Depeche Mode Electrify the AO Arena in Manchester [Show Review]

Arriving over 40 years late to the party, this was my first live Depeche Mode experience, despite them being one of my absolute favourite bands, owning every release and considering “Stripped” one of the best songs ever. So, expectations were high tonight. Standing room felt justified and it was imperative to get near the front, I wanted the sweat and the tears tonight, and I got exactly that. More than just a show, this was an experience, performed by a band who know exactly how to work an audience and still have a whale of a time themselves. Support Nadine Shah was an inspired choice, with some of her songs sounding influenced by DM’s 90s output. Already approaching her fifth album Filthy Underneath, Shah is a unique performer, despite some flourishes of early PJ Harvey. Her music is rhy...

Arriving over 40 years late to the party, this was my first live Depeche Mode experience, despite them being one of my absolute favourite bands, owning every release and considering “Stripped” one of the best songs ever. So, expectations were high tonight. Standing room felt justified and it was imperative to get near the front, I wanted the sweat and the tears tonight, and I got exactly that. More than just a show, this was an experience, performed by a band who know exactly how to work an audience and still have a whale of a time themselves. Support Nadine Shah was an inspired choice, with some of her songs sounding influenced by DM’s 90s output. Already approaching her fifth album Filthy Underneath, Shah is a unique performer, despite some flourishes of early PJ Harvey. Her music is rhy...

unsplash-logoLilith Redmoon