We talked with mastermind Markko B., head of the Mexican dark elektro act C-Lekktor who is celebrating 20 years of aggressive sonic warfare with this cult project with the release of “2.0”, a very special anniversary double-CD release with 12 fully rerecorded favourite tracks, plus unreleased material and classic club hits… 

The album can be ordered via Bandcamp as download or as a 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore.

SL. First off, congratulations on 20 years of dark elektro mastery! Looking back over the past two decades, what would you say are the key moments that have defined C-LEKKTOR’s journey? Any standout memories from your early years that helped shape the band? 

M. GRACIAS! Definitely constancy, hard work and sacrifices, I’ve been working on the project in a serious way now for the last 20 years, at that moment back in time it was just hobby for me, and an experiment to prove to myself that i could do my own music, but thanx to the people this was not only for me!  I’m very thankful to all people who listen to my music,,. they show me that i must keep on trying things… I think i own this to them at least.

SL. This special 2.0 release celebrates your career with re-recorded versions of some of your most iconic tracks. How did you approach revamping these songs? Were there any particular tracks that presented a challenge in terms of updating their sound for today’s technology and production standards? 

M. Actually all the 2.0 versions were a challenge, with no exception! Lots of these old files were lost long time ago, they each come from different times of production and of course with that difference in sound from that era, it was quite complicated to give a second life to these songs, most of these old songs were initially done with limited knowledge and hardware,,. so bringing them 20 years into the future was a real challenge indeed! So i tried to do my best with all i had at disposal, it took me months creating and updating these new versions,,. And I hope you can hear it… And I’m personally really satisfied with the final results.

SL. Fans have their favorite C-LEKKTOR classics like “An Empty Soul” and “Paralisis.” How do you feel about these songs now that you’ve had the chance to reimagine them? Did you discover anything new or surprising about them during the re-recording process? 

M. I think it is more like a double edge weapon, in one hand you can spend on these new versions exactly the same time you need for creating new songs, but on the other hand the nostalgia of reinventing something you did back in the days, but better this time, is something special.  So i think it has its pros and cons! A lot of old songs were dismissed cause I couldn’t find a way to update them but honestly i believe it was also kind of necessary updating them for me.  Ghis means that some people will like these new versions and some other won’t!  But hey that’s the magic you can get back in time at any time and replay the original releases of you prefer them.

SL. Your 20th-anniversary release includes a previously unreleased track, “I Don’t,” from “The Silence Procession” era. Can you tell us more about this track and why you felt now was the right time to share it with fans? 

M. I totally forgot about this song, as simple as that!  I was on my quest in searching all the old files on my old pc´s, drives and even backup cd´s when i i just found this song again! We actually played live this song a couple of times in the early years. So i said hey why not let’s put this song on the anniversary release…  I must say i found a few more unreleased songs. maybe one day I will find the right place to release these… time will tell! 

SL. Over the years, you’ve developed a distinctive sound within the dark elektro genre. How do you think C-LEKKTOR’s sound has evolved since the early days, and how do you see it continuing to evolve in the future?

M. Well i like to keep listening to new music instead of just staying on the old school songs and stuff… I’m a curious person and I’m always searching for comtemporary music. This means that sounds and  techniques come to my mind while I’m composing in a rather unconscious way, and i think it works good to me.

 SL. This double-CD also features your cover of Depeche Mode’s “Always You,” which is a bit of a departure from your usual style. What inspired you to choose this song, and how did you go about making it your own? 

M. I’m a huge fan of DEPECHE MODE since i was very young! I have been following their career through the years and when they released MEMENTO MORI, i just remembered why I have been a fan of them! I really enjoy that new album, I swear it has actually become one of my favs from their discography, and the selection was because this song it so much touching me… But also because not so many songs can be adapted to my sound with C-LEKKTOR, and i knew since the first time I listened to “ALWAYS YOU” that it would be the perfect track to pay tribute to this legendary band. I eventually covered it!

SL. As you celebrate 20 years with this special release, what’s next for C-LEKKTOR? 

M.  I must be honest, with time life changes and your needs too. Music has been an important part of my life, but i think i already spent so much time in front of a pc screen, writing music.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying im quitting, but i feel I also need new challenges for my own life, starting different things, and unfortunately too the music business has changed a lot! It takes lot of effort and time also to support and promote my own music. I suppose you must know about these hard times for musicians like me…  I will definitely try to keep the dream alive but sometimes I wonder for how long? I can’t tell you today but one thing is sure already: I already started working on the new C-LEKKTOR album!! But maybe that would be the last one or not… but yeah it will happen!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Indie Recordings press release. Photos by Bjørn Opsahl, Frank Hiis and Jan Ronald Stange) Out on May 3rd was the seventh Seigmen album “Resonans”, highly anticipated after the nine years wait since “Enola” in 2015. The release was celebrated by an evening of fun at the Apollon Platebar (record shop & pub/bar in one – excellent place!) in Tønsberg, full house and all of the tickets gone already at the opening that day.

The event started off with a signing session. As there’s three different vinyl versions in addition to CD and cassette versions – and many bought all versions! – they went through a bunch of marker pens in a busy hour. Then the whole album was played, followed by a move upstairs for the ticket holders. Arvid Skancke-Knutsen held both a challenging quiz and an entertaining and informational Q&A session. He was definitely the right person for the job, knowing and supporting Seigmen throughout their whole career, and also the first journalist to review the debut CD in a major publication.

The Seigmen album

“Resonans” is Seigmen’s latest album, echoing the essence of a longstanding friendship. A strong bond among five guys who found each other through music, learned to play instruments, and expressed themselves together. They solidified their friendship through muddy and sour tones from the rehearsal room on the old submarine quay, down into a basement in the city center, out to a barn outside the city, up on the heights near the old library, down into the mountain beneath the same hill, and back to a rehearsal container at the old shipyard. Always tied to their hometown, Tønsberg in Norway.

“Resonans” is the reverberation of endless evening rehearsals, weekends with “lefse” and freshly ground coffee in thermoses, and syncopations. Smiles, conversations, and gossip. The hard, precise, and long-term work. Love and art. Resonans is guts and integrity, demonstrating the uncompromising nature that Seigmen has always represented.

Singles and songs

The singles “Berlin,” “Kollaps,” and “Elskhat” have already been out there. Listen to “Melanchthon”, approaching two minutes, and the endless solo that ends with no more frets on the guitar neck. Listen to “Blasfem”, raw nerve for almost eleven minutes. Listen to the space created in “Eksplodere i det stille”, the transition to a single chorus after five and a half minutes. There are many layers here. The depth is buried in the details. The ones you hear when you play the song for the third or sixth time.

Resonans is the result you get when five focused individuals return to the studio where they recorded “Total” in 1994. Carrying the same curiosity, the same hunger and the eternal urge to create. Incidentally, this year marks exactly 30 years since the release of “Total”. Recently, the book about the album was published in the series “Norske albumklassikere”, skillfully written by Even Smith Wergeland. The reference is track number two on “Total”, “Ohm”, which might be the song that best defines the band. Ohm means resistance.

