Musica come Antidoto

5.30 p.m.

I’m queuing for the parterre in front of the Mercedes-Benz Arena, in a fairly favourable position. This is the second of three concerts that DM are playing here in Berlin, and maybe that’s why I find the queue much shorter than I expected. Like good Teutons, the doors open at 6pm sharp, people move in an orderly fashion and after the obligatory security checks, they proceed just as orderly towards the area in front of the stage. How I love this country.

Bracelet on, and then I go there, as close as possible.

I’m very lucky to be almost completely surrounded by girls, which gives me a good view of the stage despite my short height, and strangely the men present don’t feel the need to obscure the valley.

It doesn’t even seem real: My worst fear, of being surrounded by a lot of people and not being able to move or escape in case of danger (whether real or not) is almost absent. I feel good. Something like this, two years ago, would not have been even remotely conceivable. God bless Depakin.

To guarantee my place near the stage, as a person without company, I put three strategies into play:

1) no trips to the bathroom

2) no water to avoid problem n. 1

3) no food, just a snack bar (perennial fear of food outside the home after food poisoning, have mercy)

I had about 3 hours of waiting ahead of me, three quarters of an hour of Supporting Act (in this case Humanist) + a little over 2 hours of concert.

I can do it.

Time passes by chatting on my mobile phone, watching videos on YouTube and stuff like that. It’s a very long wait but finally the time has come for the Supporting Act, Humanist.

–

Let’s start from the assumption that all Supporting Acts deserve to be respected. Sometimes I found them in line with the atmosphere of the Main Acts, sometimes I really didn’t.

For example: The Supporting Act I saw in Bologna, Haelos, frankly I found it pleasant, but nothing more. Let’s say that going from them to DM was like going from standing still without warming up to dancing all of a sudden. Little continuity, colder audience.

That’s it. With ‘Humanist’ it was like going from warming up at the barre and then moving to the centre and giving it our all.

I won’t spend too much time on them because the focus of this article is Depeche Mode, but I want to say that I didn’t know this artist before, and for me it was a very pleasant surprise.

Rob Marshall is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is unfortunately too little known. The adjective I would use for his music is: Hypnotic.

Thanks to the black backdrop of the stage and the simple white lights, there is nothing to distract from the melodic dark atmospheres and the enthralling energy that comes from the guitars of Marshall and Jimmy Gnecco, the second guitarist and one of the two voices of the group. He and James Cox, dark and handsome, perform a catalogue of songs actually sung by other artists, including our very own Dave and the great, late, lamented Mark Lanegan.

Obviously not an easy role to play, but the two are not intimidated and their performance is excellent.

Equally excellent is the rhythm section of Scott Pemberton on drums and Wendy Rae Fowler on bass, both with a great tone and a drive that makes quite a few people’s heads bob.

Time passes quickly and the buzz in the arena increases. Martin’s techno playlist starts and everyone, and I mean everyone, dances and makes even more noise to show their appreciation. This is Berlin after all, techno is at home here and Martin knows it well.

The lights go out.

–

Intro, ‘Speak to me’ (outro).

Reverb fills the air. Blue lights simulate a beating heart.

The final section of ‘Speak to me’ accelerates pulsing, between drum machines, tape machines and synthetic echoes towards its conclusion… Or non-conclusion?

Martin, Peter and Christian enter.

A moment of silence. The loop starts again.

–

First song, ‘My cosmos is mine’.

The beats of ‘My Cosmos is mine’ and the stasis on stage, with Martin behind the keyboards, Peter on bass and Christian on drums, almost seems like the beginning of a dance performance or a stage play, in which you take your position and wait for the music to start, or if the music has already started, you wait for your part to begin.

Speaking of dancers, halfway through the instrumental part at the beginning of ‘My Cosmos is mine’, as the rhythm picks up, we have the entrance of our lead dancer, our bullfighter in the arena, Mr Dave Gahan,

He moves forward like a panther, he does a deep squat that, even with the help of the heel of his boots, is very impressive because at that age to be able to do a squat like that, to bounce and get up again with such fluidity is really quite something.

Mr Gahan draws on the energy of the audience, commands our attention and takes his place at the microphone.

The first two lines are simple statements that immediately set the tone of the lyrics.

I’ve heard many opinions that ‘My Cosmos is mine’ is a bit of a subdued, dull start, not very uplifting. In my opinion, it’s quite the opposite. In the sense that: I like that it’s slow because in a certain sense the album is a sort of requiem for poor Fletch, may he rest in peace, and I like that it starts with such a slow rhythm but at the same time so steady and then changes dynamic in the bridge, where it becomes pressing in a continuous crescendo as the words become more desperate and with an ever greater sense of urgency:

‘No war, no war, no war

No more, no more, no more, no more

No fear, no fear, no fear, no fear

Not here, not here, not here, not here

No rain, no clouds

No pain, no shrouds

And above all:

No final breaths

No senseless deaths’

No final breaths, no senseless deaths. What could be more senseless than Andy’s death?

