Depeche Mode Finds Light In The Darkness Via ‘Memento Mori’ And NYC Show

On the final night of the first leg of their latest North American tour, the British electronic group Depeche Mode performed inside a packed Madison Square Garden Friday night—-which is quite remarkable given that not many acts who came of age during the early 1980s synthpop movement still play in the World’s Most Famous Arena. It’s a testament to both Depeche Mode’s longevity and resonant music despite changing tastes and trends over the last 40 years.

At this point in their career, Depeche Mode—which now consists of co-founding members David Gahan and Martin L. Gore—really have nothing to prove to anyone. The group from Basildon, England has sold more than 100 million albums, charted many hit singles in the U.K., and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. It would have even been totally understandable if they had right now called it quits, especially after the death of co-founding keyboardist Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher last year at the age of 60.

So it’s somewhat surprising, in the wake of Fletcher’s passing, that both Gahan and Gore decided to carry on Depeche Mode as a duo and release their 15th studio album, Memento Mori, which came out late last month. For most of Depeche Mode’s career, their music, via Gore’s songwriting, has explored the darkness and tortured angst of the human condition—a quality that has set them apart from their generally upbeat ’80s NewWave contemporaries and provided the template for future electronic-dominated/industrial rock acts like Nine Inch Nails. And with the pandemic (when the album was in its early stages of production) and the devastating loss of a key band member, Memento Mori could have justifiably been all-melancholy work.

But despite having all the moody and haunting hallmarks of the traditional Depeche Mode sound, Memento Mori is also quite an uncharacteristically life-affirming album with some transcendent spiritual moments—certainly the death of Fletcher further adds to the record’s poignancy. It recalls the famous the lines from Leonard Cohen’s song “Anthem”: “There is a crack, a crack in everything/That’s how the light gets in.”

Amid this heavy theme about mortality, there’s a sort of an uplifting message: that while death is an inevitability (hence the album’s title), it’s important to find take stock in life and to persevere and carry on. That message is can be traced on such tracks as the foreboding “My Cosmos Is Mine”; the hymnal “Soul With Me” the hypnotic “Speak to Me”; and the lovely “Ghosts Again,” destined to be a Depeche Mode classic. There’s also a sense of hope and romantic yearning conveyed on other tracks like “Always You” and “Never Let Go.”

But don’t be fooled in thinking that Depeche Mode has now gone totally soft and sentimental via this record—the Kraftwerk-ian “People Are Good” could be interpreted as cynical despite its title, while the noir-ish and soulful “Don’t Say You Love Me” is the perfect anti-Valentine’s. (It is also worth noting that the new album contains songwriting contributions by singer Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs, one of Depeche Mode’s peers from the British post-punk ’80s era.)

A good number of Memento Mori’s songs comprised the setlist of Friday’s Garden show, which was electrifying due to the performances by Gahan, Gore and supporting touring players Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno (It seemed fitting that Gahan, a Knicks fan, was playing in the home of New York City’s NBA team). It was essentially a celebration of both a legendary career and the human spirit. The newer songs gelled well with DM classics like “Never Let Me Down Again,” “I Feel You,” “In Your Room” and “Everything Counts.” Naturally, the energy inside the venue went up several notches when Depeche Mode performed the iconic dance-oriented hits “Just Can’t Get Enough,” “Enjoy the Silence” and the evening’s closer “Personal Jesus”—the crowd fed off of Depeche Mode’s energy as they danced and sung along to those particular songs.

On stage, both Gahan and Gore were still at their performance peak; Gahan showcased his energetic and charismatic moves as his booming voice rang throughout the venue; Gore took a soulful turn with the lead vocals with “A Question of Lust” and the new “Soul With Me.” Two unique highlights occurred during the set. One was an image of the late Andrew Fletcher on the big screen as the band performed “World in My Eyes,” from their 1990 masterpiece Violator, as a tribute. The other was Gahan and Gore doing an acoustic rendition of the gospel-influence “Condemnation” during the show’s encore. To see the two remaining DM members standing together and embracing was quite touching.

Memento Mori could arguably be the band’s strongest work since Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion. As shown by the new record and the recent New York City appearance, the book on Depeche Mode is not finished yet. Rather, it is the beginning of a new era.

The Memento Mori World Tour continues as Depeche Mode will play in Europe starting on May 16 in Amsterdam, before returning to North America in September.

Setlist (Madison Square Garden, April 14, 2023):

My Cosmos Is Mine

Wagging Tongue

Walking in My Shoes

It’s No Good

Sister of Night

In Your Room

Everything Counts

Precious

Speak to Me

A Question of Lust

Soul With Me

Ghosts Again

I Feel You

A Pain That I’m Used To

World in My Eyes

Wrong

Stripped

John the Revelator

Enjoy the Silence

Encore:

Condemnation

Just Can’t Get Enough

Never Let Me Down Again

Personal Jesus