“Resonans” is also the echo of the time it took to complete this album. The resistance along the way, in the form of a pandemic and, most notably, serious and prolonged illness. Of course, one should also acknowledge the frugality and thoroughness these years have allowed. Time to work in silence. No concerts for four years have provided ample time in the “space.” Even more lefse. Even more cups of freshly brewed coffee.

“Resonans” is vibrations. Listen to the last phrases of “Når alle skjermer går i svart” (When all screens go black). The desperation in the voice of vocalist Alex is palpable, you can hear the resistance. Seigmen has always believed that it is they are at their best when there’s resistance. Listen to the first line of the lyrics in “Berlin.” All hope is lost, but never say die — it doesn’t get much clearer than that.

‘Tønsberg’ – the city anthem

Resonans ends with the surprise song “Tønsberg”, nothing less than a magnificent, honest, and personal tribute to the city the band hails from. In the first part of “Tønsberg,” guitarist and opera singer Marius finally unfolds his vocal prowess within the framework of Seigmen, something he has only done once before on a record. Strings tastefully arranged by the “film musician”, Ginge. Then the rest of the band kicks in halfway, and Alex takes the baton to the finish line. Marius is actually retiring as a soloist in the Norwegian national Opera this spring, where they retire early.

“Up the mountain, up in the tower. Never a stranger in the streets we walk.” “Tønsberg” might be a bit of an oddity on Resonans, but the song comes straight from the heart.

Mini-interview with Kim Ljung

The day after Kim Ljung had this to say about the event:
– We were real happy with how Friday turned out. It was a near and personal event. Also it’s always nice to see eacother away form rehearsal and studio, have a few drinks together, then meet nice eager people who’s always polite and just seems interested and throughout extremely inspired by what we do. 
Also a sheer pleasure seeing the glow in our fans faces, coming up with the vinyl, CD or a cassette they just bought, signing them and knowing they go home that evening in utter delight. 

I also had to ask about ‘Arkadia ego’, the track starting with “Husk at du skal dø en gang” (“Remember that you must die once”) – was it written before Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori” were announced? 
– When DM released “Memento Mori” I was a little stressed, since we had the “Arkadia ego” song written long before. However it was all put on hold for several years due to Covid and internal health issues in the band. We started writing material right after we released “Enola” in 2015. Then there is also a part on “Blasfem”, the 11 minute track, that has a guitar line which dates back to the 90’s. 
“Elskhat” was the first track written, however the riff for “Berlin” was there ages before. Just something we never though was of real importance until our manager Øystein heard it and said you have to work on that one. Single potential!

Though “Arkadia ego” was a song that emerged in 2019, the first lyric actually had the line Memento Mori in it, but it sounded a little lame on a demo version, and was taken out. 
So the fear when DM press release came mentioning their title, I was just afraid “Arkadia ego” was in there.

A side note to that: I personally saw their album as a huge dissapointment. I feel with all their history and assets in old synthesizers and their legacy, they should come with better sounding stuff. When Fletch sady passed, I hoped they would bring Alan back in. That would surely made huge differerance to their quality of sound.

The idea of “Arkadia ego” was just me trying to find out a way of using the word Arcadia in a song. Always liked that word. Then I discovered that line. 
Every Seigmen song starts out with a title. That gives me a total picture of how a song should plan out. 

Cheers to Side-Line from Seigmen!

Design background story

If you acquire Resonans in physical format, you will find it tastefully wrapped in peach pink by designer Sigurd N. Kristiansen. Master photographer Bjørn Opsahl is, as always, by Seigmen’s side. A band photo in the same color palette was taken in Kim’s living room. Pink boots under the sofa, a small nod to the band’s very first song. It reveals a band with more humor and spirit than many may think, that sets its own standard and is ready for whatever comes next.

Credits

• Recorded at Velvet Recording by Christer Krogh
• Mixed by Mike Hartung in Propeller Music Devision: “Elskhat”, “Arkadia Ego”, “Når alle skjermer går i svart”, “Eksplodere i det stille”, “Melanchthon”, and “Tønsberg”
• Mixed by Adam Noble: “Kollaps” and “Voltaire!”
• Mixed by Alex Møklebust in Room 13: “Berlin” and “Blasfem”
• Words and melody lines: Kim Ljung
• Music: Seigmen
• Produced by Alex Møklebust and Kim Ljung
• Mastered by George Tanderø
• Artwork by Sigurd N. Kristiansen
• Photo by Bjørn Opsahl

Listen to the album at these streaming services: https://orcd.co/saveresonans, or buy physical versions right here: https://shop.indierecordings.no/collections/seigmen

Side-Line also covered seigmen’s ‘Dyret 23 bud’.

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

(Photo by Hublot) Hublot has unveiled the ‘Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode’ watch that pays homage to the British band’s latest album, “Memento Mori”. But the watch won’t be available for every fan as there will only be 100 pieces priced at a whopping $34,100.

The Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch is encased in a 42 mm tonneau-shaped ceramic case with a matching bezel adorned with pyramid studs. The dial features a skull emblem and an hourglass, symbols that resonate with the album’s themes and the band’s current visual identity. Small black ceramic spheres, moving back and forth with the wrist’s motion, add a dynamic element to the watch.

Despite the price, there is a social part as well as the partnership has raised over $2.3 million for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Charity: Water.

Here’s a video of the new watch.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode announces concert film ‘M’ live in Mexico 2023 – More… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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During a Depeche Mode concert at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, frontman Dave Gahan intervened to stop a fight that broke out in the crowd. The incident occurred while the band was performing “Never Let Me Down Again”. Gahan paused the performance to address the situation near the stage and inquiring if everyone was okay.

Gahan used his mic to address the people involved in the row saying: “Hey, nothing’s that important (…) he’s lost his fucking phone. That’s what he’s worried about. His phone. There’s enough shit going on in the world without you guys.”

After slapping hands with one of the people involved in the row, the band resumed by starting “Never Let Me Down Again” allover again.

The Los Angeles concert was part of the North American leg of Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori Tour’. A few days ago Depeche Mode members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore were honored with “Depeche Mode Day” at Los Angeles City Hall.

Below is a video of the incident.

Here’s a video shot from a different angle.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Brian Griffin, the iconic Depeche Mode photographer, dies aged 75 on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is launching a sustainable initiative with the reusable cup pilot program during Depeche Mode ‘Memento Mori’ concerts on December 15 and 17, 2023. This program, in partnership with r.World, represents a step towards reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics at the venue. The initiative aligns with Crypto.com Arena and AEG’s commitment to sustainability, focusing on reusing cups to minimize waste.

The program involves collecting used plastic cups in designated bins, which are then transported to r.World’s industrial wash facilities for cleaning and returned to the arena for reuse. This process is part of a broader effort by the venue to address the environmental issues associated with single-use plastics, aiming to divert hundreds of thousands of cups from the waste stream.

Depeche Mode and Green Nation

Depeche Mode’s history of eco-conscious initiatives and collaborations, including their work with Live Nation’s Green Nation, has been a driving force behind this pilot program. Following the pilot program, Crypto.com Arena will evaluate the data from the concerts to potentially make r.World a full-time sustainable option for the venue.