With the weight off their shoulders, the rest of the song seems to be a little lighter, made up of more repetitions, as if to put their feet down and clarify a concept once and for all. And as I said before, as far as the characters taking a stand are concerned, the performance of this song remains practically static. Martin is a fiery prince in silver and Dave is almost still, in complete contrast to his nature. This song is a reflection and deserves respect. The time for dancing has not yet come.

In my opinion, this song is the perfect introduction for this tour. It is a heartfelt goodbye to Fletch at the beginning and then, as it progresses, it gradually becomes a celebration of life. I think he would have loved it.

–

Second song, ‘Wagging Tongue’.

I’ll admit that at first I wasn’t too keen on this song, but now it’s one of my favourites.

It’s true, it’s a bit reminiscent of Kraftwerk’s ‘Europe Endless’ in terms of structure, but in broad terms… Maybe it can be seen as a tribute but until they say so it’s best not to overdo the comparisons… Anyway it’s a really nice song, and I really like hearing Dave and Martin sing together, or harmonise. It’s simply… What it has to be.

–

Third song, ‘Walking in my shoes’.

The audience warms up, the King spins and spins and spins. He lets his inner Elvis Presley out and the dancing begins. I’m torn between the enormous appreciation I have for ‘Walking in my shoes’ on a musical level and the feeling of total revulsion that the lyrics give me, not because the lyrics are bad, quite the opposite, but because it hurts like hell, and even though a long time has passed, it seems that some wounds never heal.

The melody on the piano is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. It’s so poignant but it also gives you a feeling of hope, starting in a minor key at the beginning and then in a major key. I like that the verse part is so monotonous, when he talks about all the things he’s done, and then in the bridge it goes up and up, as if to defend his thesis (à la Condemnation) and at the end spit out his sentence (still à la Condemnation).

In the end, the whole of ‘Songs of Faith and Devotion’ is full of excuses, in the sense that all the lyrics are Martin feeling regret and having a guilty conscience about what he is doing and trying to cover his ass in every way possible. So there you have it, the ABC of the substance-dependent person!!!

I would tell you about the things they put me through

The pain I’ve been subjected to

But the Lord himself would blush

The countless feasts laid at my feet

Forbidden fruits for me to eat

But I think your pulse would start to rush

Now I’m not looking for absolution

Forgiveness for the things I do

But before you come to any conclusions

Try walking in my shoes

Try walking in my shoes

Aahhh that’s enough, I’ve already seen too many things from that point of view.

However, I have two or three people I’d like to sing ‘Walking in my shoes’ to in the face, but it wouldn’t do any good, so I’ll just sing it to an invisible figure, letting out all my anger.

I’m not looking for a clearer conscience

Peace of mind after what I’ve been through

And before we talk of any repentance

Try walking in my shoes

Try walking in my shoes

It’s cathartic, at least for a while.

In a moment I feel something I’ve rarely felt in my life. Dave approaches my side of the stage, and even though he’s not really very close (about two metres away), he stares in our direction and yells, ‘Say what?!’ and the audience replies, ‘Try walking in my shoes!’

Now, I’m not one of those fans who makes a fuss about their favourite singers/musicians, but in that moment I felt like we were having a conversation. That would be a dream come true for me. I’m not one for photos, screams or anything like that, but all I’d like is a handshake, a fleeting glimpse into their creative world and also a constant inspiration to keep going after falling down the pitfalls of life.

It’s silly, but it’s a way of thinking that in the end they’re just people like us, certainly more talented and richer, but still full of virtues and defects and with the same emotions as us.

–

Fourth song, ‘It’s no Good’.

And finally we’ve got rid of all that anger and we’re going to dance hard! I will say until I’m sick of it that this song is timeless, that it’s simply perfect! It has all the characteristics of a ‘popular’ song in a sense, especially in the chorus which seems to be made to be sung by the crowd like a children’s rhyme, but at the same time from a sound point of view it has adventurous sounds, a biting guitar and a rhythm that makes you move by yourself (Tim Simenon – Bomb The Bass in the teacher’s chair and you can hear it)

It’s great to see Dave and Martin interacting together on stage. In this funny little skit, Martin seems to be trying to stab Dave with his guitar while Dave is egging him on and stabbing his heart with the microphone.

There’s nothing allegorical about it, right? Right?

Like ‘Where were you when I fell from grace’ in Suffer Well?

Like Dave with a moustache and sunglasses looking at Barbie Martin Princess Bride with a beaten dog look in the video?

But we’re in Berlin, if someone wants to be a masochist here it’s fine with us, but since you get along now I’ll think of more pleasant scenarios and I’ll stop here because we have to talk about music, come on.

Ok, let’s say they play a toreador who incites a bull. And nothing, allegories are inevitable.

–

Fifth song, ‘Policy of truth’.

