And I Haven't Felt So Alive In {Fiveteen} Years

First off I need to correct an error I made in saying prior to Fridays  Revel Ballroom in Atlantic City show that this was my first Depeche Mode show in 17 years,I kept thinking the "Singles Tour" was in 96 when in fact it was 98,even so that's still 15 years between tours,too long when you're a big time Depeche Mode fan like yours truly but frankly if I'd known how easy it was to get to Atlantic City via the train I'd have been front and center for the "Exciter" tour in 01, "Playing The Angel" in 05 and "Sounds Of The Universe" in 09 at the House Of Blues trust me!!!
Still eager to make up for lost time I made sure the "Delta Machine" tour did not get by me even if it meant paying an astronomical fee for my ticket,I broke my never paid more than $100 for a ticket rule for this show but frankly it was money well spent....and frankly I wasn't waiting till 2017 for the next Depeche Mode tour!!!!!

I know there'd been some hue and cry on social media over the fact that  the band had said they would not performing anything off of their first four albums  but I wasn't too upset by this.
Don't get me wrong I like "Speak & Spell" "A Broken Frame" "Construction Time Again" and "Some Great Reward" but I saw ALL those tours in 81,82,83 and 84 and personally I think from 86's "Black Celebration" they became a  much better band both on cd and live so it was off to the Jersey shore w/ the hordes of black clad masses to see the "Delta Machine" tour.

Despite having less then great seats and paying a kings ransom for them I was hell bent on having a good time Friday nite and from 9.20pm when "Basildon's Finest" strode on stage for their two hour  twenty one song set I turned the enormous Ovation Hall at the Revel Ballroom into my very own Silk City where DJSC plays a bunch of Depeche Mode each month and danced my arse off after all isn't that listening to Depeche Mode is all about??!!!

Augmented by Peter Gordeno on keyboards and the excellent Christian Eigner on drums Dave, Martin and Andy let rip w/ an amazing show,leaning heavily as you'd expect on the new album {six songs off of "Delta Machine"} they revisited Violator,Black Celebration,Music For The Masses,Ultra and Playing The Angel and threw in a classic off of ''Speak & Spell"  "Just Can't Get Enough" to keep everybody happy.
When I'd heard they were performing "But Not Tonite" I was delighted to hear that but did not expect it to be Martin Gore on the vocals,w/a slowed down arrangement the classic "Black Celebtration" number took on a new sound and didn't sound any the worse for it either.
Granted back in 81 when "Speak & Spell" was unleashed on the music loving public Depeche Mode were considered a "synth pop" band but clearly over the recent years they've developed a much harder sound and dare I say it "Delta Machine's" "Soothe  My Soul" flat out rocked!!!! I'm already on the lookout for bootlegs of this tour for the new version of "But Not Tonite" and "Soothe My Soul" trust me.

When the two hour set came to a close w/ the "hands waving above our heads in unison" "Never Let Me Down Again" I couldn't help but think back to my first Depeche Mode show in November 81 at London's Lyceum on The Strand almost 32 years ago,if you'd told me then I'd still be rocking out to Depeche Mode I may not have believed you but believe me when I say that despite overdoses,nervous brakedowns and members leaving Depeche Mode continue to conqurer all b/4 them and I'm still dancing up a storm to them....long may both continue in my book

Setlist
Welcome To My World
Angel
Walking In My Shoes
Precious
Black Celebration
Policy Of Truth
Should Be Higher
Barrel Of A Gun
The Child Inside
But Not Tonite
Heaven
Soothe My Soul
A Pain That I'm Used To
A Question Of Time
Enjoy The Silence
Personal Jesus
Encore
Home
Halo
Just Can't Get Enough
I Feel You
Never Let Me Down Again