During the Memento Mori World Tour, Depeche Mode performed 45 shows in North America and 67 in Europe, totaling 112 shows. The tour, supporting their 15th studio album “Memento Mori,” began on March 23, 2023, and is set to conclude on April 8, 2024. This worldwide concert tour has been a major event for the band and their fans, marking the band’s first tour without keyboardist Andy Fletcher, who passed away in 2022.

For more on Depeche Mode, see December 13 is Depeche Mode Day from now on on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

HI-LO’s remix for Depeche Mode’s “Speak To Me” is out since yesterday. The track is taken from Depeche Mode’s most recent album “Memento Mori”.

For his remix, HI-LO (real name Oliver Heldens) used the original melody as a base, building a thick wall of techno over the top alongside Dave Gahan’s signature vocals.

“It’s an absolute honor to do a remix for the iconic Depeche Mode, especially for such a special song like ‘Speak To Me’. The song felt very honest and real to me, so I tried my best to stay true to the original spirit but also put my own twist on it. I built around the vocals and the synth pads with a more melodic approach than the usual peak-time techno stuff I am producing but still incorporated some earth-shattering yet warm-sounding bass synths and some heavy drums to take it to a different realm. Thanks, Dave and Martin, for trusting my vision!,” HI-LO says

You can check out the new remix below.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode photographer Brian Griffin talks about his new photo… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Politico had a funny Depeche Mode related news bit up a few days ago. As it happens Luxembourg’s top politicians arrived at the NATO summit in Vilnius on a plane covered in the current Depeche Mode logo, which is a skull.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, and Defense Minister François Bausch were surprised to see the “big red skull” on the plane, as they had expected to be flying on a more official government jet. The band itself joined in on the fun, posting about it on social media.

Below you see the Luxembourg’s NATO delegation descending Depeche Mode’s jet. The image is a still from a video from ZDF heute-Journal.

It turns out that Luxembourg’s army had tried to book a flight through the European Air Transport Command, but there weren’t enough private jets available. So, they chartered the Depeche Mode plane instead. Depeche Mode are currently on a world tour for their new album, “Momento Mori.” They flew to Rome on Wednesday for their next gig.

Today at NATO Meeting 👀
source: ZDF heute-Journal #DepecheMode #MementoMoriTour pic.twitter.com/q8MmBCv9vs

— Depeche Mode Europe ✪ (@dmforumeu) July 11, 2023

Your little #Luxembourg anecdote from the NATO summit here in Vilnius. The photos from the arrival of FM Asselborn and PM Bettel shows a big red skull on the plane used by peaceful little Luxembourg.

It turns out they chartered a plane also used by the band @depechemode on tour. pic.twitter.com/VgBCEb6K7Q

— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) July 11, 2023

The moral of the story is: If you want to fly to a NATO summit, make sure you book your flight early!

Depeche Mode recently announced an extensive list of new shows for 2024. The newly announced Memento Mori world tour dates are as follows:

• Jan 22: London O2 Arena, UK
• Jan 24: Birmingham Utilita Arena, UK
• Jan 29: Manchester AO Arena, UK
• Jan 31: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
• Feb 03: Dublin 3Arena, Ireland
• Feb 06: Antwerp Sportpaleis, Belgium
• Feb 08: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Holland
• Feb 10: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
• Feb 13: Berlin Mercedes-Benz Arena, Germany
• Feb 15: Berlin Mercedes-Benz Arena, Germany
• Feb 17: Hamburg Barclays Arena, Germany
• Feb 22: Prague O2 Arena, Czech Republic
• Feb 24: Prague, CZ O2 Arena, Czech Republic
• Feb 27: Lodz Atlas Arena, Poland
• Feb 29: Lodz Atlas Arena, Poland
• Mar 03; Paris Accor Arena, France
• Mar 05; Paris Accor Arena, France
• Mar 07: Munich Olympiahalle, Germany, Germany
• Mar 12: Madrid Wizink Center, Spain
• Mar 14: Madrid Wizink Center, Spain
• Mar 16: Barcelona Palau Sant Jordi, Spain
• Mar 19: Lisbon Altice Arena, Portugal
• Mar 21: Bilbao BEC, Spain
• Mar 23: Torino Pala Alpitour, Italy
• Mar 26: Budapest MVM Dome, Hungary
• Mar 28; Milan Mediolanum Forum, Italy
• Mar 30; Milan Mediolanum Forum, Italy
• Apr 3: Cologne Lanxess Arena, Germany
• Apr 5: Cologne Lanxess Arena, Germany

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Mother of Earth’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

The Prague concert of Depeche Mode, scheduled for 30 July at the Letňany exhibition grounds, will feature support from our esteemed friends, the Czech electropop band Lakeside X.

The band is one of two support acts, alongside the previously announced Berlin band Hope, who are touring Europe with Depeche Mode as part of the European leg for their current album, “Memento Mori.” Lakeside X recently made their return after a ten-year hiatus with their new album, “Love Disappears.”

“It is indeed a great honor for us and an opportunity to introduce our music to a like-minded audience. Simultaneously, it carries a great responsibility, considering the band selected us,” says Janne Marvannen, the frontman and composer. “We have never concealed our admiration for Depeche Mode, having attended numerous concerts ourselves. In fact, it was on our way back from one of their shows that we decided to form a band,” the singer adds.

“Anyone who watched Anton Corbijn’s documentary ‘Spirits In The Forest’ would relate to our story. Each one of us has a personal, unique, yet somehow interconnected experience with Depeche Mode,” says Robert Broj, the other founding member of Lakeside X. “As someone once said, DM is the soundtrack of our lives, and we consider ourselves fortunate to share that with each other while the band is still active. It’s also true that many of us original fans have started bands, projects, and created our own music, influenced to varying degrees by Depeche Mode’s music. Hence, sharing the same stage with them is a dream come true. Nonetheless, it is also a significant challenge, affirming that we are on the right path and inspiring us to continue our work,” adds the keyboardist.

Lakeside X has already released four albums. Following “Sunrise” (2004), “EXIT: NOWhere” (2007), and “City Of Red Lights” (2010) under the X Production label, the band took a lengthy hiatus before reuniting in 2021. Teaming up with German producer Daniel Myer (Haujobb, Covenant, Architect, Liebknecht), they embarked on a new album, which was released in October 2022.

For more on Depeche Mode, see German electropop label conzoom Records celebrates 15th anniversary… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(Photo by Travis Shinn, interview by our correspondent János Janurik) You might think that appearing as a warm-up act in front of a cult band that is popular all over the world is one of the best things in life, and that you have a bit of a stake in the success of the concert evening. But in reality, Depeche Mode‘s support acts don’t always have it easy, although the band has actually always had a good hand for its support acts. Some of them managed to endear themselves to Depeche Mode fans and even won fans for their own music projects. Others, however, had a hard time getting away from possibly being pelted with bottles on stage by the exuberant and impatient fans.

This spring, at the tour opener of the current “Memento Mori World Tour” in North America, the stage belonged to the females. At the first 9 concerts in the USA and Canada, Welsh musician and producer Kelly Lee Owens performed for American audiences as the support act for Depeche Mode on their first concert tour without Andy Fletcher. On the last night of the first leg of the world tour, fans were able to see singer Dave Gahan’s daughter live for the first time at the legendary Madison Square Garden. The proud dad watched Stella-Rose’s performance secretly in the company of his bandmate, Martin Gore.