Oh well, what can we say? It’s beautiful. It has the classic ‘Violator’ sound, clean, sparse, almost essential I’d say, but not in a bad way. Everything is just right, well constructed, the end of a process of eliminating layers that began after ‘Black Celebration’ and culminated, in fact, with ‘Violator’. The bridge is impossible not to sing along to like a football chant.

The problem is that with ‘Violator’ the sound is so organic and cohesive that the album flows perfectly from track to track. Many consider it the pinnacle of their career, while for me it’s a little too perfect for my taste. I like it, of course, but it doesn’t strike me emotionally or musically like other albums.

Useless note: Dave went up and down with the microphone stand in front of me. Forgive me Martin if for a few seconds my judgement was clouded.

Sixth song, ‘In your room’.

The arena lights dim and a blue halo spreads across the stage.

Another one of my favourite piano parts, with a beautiful progression from simple chords at the beginning to an elaborate melody later on.

Dave and Martin’s voices blend together perfectly as always, dissolving into the sweetness of the song’s verses. This song is a perfect example of Martin’s skills as a guitarist. Although he’s no John Petrucci, he always manages to create melodic lines that are apparently simple but impossible to forget.

Before the second verse there is an explosion of sound. Martin does a short, biting solo and Dave dances across the stage. Then everything returns to calm. This song is all about dichotomy. Loud, quiet, loud, quiet.

Dave and Martin keep singing, their voices supporting each other during the chorus, and their chemistry works perfectly. It’s not something you can create, it just exists.

Oh, and since we’re in Berlin, there’s a bit of BDSM in the air with this song.

–

Seventh song, ‘Everything Counts’.

A timeless song. Here we are at the beginning of the creation of the sound we all know with Alan Wilder at the helm, in the days of ‘Construction time again’, an album that was half successful with good moments but still had its weak points. This song, on the other hand, is already complete with all the elements present in the Berlin era: unusual woodwinds and percussion, hardware in general, construction site pieces and so on and so forth.

My favourite instruments are of course the shawl (that kind of oboe), Martin’s ocarina and the xylophone, which is the theme of the song. The lyrics are a bit forced in some parts, but the meaning is more than clear. Lies and deceit.

The central part of the song is divided between the famous bridge sung by Martin with his velvety voice and the very serious counterpoint of Dave in the refrain.

The grabbing hands grab all they can

All for themselves – after all

The grabbing hands grab all they can

All for themselves – after all

It’s a competitive world

Everything counts in large amounts

At the end of the song Dave walks down the length of the catwalk and stops at the end, shaking hands with the people standing there on either side. Lucky them. He’s so elegant, with this feline grace in everything he does. I’ve said it before but it deserves repeating.

–

Eighth song, ‘Precious’

‘Precious’ is one of those songs that always leave me feeling quite sad. I realise that putting one’s pain into words is a positive thing, but congratulations to Martin for being able to play and feel this song that seems so personal to me.

The fact is that who can’t identify with that ‘Things get damaged, things get broken’? Maybe that’s why this song was so successful? I don’t know.

It’s simply too sad, despite the hope in the last part of the lyrics.

–

Ninth song, ‘My favourite stranger’

The other depressive moment is finally over. Peter takes up the bass again and the energy of ‘My favourite stranger’ takes over the whole arena. The rhythm section is the protagonist here, but the crown goes to Martin’s series of biting licks, which in their simplicity make the song even more aggressive, up to the almost noise part where a series of sustained notes draw you even further into a hypnotic universe from which it is difficult to escape.

A short choral part and then it’s time again for Martin’s distortion. He could play this part for another two hours and I would be left open-mouthed like a fish in my sound paradise.

–

Tenth song, ‘Strangelove’

An acoustic arpeggio by Peter lets us know that Martin’s acoustic part has arrived. What will we need to bring out the tissues and lungs tonight?

And Martin, aware of being in Berlin and unaware of my presence (even if he would have felt two adoring eyes on him 99% of the time), decides to sing Strangelove.

The audience explodes at the first notes. If there’s anyone ready to sing that bridge, it’s us.

Martin sings softly, with that voice that if you think it’s a cappella and doesn’t miss ONE note, f***, ONE, perfectly sustained, doesn’t falter for a second… He sings……

His love troubles.

I give in to sin

Because you have to make this life livable – I couldn’t agree more.

Strangelove

Strange highs and strange lows

Strangelove

That’s how my love goes

Strangelove – Oh my God, this is so cheesy, I’m falling asleep.

Will you give it to me

Will you take the pain

I will give to you

Again and again

And will you return it – Ok, I’m back.

I give in to sin

Because I like to practice what I preach – Amen brother, amen.

When it came to singing the bridge, the whole arena burst into loud chants asking Martin:

Pain will you return it

I’ll say it again – pain

Pain will you return it

I’ll say it again – pain

Pain will you return it

I’ll say it again – pain

Pain will you return it

I won’t say it again

One of us, Martin, one of us.

( Domination’s the name of the game

In bed or in life, they’re both just the same

Except in one you’re fulfilled at the end of the day

Let’s play Master and Servant

Let’s play Master and Servant)

P.S. I read an article somewhere, can’t remember where. Title: Berlin goes Hard. Photo: A girl with a sign saying ‘Spit on me Dave’.

