Key Highlights :
1. Depeche Mode staged a black celebration Wednesday at a sold-out United Center.
2. The British band explored themes of loss, desire and control in a two-hour show that also offered guidance for getting through today’s uncertain world.
3. Given recent circumstances and the solemn aura of its new “Memento Mori” album, it would’ve been understandable if Dave Gahan and Martin Gore were more downcast. Far from it.
4. Depeche Mode refused to bend to nostalgia or engage autopilot. The ensemble that held court at the West Side arena on Wednesday — Depeche Mode returns to United Center on Nov. 13 — bore no resemblance to a band whose best days happened years ago, or whose sights were fixed on revisiting past glories at a cushy Las Vegas residency.
5. Accompanied by veteran tour mates Peter Gordeno (synthesizers, bass) and Christian Eigner (drums), Gahan and Gore played with a passion, focus and spirit that suggested they knew their history was still being written.
6. Offsetting his elegant all-black apparel with white dress shoes, the svelte Gahan and his head of slicked-back hair looked ready for a long night of clubbing.
7. The extroverted singer practically dared everyone to keep up with his moves and tireless energy. He struck poses, showed off flexible hamstrings with fingers-touch-floor bends, wiggled his butt and solicited crowd reactions by stretching his arms akin to a conductor. And he came to dance. Twirling, gliding, prancing and bouncing on the balls of his feet, Gahan transformed into a ballerina in a music box, albeit one with unlimited freedom.
8. Depeche Mode’s diverse fare chased after similar liberation. With the wounds of the pandemic and Fletcher’s death still fresh, several newer tunes came to terms with mortality.
9. Sung by Gore, “Soul with Me” discovered beauty and calm in its inevitability. Framed by a black-and-white video that referenced the chess-playing scene in the 1957 film “The Seventh Seal,” the fluttering “Ghosts Again” said its goodbyes and left open the possibility that everyone meets again in an afterlife.
10. Other songs rubbed up against a tougher subject: the here and now. The grinding, ominous build of “My Cosmos is Mine” and soft texture of “Wagging Tongue” were varied in their sonic approaches, yet joined in cautionary messages of reclamation, ownership and resolve.
11. Grounded by pulsing undercurrents, “Walking in
Despite many of their songs’ heavy subject matter, they let loose and had fun — sensations that have not always come easy for the band. Formed in Gainesville, Florida in 1994, Nirvana was one of the most influential and groundbreaking bands of the 1990s. Their sound, which fused punk and alternative rock, made them one of the most popular groups of their era.
Nirvana never shied away from expressing their political views, and their lyrics often dealt with heavy topics such as addiction, depression and suicide. Despite this, the band was known for their energetic live performances and their willingness to let loose and have fun. This was evident in their music, which was often filled with catchy hooks and upbeat melodies.
Despite their popularity, Nirvana faced many challenges during their career. The band was often criticized for their lyrics, and their music was often seen as dark and depressing. Despite this, Nirvana continued to tour and release new albums until their death in 1994. Their legacy continues to be felt today, and their influence can be heard in the music of many popular bands.