Fans in Europe are still considered fanatics, which means that Depeche Mode’s supporting bands have to pull their socks up if they want to get the desired appreciation, i.e. a friendly applause, up on stage.

💡 TIP: And for those that want to go a step further, every concert not only allows them to experience the magic of music but also creates unique memories to cherish. If you are also a fan of their music, you can design Custom Keychains Canada with band elements, which can be the best carrier to connect memories and daily life. You can incorporate performance theme elements or images of your favorite musicians into your keychain. Especially with the convenient express customization service, you can keep your love alive without waiting.

The concert series opens in Amsterdam with a performance by Cold Cave, a dark wave project led by Wesley Eisold, who has already been a guest in Germany. This time he and his companions will play only one Germany concert in Leipzig, the remaining shows will take place in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Slovakia. Our editor, Janos Janurik will see him live in Bratislava and contacted him to give an interview for us.

SL: You have just completed live performances in Whitby (TOMORROW’S GHOSTS FESTIVAL) and in London (O2 Academy Islington). How did these concerts go?

CC: That’s right. London was the last show we played and both in the UK were lovely for us. Great connection.

SL: The great artists of the Dark Wave movement, which have also inspired you, also came mainly from England, just think of bands like Joy Division, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cult or The Sisters of Mercy, who have founded their own music genres. Was this noticeable in the reaction of the British audience? What kind of feedback did you get on those two nights?

CC: That’s a part of our appeal but another part of it is the lyrical and sentimental aspects of this. Sometimes it feels like genre is irrelevant. I’m a child of the 80’s so that’s what I love… which all works in LA too.

SL: Depeche Mode, whose dark songs from the 80s, such as “Blasphemous Rumours” or the whole “Black Celebration” LP also found favour in the dark wave environment, have had to struggle for years with the problem that they have not achieved the recognition they deserve in their own country. People in the UK still don’t seem to forgive them for not being the charming synth-pop boy band they once were at the beginning of their career. In America, on the other hand, where rock music – such as Bruce Springsteen’s live performances – still moves the biggest crowds, Depeche Mode have enjoyed cult status practically since their legendary Rose Bowl – “101” – concert. How do you see it as a musician? You come from the USA, but your music has more of a European character. Are there big differences in terms of the fanbase on the two sides of the Atlantic?

CC: If music is meant to transcend then it usually does. I find the people at our shows similar around the world. It’s really very international to me. DM’s reign around most of the world makes sense to me. They’re the best at what they do. I can’t complain. I put out my own music. No management or label help. Not much press. Don’t follow the rules. And still going.

SL: Wesley, you’re from Los Angeles. Many people first think of the endless coastline and surfing when they think of this city. Of course, there’s also Jim Morrison, who had a big influence on dark wave artists with the psychedelic rock band, The Doors. How did you discover this style of music? Who are your big favourites? How did you get involved in the LA music scene?

CC: I’m from nowhere. I grew up moving every year and have only been in LA for a decade which is five times longer than I lived anywhere else. That said The Doors were a first love of mine even though I was on the opposite side of the country. When you grow up trying to patch an endless void you just find this music or it finds you. I’m not involved in the LA scene. I don’t think that way. I grew up in punk & hardcore and stopped being concerned with scenes in my early twenties. I like my own scene. It’s an island I built for me and anyone who wants to come visit.

SL: Speaking of Jim Morrison, you’re also into poetry. How do you decide whether the lines you put together in your head become a poem or a song lyric?

CC: Good question. It’s really just where my interest is at when it appears. Sometimes they get used for both.

SL: A mutual friend of ours who also lives in Los Angeles is an active participant and supporter of the dark culture scene there, along with his wife. How did you meet Douglas McCarthy? Have you worked together on any projects?

CC: Amy, my partner, knows Douglas from Detroit. We then toured together ten years ago around the county for a month. I don’t think we’ve made music together but I care about him deeply and he’s always been there for us.

SL: Douglas has opened for Depeche Mode several times with his bands Nitzer Ebb and Black Line, as well as solo, and is also close friends with the band members. Has he recommended you as a possible support band for Depeche Mode’s current tour?

CC: I don’t think so.

SL: A musical collaborator of yours, Bryan Black aka Black Asteroid has also done remixes for Depeche Mode and with another project called Motor he has even released a joint single with Martin Gore called “Man Made Machine”. Please tell us a bit about your joint project!

CC: I met him in Paris 2013 at a Rick Owens runway show. We hit it off and I ended up singing on a few of his tracks. Even did it live a few times. Love his work.

SL: Are you a fan of Depeche Mode yourself? If so, when did you hear them for the first time? Do you have a favourite song or album by them? Have you seen them live? When and where?

CC: Of course! Hard to pick but maybe “It’s No Good”. Amy has seen them I think almost twenty times starting in mid 80’s.

SL: You are going to perform with Cold Cave on five nights (actually six, because in Amsterdam there is also a second show) before Depeche Mode as a support act at big outdoor / stadium concerts. You are also going to do a Germany gig in Leipzig at the legendary Festwiese. When was the last time you were on tour in Germany? What memories do you have of those concerts?

CC: It’s been a few years since a tour. I went to high school in Stuttgart and always love being there. One of the greatest countries. Definitely looking forward to Leipzig. We were there last in 2019 and the year before that with the Jesus and Mary Chain.

SL: I’m going to see your live performance in Bratislava. My 13-year-old daughter is also going to be there, she is also a big fan of synth pop and really likes her dad’s favourite bands. You also have an 8-year-old son. Has he already shown an interest in music? What does he think of your musical works?

CC: He lives and breathes it so far. Often joining us live for a song too. We are both lucky they are down for our music! He’s a great focus group for of a song is good or not.

SL: Your partner, Amy Lee, plays synthesizer alongside you. Which musicians are going to accompany you at the concerts with Depeche Mode?

CC: Amy Lee, Ryan McMahon and Anthony Anzaldo.

SL: Which song or album of Cold Cave would you recommend to those who don’t know your work yet? By the way, are you working on anything new right now?

CC: Always working! Hard to choose. My music really follows my immediate mood so would depend upon that. Maybe “Glory”.

SL: Thanks for the answers and hopefully you will gain many new fans for Cold Cave thanks to the shows together with Depeche Mode!

CC: Thank you! It’s a dream to support Depeche.

Cold Cave “Memento Mori” shows with Depeche Mode:

• Amsterdam (16./18.5.)
• Antwerpen (20.5.)
• Stockholm (23.5.)
• Leipzig (26.5.)
• Bratislava (28.5.)

Cold Cave Discography

For more on Depeche Mode, see Mediamass website pronounces Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan dead, then… on Side-Line.

János Janurik

I began my career in online music journalism in 2001, writing about artists I had followed since the late ’80s and early ’90s, including Depeche Mode, Erasure and The Cure. I later edited the Hungarian Mute microsite for EMI Music Hungary. This led to interviews with Erasure, Nitzer Ebb and Alan Wilder, and some of those collaborations developed into lasting friendships. Since 2014, I have been part of the editorial team of depechemode.de. I also contribute interviews to Reflections of Darkness, Peek-A-Boo Magazine and Kaput Mag. I maintain a close connection to Mute Records artists and have also supported releases on Very Records. I am proud to collaborate with Side-Line Magazine, where I regularly publish interviews and features.