It could have happened anywhere, yet. . .

–

Eleventh song, ‘Heaven’

Help.

I really wasn’t expecting this. The original song is already a masterpiece of sensuality that deserves to be in the Mount Olympus of songs for doing things I won’t mention here, and hearing it sung by Martin was a real surprise.

I have to mention the whole song here because there isn’t a favourite part, a favourite expression. It’s a MASTERPIECE, yes, in all caps.

Sometimes I slide away

Silently

I slowly lose myself

Over and over

Take comfort in my skin

Endlessly

Surrender to my will

Forever and ever

I dissolve in trust

I will sing with joy

I will end up dust

I’m in heaven

I stand in golden rays

Radiantly

I burn a fire of love

Over and over

Reflecting endless light

Relentlessly

I have embraced the flame

Forever and ever

I will scream The Word

Jump into the void

I will guide the world

Up to heaven

I don’t know. Tell me something because I don’t know what to say. I light up with immensity? (Ungaretti)

Of course, Martin’s voice is flawless. In tune, sustained, everything perfect. Maybe not perfect perfect because I’m not a singing teacher, but from the point of view of a non-professional it seemed perfect to me. If I had to make just one small criticism it would be that I miss the harmonies in the chorus, because I love it when Dave and Martin sing together in different keys, but… I really did see heaven.

He is a silver angel, with calf-length leg straps and combat boots, a heavenly voice and now silvery hair, a childlike smile on a slightly aged child’s face, and two hidden wings that spread sweet melodies in the air with every beat.

Martin Lee Gore, ladies and gentlemen.

‘The beautiful, beautiful angelic voice of Mr Martin L Gore!’

If Dave could shine with all the admiration he feels for Martin, he would be the brightest star in the universe.

A brief mention of Peter and Christian and we continue with the set list.

–

Twelfth song, ‘Ghosts again’.

As the first chords of ‘Ghosts again’ play, a kind of lump tightens in my stomach. The first time I heard ‘Ghosts again’ I didn’t know what to think of it. I was still in my mourning period for Fletch and it seemed a bit too ‘happy’ as a tune, especially as it was the first single from the album. But with time I’ve learnt to appreciate its meaning. It’s an invitation to live life because time is passing, and sooner or later we’ll all be ghosts again and there’s nothing like a sudden death to remind you of it.

Wasted feelings

Broken meanings

Time is fleeting

See what it brings

I like to think of this part as the before and after Andy’s death. First feelings are thrown away, meanings are broken, but then you realise that time is running out fast and you want to see what it will bring now. It’s like the stentorian relationship between Dave and Martin, who sometimes love each other, sometimes dislike each other, and generally don’t understand each other.

Then a tragedy happens and you realise that you’ve wasted a lot of time on mental trips and movies in your head.

You have to start all over again. It’s scary, but exciting.

Dave points to all of us singing ‘All my flowers’ and it’s so sweet. You are fully reciprocated, dearest.

Faith is sleeping

Lovers in the end

Whisper, ‘We’ll be ghosts again’

I thought it was dedicated to Andy? Maybe yes, maybe no.

–

Thirteenth song, “I feel you”.

It’s a bit strange to follow a bittersweet song like “Ghosts again” with the hedonistic Depeche Mode anthem, “I feel you”.

The guitar riff that makes even Pavlov’s dogs drool bursts out after the initial noise and the temperature in the arena rises dangerously.

Here Dave is an animal that roams the stage as if he were imprisoned in a cage. Except for the moments when he bends down to sustain the longer notes, he moves continuously with the confident gait of a prima ballerina or a diva on the catwalk, swaying his hips and caressing his hair. There isn’t a square inch of Dave Gahan that isn’t expressive in everything he does, even when he’s holding the microphone. His hands caress the air and seem like punctuation marks that emphasise important parts of the songs, the way he moves is sometimes jerky, sometimes more fluid, but an instrument like any other.

There are these three calls on the three bridges that I love to death, literary nerd stuff:

You take me there

You take me where

The kingdom comes

You take me to

And lead me through

Babylon

Where heaven waits

Those golden gates

And back again

You take me to

And lead me through

Oblivion

Where angels sing

And spread their wings

My love’s on high – oh really? High with love or something else?

You take me home

To glory’s throne

By and by

Then again, these too can be references to substances and debauchery, reading between the lines… Babylon, which means ‘Gate’ in Sumerian, ilim is the genitive of ilum, Akkadian for ‘god’, Babylon the city of evil according to the New Testament.

Babylon the Great is the name sometimes attributed by the Bible to the city of Babylon, when it is used as a symbol of human power that considers itself equal or superior to God.

In the episode of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11), Babylon (Babel) simply represents a human society incapable of reaching the objectives it has set itself because it doesn’t care if they are in accordance with divine plans. However, the objective of building a tower ‘whose top will reach to heaven’ seems to imply the boastful goal of being on a par with God.

