there.

First time for me to see them 4 times in a row. The venue is like no other. Dave worked so hard this 4 days.

Best show was the last evening with a lot of setlist changes. Highlight“ Useless“ which I heard 1998 the last time live.

Manchester: first show for me of the winter tour, a few great changes, but now it was more a „Ultra“ concert than a „ Spirit" concert. But the new setlist worked very well, the mood was fanatstic and this in one of my fave british cities.

London. A big party with friends, happy to be happy in London again. New screening for „ Home“.

Frankfurt: First German gig in the winter in the fabulous Festhalle. Such an amazing crowd. Martin Gore are a bit shocked about the enthusiasm of the German fans. He walked on the catwalk while "Insight“ not to „ Home“. Maybe it was a bit to much dedication of the fans.

Funny.

Antwerpen: again a very good concert with the Belgians. New video for „ Everything counts“.

Stuttgart: the worst concert, no good mood at all.

Mannheim: again a good indoor concert, but not so good as expected.

Paris:

first concert: one of the best concerts of my life, everything was perfect, we met Mr. Corbjin!

second concert: they changed not enough songs, so the French were pissed.... not such a good concert. But we met our buddies from the summer at a after show party and had a great evening.

Turin 1: very good concert in a cold Italy. We had such a great time in this small city. Highlight: we met the band after the show in their hotel. We spoke with the friendly Andy Fletcher and saw the happy Mr. Gahan together with friends. He looks so fantastic and have an ineffable aura, what a man.

Turin 2: Like Paris 2.... do more setlist changes on your second concert, dear Depeche Mode.

The return of „ I feel you“ saved the evening.

Madrid:

The best christmas party ever with your favorite band and your best friends in a wonderful town with nice Spaniards.

Stood in row 6 at the end of the concert and enjoeyd every minute of the show. Personal Jesus....what can I say more?

39 concerts in Europe and USA. 11 countries, 2 continents.

28 flights, 23 car rides,11 train rides, 3 taxi rides, 1 bus ride, 7 by tram, 2 by foot, one by ship.

The most concerts I saw with my travel mates Ohst, Arkadi, Isa, Michael and Heike.

But Ohst has won, I saw 34 shows together with him.

Best List:

1. Rom

2. Milan

3. Cologne

4. Paris 1 Winter

5. Oakland

6. Hollywood 4

7. Cluj

8. Bologna

9. Hannover

10. Manchester

The tour is starting again yesterday in Hamburg. Please stay tuned.

See you next time.

#depechemode #globalspirittour #devotee #davegahan # martingore #fletch