Norwegian ambient/experimental artist Karsten Hamre, now based in Sofia, Bulgaria, is back with two releases. The first one is under the Defraktor moniker with the album “From the Netherworld” for which he has started to perform live with a forthcoming live appearance on the 13th of May in Sofia Bulgaria. The next that was just put up on Bandcamp is Karsten Hamre’s new instalment in the ‘Through Alien Eyes’ series: “The Veil Between Worlds: Echoes of The Past”.

You can order both releases below. The first is Karsten Hamre’s new instalment in the ‘Through Alien Eyes’ series: “The Veil Between Worlds: Echoes of The Past”.

And this is Defraktor’s “From the Netherworld”.

About Karsten Hamre

Hamre has created music across various genres such as dark ambient, drone, neoclassical, and experimental electronic music. With more than 25 years of experience in the music industry, Hamre has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential artists in Norway. He is also a visual artist and has created a number of striking album covers and artwork.

Hamre’s musical journey started in the early 1990s when he formed the experimental music project, Penitent, which released the debut album “Melancholia” on the legendary Cold Meat Industry label. With Penitent, Hamre explored the darker and more atmospheric side of music, incorporating elements of industrial, neoclassical, and dark ambient music to create a unique sound that would later become his trademark.

Count to that his work under aliases and in groups such as Arcane Art, Beastus Rex, Defraktor, Dense Vision Shrine, Veiled Allusions, Museum Of Transient Lights and The Flux Komplex.

Here’s part of his large discography:

• “The Beauty of Pain” by Penitent (1997) – Released by Draenor Productions.
• “As Life Fades Away” by Penitent (1998) – Released by Draenor Productions.
• “Roses By Chaos Spawned” by Penitent (1999) – Released by Memento Mori.
• “Through The Corridors Of Time” by Veiled Allusions (2000) – Released by L.S.D. Organisation.
• “The Cursed Artist” by Arcane Art (2000) – Released by Memento Mori.
• “A Curious Dimension” by Veiled Allusions (2000) – Released by Bestial Records.
• “Visions Of The World” by Veiled Allusions (2001) – Released by Counter Attack Productions.
• “Reflections Of Past Memories” by Penitent (2001) – Released by Counter Attack Productions.
• “Songs Of Despair” by Penitent (2002) – Released by Beyond Productions.
• “Split” by Vinterriket/Veiled Allusions (2002) – Released by Neodawn Productions and Regimental Records.
• “Rosenkranz” by Veiled Allusions (2002) – Released by Dragon Flight Recordings LLS.
• “Litanies Of Desire” by Dense Vision Shrine (2003) – Released by Beauty And Pain.
• “Dream A Little Dream” by Museum Of Transient Lights (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “A Shapeless Beauty” by Penitent (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Themes For The Lunatic” by Defraktor (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Lost Illusions” by The Flux Komplex (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Deserted Dreams” by Penitent (2004) – Released by Beyond Productions.
• “Nightly Terrors” by Arcane Art (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Die My Illusion” by Dense Vision Shrine (2005) – Released by Einzeleinheit.
• “Broken Whispers” by Karsten Hamre (2005) – Released by Flood The Earth.
• “A Voyage Of Imagination” by Dense Vision Shrine (2006) – Released by Epidemie Records.
• “Unwinding The Inside” by Dense Vision Shrine (2007) – Released by Rape Art Productions.
• “Placenta World” by Karsten Hamre vs. Kenji Siratori (2007) – Released by Hypermodern.
• “Among The Sleepless” by Penitent (2007) – Released by Hydra.
• “A Hole In The Void Of Time (Part 1 & Part 2)” by Defraktor (2007) – Released by Lona Records.
• “Time Lost In Oblivion” by Dense Vision Shrine (2009) – Released by First Fallen Star.
• “Magic & Mystery” by Dense Vision Shrine (2012) – Released by NeoKunst.
• “When The Gods Die” by Arcane Art (2012) – Released by NeoKunst.
• “Compendium II” by Karsten Hamre (2014) – Released by Black Mask Media.
• “When Darkness Descends (Defraktor Remix Session)” by Veiled Allusions (2014) – Released by Black Mask Media.
• “Through Alien Eyes Volume I” by Karsten Hamre (2017) – Released by Wounded Hearts Productions.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Depeche Mode has unveiled the lineup of support acts for their ‘Memento Mori’ European tour, set to begin next month. The duo, comprising Martin Gore and Dave Gahan, took to Instagram on April 12 to share the names of the five acts accompanying them during their 34-show run across Europe and the UK.

Cold Cave and Young Fathers are among the artists slated to join Depeche Mode on tour, along with Berlin-based band Hope, former Savages vocalist Jehnny Beth, and British trip-hop outfit Haelos (or Hælos).

The support acts for Depeche Mode

Here’s a short roundup of who these artists are. Cold Cave is a project by Wesley Eisold and blends darkwave, noise, and synthpop, drawing comparisons to Joy Division and New Order. Young Fathers is a Scottish group formed in 2008, who has won the Scottish Album of the Year Award twice and released a fourth album, “Heavy Heavy”, in 2023. Berlin-based band Hope, formerly Mamsell Zazou, creates dark, dystopian music influenced by their city’s art scene. Jehnny Beth, a French musician and former Savages frontwoman, has released solo albums and collaborated with numerous artists, including Trentemøller, Julian Casablancas, and Gorillaz. British trip-hop band Hælos, from London, released their second album, “Any Random Kindness”, in May 2019, showcasing their ‘dark euphoria’ sound.

The European leg of the tour will commence with two shows in the Netherlands on May 16 and 18. Following these performances, Depeche Mode will visit countries such as Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Austria before concluding the tour in Norway on August 11.

These tour dates promote the band’s 15th studio album, ‘Memento Mori’, which was released last month.

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A post shared by Depeche Mode (@depechemode)

For more on Depeche Mode, see Long lost Depeche Mode documentary goes online in the BBC Storyville… on Side-Line.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The 2023 European tour supported “Memento Mori,” released that March as the band’s first album since Andy Fletcher’s death the previous year.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Depeche Mode kicked off their extensive Memento Mori tour in Sacramento, California bringing a touching homage to the late Andy Fletcher during the performance of “World in My Eyes.” Andy Fletcher, founding member of Depeche Mode, died on Thursday, May 26 2022, at the age of 60 leaving a wife and two children behind.

This tribute will continue throughout the entire tour, and glimpses of the tribute can be seen in the photo and video taken at The Kia Forum, Los Angeles, on March 28. As evocative images of Fletcher appeared on the screen behind the band, Gahan honored him, saying, “our friend, Andrew Fletcher,” as the song concluded.

Dave Gahan and Martin Gore set the tone for the concert series with Memento Mori’s introductory songs, “My Cosmos Is Mine” and “Wagging Tongue,” before transitioning into a series of ’90s classics. The pair will refrain from delving too far into their early ’80s material, only including a handful of songs from before the Black Celebration era.