Does it remind you of any of our times?

A trip to the Golden Gates and a return to Oblivion.

From the Book of Revelation:

One of the seven angels who had poured out the bowls allowed John to observe the great Babylon that is about to suffer divine condemnation:

‘One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand she had a golden cup full of abominations and the filth of her prostitution. On her forehead a name was written, a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Well, maybe that’s why I haven’t had sex for ages. Lack of good looks and meticulous analysis of any bullshit.

I forgot the glorious chorus:

‘This is the morning of our love

It’s just the dawning of our love’

It’s time for Christian’s drum solo, Martin and Dave have another one of their wordless conversations and after the final touch there’s a high five for everyone. Cute.

–

Fourteenth song, ‘A Pain that I’m used to’.

Oh God, what a drag. I know many people like this song, but I find it quite boring. It’s just Martin frustrated with Dave who wants to write his own songs. Besides, is it a different arrangement? Peter plays the bass, but I don’t remember a bass on this song? It seems to me to be a more rock arrangement, unlike the electronic one of the original?

Sorry for all the question marks, but I don’t really like the song and I don’t listen to it much.

–

Fifteenth song, ‘World in my eyes’.

Lord have mercy.

The image of Fletch appears on the big screen.

From the screams that rose from the arena, I think we’re all thinking the same thing. If we’re thinking the same thing, I guess mine aren’t the only wet eyes here.

Now, ‘World in my eyes’ is one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs, definitely top 10, maybe even top 5. Even the stones know it’s Andy’s favourite song.

I swear to you that I can no longer listen to this song without feeling a huge lump in my stomach.

I think about this new arrangement, so sparse in sound and at the same time so elegant and refined. A lyric that in my opinion is one of Martin’s best. The metaphor of the ‘World in my eyes’ is a killer image, one of those ideas that come to you once in a lifetime.

This song is a box of Godiva chocolates, with a beautiful bow on top. It’s falling in love in slow motion, unlike the love at first sight with ‘Enjoy the Silence’ and ‘Personal Jesus’. I never tire of it, and I never will.

But… Since Andy died I always see his kind smile, I think about when he said that this was his favourite song and how proud he was of it.

Dave looks at the big screen several times, and even if we can’t see his expression, I think we can guess what he’s thinking.

He raises his hands in the famous gesture and everyone follows his lead.

At the end of the song he tells us to give a round of applause for Mr Andrew Fletcher. It’s the loudest moment of the evening, I reckon, and rightly so.

All the islands in the ocean

All the heaven’s in the motion

Let me show you the world in my eyes

Poetry.

–

Sixteenth song, ‘Black Celebration’.

At the beginning of the introduction, with the lights in time with the initial arpeggio, an ‘oooooh’ is heard from the audience. The effect is spectacular, and rightly so!

A spectacular effect for a spectacular song!

‘Black Celebration’ is among my top 5 ever. The instrumental part alone deserves the song’s rating.

Here Alan Wilder’s hand is as big as a house.

This isn’t the beginning of a song, it’s the beginning of an opera! The progression of the intro, from the arpeggios to the melodic line, is something that only someone who has played classical music or music theory could conceive. It is simply an Overture, that is an instrumental musical composition placed at the beginning of an opera, a choral work, a ballet or other theatrical compositions. It acts as a curtain raiser to ‘Black Celebration’ the song and ‘Black Celebration’ the album. The only difference is that here the strings are played by the synths, but the epicness is the same.

Magnificence could be another title for this song.

The theme of the song played on the piano before the song starts. Shivers.

The stadium-style chorus ‘Let’s have a Black Celebration’, everyone with their hands in the air.

Before the first verse starts, the rhythm changes and becomes more cadenced, more urgent.

The relevance of this song: We’re all just getting by, we’ve made it through another day, let’s celebrate.

We don’t want to think about what we haven’t managed to do.

The sadness of the dreary and repetitive everyday life illustrated in the song is contrasted with its musical richness. How many elements, how many samples are there in this song??? No wonder they needed the 64-track mixer from Hansa Tonstudios! How do you record all this stuff???

A short break for Dave (poor guy, anca massa, you’re doing more than enough, as we say in Venice)

–

Seventeenth song, ‘Stripped’.

Ok. I’m not ready.

I am NEVER, and I mean NEVER, EVER ready to listen to ‘Stripped’.

The sound of Dave’s Porsche could be the sound of a chainsaw cutting through me and taking my stomach and heart out in one piece.

The reason they put that part on the keyboard before the song starts is to give you time to freak out emotionally before the first verse even begins!

The emotional puke effect hits with the force of a thousand thousand tonnes. The words haven’t even started yet and I’m already sobbing. A kind soul next to me sees me and offers me some tissues. I thank her for the very kind gesture.

Everything is illuminated in red. It’s a beautiful effect and it really gives an idea of carnality, of sensuality. It’s red like something that tempts you, that recalls the awakening of the senses.

