Depeche Mode are a good live band, but their lack of flexibility in the design of their set lists has bothered their fans for decades now. It’s looked the same on their current “Memento Mori” tour so far – a few songs like “Shake The Disease”, “Strangelove” and “But Not Tonight” are maneuvering mass, but otherwise you know what’s coming.
That changed with the concert on Saturday (October 21, 2023) at the Barclays Center in New York City: Depeche Mode unpacked the “Violator” classic “Policy of Truth” for the first time since 2018, and for the first time since 2017 “Black Celebration”, even in a new arrangement. “Sister of Night” and “Wrong” were thrown out – two songs whose loss shouldn’t worry all DM fans.
This could also confirm the fan theory that has been circulating online for a few days that a secretly taken photo of Martin Gore’s Midi layout shows which presets he has saved – apart from the previous tour songs: including “Policy of Truth”, “Don’t Say You Love Me”, “Behind The Wheel”, “Before We Drown”, “Black Celebration” and “Photographic”.
Two of them have now been brought live. Among the others mentioned are two current album pieces, “Before we Drown” and “Don’t Say You Love me” – the rest, if they were to be performed, would be hits from the past. The tour will continue for a long time, the band won’t be playing in Germany until February – let’s hope there’s still a lot in the setlist by then.
“Policy of Truth”:
“Black Celebration”:
Setlist New York October 21, 2023:
Speak to Me
(instrumental outro)
My Cosmos Is Mine
Wagging Tongue
Walking in My Shoes
It’s No Good
Policy of Truth
In Your Room
Everything Counts
Precious
My Favorite Stranger
Home
Strangelove
Ghosts Again
I feel you
A Pain That I’m Used To
World in My Eyes
Black Celebration
Stripped
John the Revelator
Enjoy the silence
Waiting for the Night
Just Can’t Get Enough
Never Let Me Down Again
Personal Jesus