During Gore’s customary two-song solo segment, he revitalizes “A Question of Lust” and performs Memento Mori’s “Soul With Me.” In the encore, Gahan and Gore deliver a rendition of “Waiting for the Night” from Violator, a track that hadn’t been performed live since 2009.

You can check the full album out below.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Twisted mind’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

(Photo by Anton Corbijn) The new Depeche Mode album, ‘Memento Mori,’ has been hailed by some as their best work in the past 20 years. However, this praise might be attributed more to the lack of strong releases in recent times rather than the actual merit of the album.

Dave Gahan, the first Depeche Mode member to experience a near-death encounter, survived a severe overdose in 1996 after two minutes without a heartbeat. Tragically, Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher wasn’t as fortunate; his arterial rupture on May 26, 2022, left Depeche Mode as a duo. The unexpected passing of Fletcher added a layer of depth to “Memento Mori” and takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster through its various tracks.

The album does have its strong points, such as Gahan’s return to a more subdued singing style and a shift towards subtler electronic sounds. The evident influence of Kraftwerk can be both a strength and a weakness, as Depeche Mode has long been known for their distinct sound. While it’s refreshing to hear these influences, one cannot help but question if the band is losing their own originality.

What about the production on this new Depeche Mode album?

While the production quality is polished, it falls short of the standard set by Alan Wilder during his time with the band. Some tracks, like “Caroline’s Monkey,” have potential but could benefit from a more refined touch. Other songs, such as “Before We Drown” and “People Are Good,” serve as reminders of the band’s former glory.

The album concludes with 2 quite powerful tracks like “Never Let Me Go” – which has a bit of a post-punkish attitude – and the epic “Speak to Me,” leaving listeners wanting more of this. However, one can’t help but wonder what these tracks would have sounded like under Wilder’s guidance. Especially “Speak To Me” has a lot of potential.

In conclusion, “Memento Mori” is a respectable attempt by Depeche Mode to create a memorable album in the wake of Fletcher’s passing and amidst challenging times. We actually enjoyed it quite a lot. However, it also serves as a reminder that their post-Alan Wilder output has yet to reach the same heights as their earlier work, but the ship has turned in the right direction. Hopefully it will get to the harbour pretty soon.

PS: No thanks to Sony, they didn’t provide a promo of the release.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Depeche Mode’s Secret Gig in LA – An interview with attendee Attosa… on Side-Line.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. “Memento Mori” followed “Spirit” (2017) as the band’s next studio album, and the first released after Andy Fletcher’s death in 2022.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Out now is the second single from Depeche Mode’s newest album “Memento Mori” out on March 24th. “My Cosmos Is Mine” is also the opening song for the album and follows “Ghost Again” which was released earlier last month as the first single from the new album.

The album was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. It will be the first Depeche Mode studio album to be released after the death of co-founder and keyboardist Andy Fletcher on 26 May 2022. The album will be promoted by the ‘Memento Mori’ tour.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

On February 19th Depeche Mode performed live during a “Memento Mori” promo gig in Munich. During the live set the band performed several new songs from the new 12-track album “Memento Mori” album . A recording popped up on YouTube now. This is not an official live recording, but it will give you an idea what to expect. Included in this set are also several false starts, which for die-hard fans will be interesting to see as well.

Setlist:

1. 00:00 Intro
2. 03:22 Ghosts Again
3. 07:38 Wagging Tongue (False Start)
4. 08:58 Wagging Tongue
5. 12:44 My Favourite Stranger (False Start)
6. 14:17 My Favourite Stranger
7. 18:39 Precious
8. 24:06 Personal Jesus

“Memento Mori”is the upcoming fifteenth studio album by Depeche Mode set to be released on 24 March 2023, through Columbia and Mute. The album was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. It was preceded by the single “Ghosts Again” and will be the first Depeche Mode studio album to be released after the death of co-founder and keyboardist Andy Fletcher on 26 May 2022. The album will be promoted by the Memento Mori tour.

On 11 February 2023, the band debuted “Ghosts Again” live in Sanremo, Italy followed by a live version of the track on The Late Show. On 14 February 2023, “Wagging Tongue” was debuted live in La Plaine-Saint-Denis, France.

Popular on Bandcamp now

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Radal Angel’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The Munich promo gig took place during the rollout of “Memento Mori,” the band’s fifteenth studio album.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

www.side-line.com

Depeche Mode has just announced an extension to their ‘Memento Mori’ world tour with a second North American leg. The band will add 29 new dates to their tour, running from late September until mid-December 2023. The tour will see the band perform in several cities, including Austin, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Brooklyn, Nashville, and Toronto, among others. The North American tour will conclude with two gigs in Los Angeles, at the city’s Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena.

The ‘Memento Mori’ tour is not limited to North America, as the band is scheduled to tour in Europe, the UK, and Ireland this year. The tour will see the band perform in venues such as the O2 Arena in London and the AccorHotels Arena in Paris.

The first North American leg of the ‘Memento Mori’ tour saw the band selling out their shows in March and April. The support acts for the first leg includes Kelly Lee Owens and Stella Rose And The Dead Language.

Stella Rose is the daughter of the band’s lead singer, Dave Gahan. And for those who don’t know Kelly Lee Owens, she is a Welsh musician, singer and producer, and known for her electronic music style, which combines elements of techno, ambient, and pop. Owens has released several albums, including her self-titled debut album in 2017. She has also worked with other artists, including Daniel Avery, Björk, and Jon Hopkins. It is not yet known who will open for the band during the second North American leg.

Depeche Mode’s announcement extends their global trek to 75 dates in support of the group’s upcoming 15th album, “Memento Mori”, which is set to be released March 24 via Columbia Records. “Memento Mori” is the follow-up album to the 2017 album “Spirit” and is their first release since the death of founding member Andy Fletcher in May 2022. The tour’s title, which translates to “Remember that you must die,” is a nod to the Latin phrase memento mori, which is used as a reminder of human mortality.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The North American leg extended the “Memento Mori” world tour, the band’s first tour cycle since Andy Fletcher’s 2022 death.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

On February 14th, Depeche Mode took the stage to perform four tracks for the popular French television program, Taratata. This highly-anticipated performance was recorded for later broadcast on March 24th, 2023, which is the same day that the band’s latest album, “Memento Mori,” is set to be released.

While uploads of the performance have been taken down from Reddit and YouTube, there’s no doubt that this event will continue to generate buzz among fans leading up to the broadcast in March. Recordings of the performance are circulating in private chat groups.

The setlist of the TV performance:

1. Ghosts Again
2. Wagging Tongue
3. Precious
4. Personal Jesus

“Memento Mori” is the upcoming fifteenth studio album by Depeche Mode set to be released on 24 March 2023, through Columbia and Mute. The album was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. It was preceded by the single “Ghosts Again” and will be the first Depeche Mode studio album to be released after the death of co-founder and keyboardist Andy Fletcher on 26 May 2022.

Although work on the album began prior to Fletcher’s death, Dave Gahan stated in an interview with NME that Fletcher did not record any material for the album. The album will be promoted by a Memento Mori tour.

This is the track list of the album. All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore, except where noted.