To the question: ‘What is perhaps the most significant thing Martin Gore has ever written?’, my answer would definitely be this:

Let me see you stripped

Down to the bone

It seems simple, doesn’t it? But it isn’t.

Sometimes greatness lies in hitting the target with as few arrows as possible. A few words, concise, precise, efficient.

And at the same time the desire that I think we all have, to see people beyond the over-structures that society imposes on us and that we impose on ourselves.

Martin and I share a love of German culture, and the quote from Metropolis, of its fumes. This song is deeply inspired by the film ‘Metropolis’ by Fritz Lang.

In the year 2026, a group of rich industrialists govern the city of Metropolis from their skyscrapers and force the proletarian class, relegated to the city underground, to work continuously. The entrepreneur-dictator is Joh Fredersen, who lives at the top of the tallest skyscraper; his son Freder lives in an unreal eternal garden populated by sensual maidens.

Suddenly the teacher and prophet Maria bursts into the garden, accompanied by the workers‘ children, and invites him to look at “his brothers”. Freder is so impressed by this woman’s visit that he decides to visit the underground: he immediately realises the inhuman conditions in which the workers are forced to work and decides to pretend to be one of them to experience the workers’ hardships first hand. Freder soon realises the inhumane conditions in which his father’s employees are forced to work, having to endure heat, fumes and impossible working hours that leave them on the verge of fainting. At the end of the shift, a conspiratorial-looking worker mistakes Freder for a colleague and tells him to meet him underground because a ‘she’ wants to see them.

This woman is Maria, who welcomes the exhausted workers and tells them the story of the Tower of Babel: just as the Tower of Babel (Babylon the Great has fallen!) was built by slaves to reach heaven, Metropolis was built by the proletariat to house the rich. Mary preaches future peace and the coming of a mediator who will put an end to the injustices perpetrated by capitalists against workers. (And ‘Everything Counts’ returns!)

Then well, the television thing is a bit reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984… The screen through which Big Brother controls and imposes his will.

Well, look at that, we’re already in the era of Big Brother, and most of us are fine with it.

Well done Dave, you’re making the same gesture as with the mobile phone. Most of us have been lobotomised.

Sorry, I’m rambling.

So in the end ‘Stripped’ is basically about this, about returning to nature and to ourselves beyond everything that society imposes on us.

One of my favourite things about ‘Stripped’ is the final counterpoint between Dave and Martin:

Let me see you stripped

Down to the bone (let me hear you speaking just for me)

Let me see you stripped

Down to the bone (let me hear you crying just for me)

Let me see you stripped

Down to the bone (let me hear you speaking just for me)

It’s two lovers talking to each other, and for me it’s simply a beautiful, poignant dialogue.

–

Eighteenth song, ‘John the Revelator’

John the Evangelist is in the house, and it’s time to dance. I’ve always been fascinated by Martin’s blues influences, probably influenced by his guitar studies and the influences of his biological father.

It goes very well with Depeche Mode. In ‘Personal Jesus’ we have a preacher, and Dave and Martin are preachers of good music in this world that has become cacophonous. Dave is also a front man with a spectacular energy, able to command his audience with just a movement of his fingers. He could be a preacher in a church (and in a certain sense he is) and he would have the same success.

The bridge:

Seven lies, multiplied by seven, multiplied by seven again

Seven angels with seven trumpets

Send them home on the morning train

It’s simply impossible not to sing along, with all its alliterations (seven, seven, seven, seven, seven)

And the chorus:

Well, who’s that shouting?

John the Revelator

All he ever gives us is pain

Well, who’s that shouting?

John the Revelator

He should bow his head in shame

In which there is a dialogue between Dave and Martin, it really sounds like a sermon by a Baptist preacher.

We’re practically at an atheist mass.

We return to the world of flesh and bad thoughts when Mr Gahan decides to go back to the beginning of the walk and wiggle from side to side, then asking us ‘Well, who’s that shouting?’ and pointing the microphone in every direction.

I have to admit, even though I’m here to talk about music and lyrics: he’s really sexy.

–

Nineteenth song, ‘Enjoy the Silence’.

When ‘Enjoy the Silence’ begins, the atmosphere is almost like watching a performance that is beyond human comprehension. They may seem like difficult words, but I seriously believe that this song, in its simplicity, is one of the greatest pieces of music of all time.

Here too we have an overture to convey the epicness and majesty of this piece, and then we proceed with the actual piece.

Dave, still on the platform, takes the energy from the audience and then starts to incite them by clapping his hands.

And there it is… The riff that everyone knows, even my father who worked like a dog all his life to get ahead and when he retired he realised that he didn’t know a thing about what happened outside his restaurant.

Yes, even he knows ‘Enjoy the silence’, more or less.

I love the way Dave points at Martin with a powerful gesture. It’s his moment now, and he wants everyone to look at him.

‘Enjoy the silence’ is practically a precise illustration of Martin:

Words like violence

Break the silence

Like crashing in

Into my little world

Painful to me

Pierce right through me

Can’t you understand?

Oh, my little girl

Words are very unnecessary

They can only do harm

Martin is shy (and according to Dave they are both autistic, which fits perfectly)

Vows are spoken

To be broken

Feelings are intense

Words are trivial

Pleasures remain

So does the pain

Words are meaningless

And forgettable

Pure hedonism. Let’s have fun because promises are made to be broken. Holy cow, Martin. You can’t have your cake and eat it, and I guess you found that out the hard way many years ago. ‘Precious’, anyone?

We have Dave running around and dancing all over the stage. If Dave is happy, I’m happy. Everything is beautiful.

Dave motions for Martin to do something again. He strikes a matador pose as if to say to everyone ‘Look at him’ and to encourage him to come towards him.

We have Christian’s drum solo moment.

We have the moment of the attempt to imitate the double bass drum of Martin’s drum kit, which is commendable given the fact that he is wearing combat boots and I don’t know what kind of sensitivity he has in his ankles and feet.

At first I thought it was a tap-dancing attempt, then I saw that the movement of the feet is not right because he is not using his toes and heels, so I realised that he was simply imitating the pedals (and in the end we return to dance because just like us dancers, each of us has our own type, brand and way of breaking in our shoes, even drummers have their own shoes with which they can feel the pedals and all their settings with the springs and keys, etc., etc.).

And wait! Now I notice that he’s also trying to imitate the drumsticks!!! Oh my goodness, Peter is pretending to play the drums too!!!

Of course, like all of us inexperienced musicians, we either make the sound boxes or we play the drums and the effect of Martin’s attempt at imitation is more and more like that of a small child who has taken a pot and is excited to hit it with cutlery.

He’s too cute!!! Besides, he’s not doing with his arms what Christian is doing, but it doesn’t matter!!!

He stops with his arms open and Dave comes over and they high five each other.

Ok, I don’t know what this little scene is about but I want it to last another couple of hours.

The contrast between Dave’s proud pose and Christian’s very serious solo and Martin and Peter’s fun version made me laugh so much. Then the contrast of Dave when he lets go of the pose and becomes a six-year-old too is even worse!

‘I’ve been serious for too long, Mart. Let’s clap our hands!!!!’

Twice.

Dave Gahan, you are as transparent as the glass barriers protecting the church of San Marco, bless you.

There is this slightly dance-like interlude given by a very curious synthesiser that interests me a lot. Note to self in the future: find out what it is.

Martin returns to his microphone, standing up. Dave, probably to introduce his guitar solo, exclaims, pointing at him:

‘He’s got the blues!’

Dave, I really have to bother Beyonce and tell you: “Put a ring on it”? Come on.

Dave decides to change direction and go and give Peter a piece of his mind, reminding me a little of when he used to do it with Fletch. No exchanges of funny little jokes like ‘But that’s all you do’ and ‘Look at this guy’. Andy’s absence is also evident from this.

Martin proceeds to do his blues solo in the centre of the stage and the spotlight is all for him, our bluesy silver angel. Dave moves his arms like a fluttering bird, takes the microphone and since we’re in Germany, he shouts ‘Einz, zwei, drei, vier’.

Sehr gut, Dave.

Martin does his victory walk down the catwalk and it’s good to see him so happy, alone in the middle of the audience that’s cheering him adoringly. One of the greatest musicians and composers of all time and also a good person. He deserves all the praise in the world.

It’s time to say goodbye before the encore.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Mr Martin, L, Gore!!!’

And he makes that damned L with his hand.

I have to write about music. I have to write about music.

I… I have a very perverse mind. There’s nothing I can do about it.

A brief tribute to Peter and Christian and then we reach the end of the song.

–

It’s time for the interval before the encore. The guys come out, there’s kissing, hugging, cuddling and a sigh of relief.

I’ve been on my feet for hours, I haven’t had anything to eat or drink for hours and I’m feeling a bit tired.

I have to keep going.

After a while, I can’t remember how long, our loved ones come back in and Dave gives a heartfelt thanks to the audience.

–

Twentieth song, ‘Waiting for the night’.

Dave and Martin head for the central part of the platform.

Seeing them sing ‘Waiting for the night’ together is one of those moments when you can see the big picture. This acoustic version is very different from the rarefied version on ‘Violator’. They’re both beautiful, but this one gives me a sense of greater intimacy, and also the fact that they decided to sing it together gives me the idea that there is something special about this song that gives it the title of being sung in this way: Acoustically, together.

The only other comparison I’ve had on this tour for this type of performance is ‘Condemnation’, so this song represents something extremely important, in some way, for them.

Who knows what it will be.

The nocturnal character of this song, the soft lighting, the voices that sometimes rise high and then return almost to a confidential tone, as if they were singing a lullaby to comfort themselves in the darkness, even if there is no darkness.

I can’t imagine how they can feel standing there with thousands and thousands of people in front of them who you can still see, despite the lights giving off a candlelit atmosphere.