1. My Cosmos Is Mine (Martin L. Gore)
2. Wagging Tongue (Martin L. Gore, Dave Gahan)
3. Ghosts Again (Martin L. Gore, Richard Butler)
4. Don’t Say You Love Me (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
5. My Favourite Stranger (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
6. Soul with Me (Martin L. Gore)
7. Caroline’s Monkey (Martin L. Gore, Butler)
8. Before We Drown (Dave Gahan, Peter Gordeno, Christian Eigner)
9. People Are Good (Martin L. Gore)
10. Always You (Martin L. Gore)
11. Never Let Me Go (Martin L. Gore)
12. Speak to Me (Dave Gahan, Marta Salogni, Christian Eigner, James Ford)

Here’s already a live performance in Paris on the program Quotidien with Yann Barthès with “Ghost Again”.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. The Taratata performance came during the promotional run for “Memento Mori” (2023), the band’s first album released as a duo.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Out today is the newest Depeche Mode single “Ghosts Again”, a 3:58 minute strong track which has a more poppy feeling compared to what the band has produced in the past few years. The single would have been a perfect fit for “Playing the angel” – the band’s last good album for many fans – as it has the same drive and sound pallet as “Lilian”, “Precious” or “Nothing’s impossible”.

The accompanying video was directed by Anton Corbijn and is equally a rather dark visual representation.

The single is the first one released from the band’s 15th studio album “Memento Mori” which will be out on March 17th. Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album “Memento Mori” was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. In case you might have forgotten James Ford produced the band’s previous album “Spirit”.

Below are a few formats for the new album which will please the collector’s especially because there is a cassette version too (imagine we had written this 20 years ago…).

Here’s the single on Spotify.

And here is the official video as directed by Anton Corbijn.

And for the fans, here’s a brand new remix too.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Ghosts Again’.

About Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, initially under the name Composition of Sound. The lineup that became Depeche Mode came together that year around Vince Clarke (keyboards, guitars), Andy Fletcher (keyboards, bass) and Martin Gore (guitars, keyboards), with Dave Gahan joining shortly after as lead vocalist. The band adopted the name Depeche Mode at a gig at the Bridge House in Canning Town on 24 September 1980, where Mute Records founder Daniel Miller saw them and signed the group.

Depeche Mode’s debut single, “Dreaming of Me,” was recorded in December 1980 and released on Mute in February 1981, followed that October by the debut album “Speak & Spell.” Vince Clarke left the band that November, going on to form Yazoo and later Erasure; Alan Wilder joined on keyboards in 1982 and became an official member from the 1983 single “Get the Balance Right!” The band’s catalog through the 1980s includes “A Broken Frame” (1982), “Construction Time Again” (1983), “Some Great Reward” (1984), “Black Celebration” (1986) and “Music for the Masses” (1987), the latter turning the band into arena headliners in the US off the back of their Rose Bowl concert, later documented in the film “101.”

“Violator” (1990) and “Songs of Faith and Devotion” (1993) marked the band’s commercial peak, but Wilder departed in June 1995, continuing his own project Recoil, leaving Gahan, Gore and Fletcher as a trio. The band released “Ultra” (1997), “Exciter” (2001), “Playing the Angel” (2005), “Sounds of the Universe” (2009), “Delta Machine” (2013) and “Spirit” (2017) as a three-piece, touring with long-serving live members Christian Eigner (drums, keyboards, since 1997) and Peter Gordeno (keyboards, bass, since 1998). Alongside the band, Gahan released solo albums “Paper Monsters” (2003) and “Hourglass” (2007), and Gore released “Counterfeit²” (2003).

Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 7 November 2020. Andy Fletcher died on 26 May 2022, and Gahan and Gore continued as a duo, releasing “Memento Mori” in 2023 with Eigner and Gordeno again on the road. The band has sold more than 100 million records and placed 54 singles on the UK charts. “Ghosts Again” was released as part of the “Memento Mori” campaign, the band’s first studio album as a Gahan-Gore duo.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Depeche Mode are set to release their 15th studio album “Memento Mori” on March 17th. The album will be preceded by the lead single “Ghosts Again” which will be released on February 9th.

Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album “Memento Mori” was produced by James Ford and Marta Salogni. In case you might have forgotten James Ford produced the band’s previous album “Spirit”.

Here’s a first impression of some of the single.

And here’s a remixed unofficial version by Germany’s finest remixer Dominatrix of course.

Marta Salogni is an Italian record producer, mixer and recording engineer, who as a producer has worked with Björk, M.I.A., Groove Armada and Django Django to name but a few. As an engineer, Salogni worked with producers such as Danton Supple and David Wrench. Alongside Wrench, she has worked on projects with The xx, Goldfrapp, and Tracey Thorn’s 2018 Record alongside producer Ewan Pearson.

James Ford from his side is an English record producer, songwriter and musician, known for being a member of Simian Mobile Disco and The Last Shadow Puppets as well as his production work with the Arctic Monkeys, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Haim, Gorillaz, Klaxons, Jessie Ware and Kylie Minogue.

In further news, Dave Gahan and Kurt Uenala’s cover of The Raveonettes’ “Chains” is available now. The song originally appeared on The Raveonettes debut “Whip It On” from 2002 and the new version will be included on the re-worked version of the album “Rip It Off” out on vinyl later this year alongside other artists such as MØ, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels, Trentemøller and more.

Here is the track.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Ghosts Again’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

The German magazine Sonic Seducer has two Depeche Mode issues out. The first is the issue 11-2022 which is out now and which can still be ordered in their shop if you haven’t bought it yet. The issue comes with an extended Depeche Mode title story plus interviews with Dave Gahan and Martin Gore. Added to this you get an original “Memento Mori” tour poster and more.

Next is the Depeche Mode special issue celebrating 40 years of “A Broken Frame” including a 2023 calender (with rare and exclusive photos from the band’s whole career). As an extra you get a story written by Martin Gore plus alternative cover art by Brian Griffin and the “Remode” cover CD. This issue is only available in the magazine’s shop.

Both issues can be ordered right here.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Walking in their shoes’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

6 days ago a video of Depeche Mode’s “Memento Mori” press conference was made available, but so far less than 150.000 people have seen it. So, since apparently it was not all that well spread, and because many of you had asked about it on October 5th, a day after the conference took place at Berlin’s Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, we now repost the video on Side-Line as well.

In the video Depeche Mode announced that they will release a new album, called “Memento Mori” early next year, and that they will embark on their first tour in five years. The news follows the death of founder member Andy Fletcher, who passed away during the making of the album earlier this year, and also was postponed because of this for obvious reasons.

Martin Gore says this in the video regarding Fletcher’s passing: “We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time, after Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.” Dave Gahan adds: “Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.”

Here are some screenshots from the video of the press conference followed by the video itself below.

But there’s a lot more in the video itself, which – as we said earlier – surprisingly has not gathered a lot of views. You can watch the full 21 minute video below introduced by studio footage and new material, which kinda sound good too.

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘Muddled Man’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Yesterday we announced that Depeche Mode would launch a ‘Memento Mori Tour’ in 2023, their 19th tour as a band. That news has now been confirmed during a Berlin press conference together with the launch of an all new album called “Memento Mori”, their 15th studio album so far, expected for release in Spring of 2023 via Sony/Columbia.

During the press conference in Berlin today Martin Gore said the following regarding the new album: “We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.” Dave Gahan added, “Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.”

For Depeche Mode it will be their first live shows in five years, since their 2017-2018 ‘Global Spirit Tour’ that is. The ‘Memento Mori’ world tour will kick off on March 23rd, 2023, in the USA and more precisely in Sacramento, CA. The first left of the tour will be a special, limited series of North American arena dates before the band heads to Europe for their summer stadium tour.

The North American dates will include stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Chicago’s United Center, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, among others. The European stadium tour will start on May 16th, with stops at the Stade de France in Paris, Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, Milan’s San Siro Stadium, and London’s Twickenham Stadium among many others.

Tickets go on general sale this Friday 7th October at 10am right here.

The dates known so far:

• Thu 23 Mar 2023 Sacramento | Golden 1 Center
• Sat 25 Mar 2023 San Jose | SAP Center at San Jose
• Tue 28 Mar 2023 Inglewood | Kia Forum
• Thu 30 Mar 2023 Las Vegas | T-Mobile Arena
• Sun 02 Apr 2023 San Antonio | AT&T Center
• Wed 05 Apr 2023 Chicago | United Center
• Fri 07 Apr 2023 Toronto | Scotiabank Arena
• Sun 09 Apr 2023 Québec | Centre Videotron
• Wed 12 Apr 2023 Montreal | Centre Bell
• Fri 14 Apr 2023 New York | Madison Square Garden
• Tue 16 May 2023 Amsterdam Zuidoost | Ziggo Dome
• Sat 20 May 2023 Antwerpen | Sportpaleis
• Tue 23 May 2023 Stockholm | Friends Arena
• Fri 26 May 2023 Leipzig | Festwiese Leipzig
• Fri 26 May 2023 Leipzig | Festwiese Leipzig
• Sun 04 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Sun 04 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Tue 06 Jun 2023 Düsseldorf | Merkur Spiel-Arena
• Sun 71 Jun 2023 Bern | Stadion Wankdorf
• Sun 11 Jun 2023 Bern | Stadion Wankdorf
• Sun 17 Jun 2023 Twickenham | Twickenham Stadium
• Tue 20 Jun 2023 München | Olympiastadion München
• Tue 20 Jun 2023 München | Olympiastadion München
• Thu 22 Jun 2023 Lille | Stade Pierre Mauroy
• Sat 24 Jun 2023 Paris | Stade de France
• Tue 27 Jun 2023 Kobenhavn © | Parken
• Thu 29 Jun 2023 Frankfurt | Deutsche Bank Park
• Thu 29 Jun 2023 Frankfurt | Deutsche Bank Park
• Tue 04 Jul 2023 Décines Charpieu | Groupama Stadium
• Fri 07 Jul 2023 Berlin | Olympiastadion Berlin
• Fri 07 Jul 2023 Berlin | Olympiastadion Berlin
• Wed 12 Jul 2023 Rome | Stadio Olimpico di Roma
• Eri 14 Jul 2023 Milano | Stadio San Siro
• Sun 16 Jul 2023 Bologna | Stadio Dall’Ara
• Fri 21 Jul 2023 Graz | Wörthersee Stadion Klagenfurt
• Fri 21 Jul 2023 Klagenfurt | Wörthersee Stadion
• Fri 28 Jul 2023 Budapest | Puskás Aréna
• Sun 30 Jul 2023 Prague | Letisté Letany
• Wed 02 Aug 2023 Warsaw | PGE Narodowy
• Sun 06 Aug 2023 Tallinn | Tallinna Lauluväljak
• Tue 08 Aug 2023 Helsinki | Kaisaniemen puisto
• Fri 11 Aug 2023 Oslo | Telenor Arena, Oslo

Side-Line also covered Depeche Mode’s ‘s ’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

UPDATE: Depeche Mode officially announce new tour and album ‘Memento Mori’

When you see ticket reseller prepping things for a new tour you can be sure something is up. And indeed, in May 2021 a domain was registered to sell tickets for a 2023 Depeche Mode tour, we have monitored that domain for a while and a few weeks ago it went live indicating that something was coming up.

Known so far is that the tour will be called “Memento Mori Tour” and only a few cities (and first dates) where the band will land. In the list we got we found Leipzig (Red Bull Arena – 26 May 2023) and Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank Park Germany – 29 Jun 2023) followed by these cities which should see the band live at work in June or July 2023: London, Paris, Zurich,, Prague, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin, Munich and Cologne.

For Munich a poster surfaced which you can find below, it shows a June 20th 2023 date, and for Frankfurt there was also a poster that popped up in the street apparently.

You can expect more shows and solid dates pretty soon. For the band it will be the first time they start touring without Andy Fletcher who died in May this year. The only other period Fletcher didn’t play live with the band was when Daryl Bamonte took on his role for the remaining thirty-nine concerts of the Exotic Tour.

As for the title of the tour, ‘memento mori’ is Latin for ‘remember that you [have to] die’. It is an artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The most common motif is a skull, often accompanied by one or more bones. Often this alone is enough to evoke the trope, but other motifs such as a coffin, hourglass and wilting flowers signified the impermanence of human life.

A press conference in Berlin is in the making as well, tomorrow, and both David Gahan and Martin Gore left on a trip (to Europe) together as the video below (shot today in Los Angeles) shows.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, dark-pop.

Background/Info: And here’s the debut album of (Fredrik) Croona. “Memento More” features 12 songs. Among the tracklist you’ll discover the album version of a few cuts released on the EP. I however have to say that the title track of the EP “My Sweet Revenge” ‘-(featuring Avarice In Audio) is not on the album tracklist.

Content: There’s no real significant difference between Fredrik Croona and Croona. I rather should speak about an evolution in sound, this album sounding harder and now and then even empowered by guitar. From melodic passages towards pure pop-rage, this album is quite diversified.

+ + + : I can only but admit that Croona has an accomplished a significant work. The songs are well-crafted and often carried by strong choruses. The dark format of this electro-pop production is not that new, but the power and rage running throughout the songs isn’t exactly something we’ve been familiar with. There’re several noticeable cuts featured at this album and even a great instrumental one (cf. “Ashes From The Past”), which has something future-pop like.

– – – : Electro-pop purists will probably banish this work, which has nothing in common with the traditional ‘happy’ and ‘feel-good’ music. Speaking for myself I think this album is just missing ‘the’ absolute hit!

Conclusion: Croona is somewhere in between different genres or a perfect fusion between styles you don’t exactly expect to get mixed together. This is a noticeable work.

Best songs: “Bleed For Me feat. Jimmy Bergmann”, “The Day I Died”, “Mine”, “It’s Over”, “Regret”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/croonaf

Label: www.infacted–recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted–Recordings/124099254321690

About Croona

Croona is the name the Swedish musician Fredrik Croona adopted in 2018 for a harder, more electro-driven sound, after three albums under his own name (“The Grey Line”, 2015; “Welcome Home”, 2016; “This Is Goodbye”, 2017) and earlier work with Cynical Existence and Project Rotten. Signed to Infacted Recordings, Croona released the EP “My Sweet Revenge” a day before “Memento Mori”, this 12-track debut album. Croona continued the following year with “Bleed For Me” and “Dare To Die”.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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