I think it’s like being naked, physically and emotionally.

I remember that when I went on stage I was quite calm because, being short-sighted, I couldn’t see people in the distance. I could see my companions, the wings, the coloured lines on the ground and that was enough for me.

Maybe it’s the same for Dave, unless he uses contact lenses.

From what I can see from some videos, Martin always looks straight ahead, which is great because you don’t see the people in front of you but maybe just some figurines in the background. Dave seeks more contact with the audience or contact with Martin, as if he needed some kind of reassurance.

It doesn’t matter how many times you get on stage. You’ll always be scared, whatever your level is.

Dave and Martin are there, on that platform, close to the people. Standing. In the end they’re just two human beings looking for the tranquillity of the night like us. We think they’re gods, musically speaking for sure, but they’re also people, with their own way of baring their souls through words and music.

The final part, entrusted to Martin, is another moment that reminds me of a mass.

A sustained vocalisation, with that clean, high-pitched voice full of pathos.

Dave is overcome with emotion.

We all are.

–

Twenty-first song, ‘Just can’t get enough’.

And here comes the fiiiiesta moment of the concert (and royalties for Vince)!!! Okay, it’s a bit of a silly song but it’s also a lot of fun, and musically it’s more than valid in my opinion!!!

I mean, you have to consider that they were using monophonic synthesizers at the time, they could only reproduce one note at a time, it’s not like they could work miracles!

What I usually do with ‘Speak and Spell’ is this: I ignore the words and concentrate on the melodies, which are very, very good, despite what many people say. Then, well, if there are natural antidepressants like ‘What’s your name’ or ‘Boys say go’, I have to sing them at the top of my lungs because I can’t help myself.

–

Song number twenty-two, ‘Never let me down again’.

I love and hate this song! It reminds me of the glorious days when I could just sneak in anywhere, but now I always have to fend for myself.

I can visualise this song in every single detail and I miss it. So much.

I’m taking a ride with my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

He knows where he’s taking me

Taking me where I want to be

I’m taking a ride with my best friend

I’m taking a ride with my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

Promises me I’m as safe as houses

As long as I remember who’s wearing the trousers

I hope he never lets me down again

It speaks for itself.

We’re flying high

We’re watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down on the ground

See the stars, they’re shining bright (never let me down)

Everything’s alright tonight (never let me down)

I love the way Martin is present in the song to emphasise the salient points and to close Dave’s monologue. He dots the i’s and provides closure to this story.

It’s moving how the wheat field brings strangers together and Martin emphasises that everything will be all right tonight. There couldn’t be a better ending to a concert.

–

Twenty-third song, ‘Personal Jesus’.

I love the bluesy beginning of ‘Personal Jesus’. That riff at the end, with Dave and Martin in their synchronised world, sends shivers down my spine because of the intensity I can feel.

Then anyway, ‘Personal Jesus’ begins, beautiful as always, but that introduction is one of the highlights of the concert, yet more proof that these two people, stripped down to the bone, without music or with a very sparse arrangement, give off an impressive energy.

They don’t need anything, just the two of them.

(No offence Peter and Christian, you’re both great professionals, but your role is secondary.)

At the last song, ‘Reach out and touch faith’, I feel my legs trembling. My body feels like it’s made of molasses.

I watch Dave, Martin, Peter and Christian thank the crowd, prepare to take their final bows until Martin steps forward and gestures that no, no, before the bows all the people have to see the Strongest Man in the World. He takes Dave’s arms and lifts them, then realises that the audience is on the opposite side.

Dave shows off his muscles with his usual grace and they take a bow. Kisses and hugs for everyone and that’s it, the concert is over.

–

I can’t take it anymore physically. The audience leaves in an orderly fashion (Ah, Germany of my heart) and I head for the toilets as fast as I can. I tell the whole queue that I just need to drink, I go into the bathroom and drink from the tap for what seems like two minutes straight. I was totally dehydrated.

I leave the Mercedes-Benz Arena and walk the short distance between the arena and my hotel. I feel like I’m walking on air because I’m so happy.

I jump in the shower because I’m so sweaty and disgusting, despite my trembling legs, and then I text Deanna Forti for a couple of hours until the adrenaline subsides and I start to feel sleepy.

I fall asleep happily in my city, alone again after so many years. My only regret is that the song that has sustained me throughout this journey, which has not been at all easy because some wounds are still open, was not played tonight.

The song is ‘Before We Drown’, and even though I’ve never heard it played live, it’s one of the things that encourages me to go on every day.

I’ll talk to you about Berlin’s relationship with this song some other time.

The only important thing is this: Depeche Mode allowed me to find the strength to come back here alone, to face silence, pain and ghosts. To understand that it isn’t over with my city. That my life isn’t over. That I can still walk in the places where people so important to me have walked, and where they lived and created beautiful art.

I don’t think there is any possible way to thank them for all this. For what it’s worth, I am eternally grateful to you.

Hope to see you soon, Dave and Martin, and remember: Berlin loves you. And so do I.