by Amanda


Photos | Videos | Date: August 29, 2009

A week overdue, I've finally recovered from my trips (and more or less, the post-tour blues) and returned to write about the Dallas show. My seats for this gig were the furthest back I've ever had for a Depeche Mode concert, but turned out to be not so bad after all! I bought four tickets because I was going to Texas to visit some friends of mine who had never experienced the band live. One of them is one of my very closest friends who knows all about my passion, but not a lot about the band. It was worth sitting in the upper section to be able to share the experience with them (because we all know one can never purchase four consecutive seats in the first section at face value these days). To watch them laugh and sing, taking in the full experience that is a Depeche Mode concert was moving. I was also able observe the crowd and take in the stage and band from a new perspective, which proved quite fun.

The band put on a fantastic show, and Martin even branched out by playing Judas, despite not having practiced! He made a mistake in the beginning and had to start over, but he handled it with humor like a good pro. I was SO happy to hear this song live. They didn't play it at any of my gigs in 2006, and being that Songs of Faith and Devotion is my favorite album, getting the opportunity to hear it in Dallas was bliss.

What impressed me most about this show was the crowd. Maybe it was because I was further back, I was less absorbed in every detail of the band and more aware of my surroundings. I wasn't sure what to expect from the crowd, but I was pleasantly surprised. Some of the sing-a-longs could have been better, but boy were they moving! 90% of the bodies around me were grooving, even if ever so subtly. There were times when the screams and cheers rang in my ears. Between encores, the audience even banged on chairs to make a ruckus, eventually they even started beating out a rhythmic pattern. The joy in that amphitheater was overpowering.

It was a very bittersweet night full of many laughs and tears - my last show of the tour. Once again I found myself bawling through the entirety of "Waiting for the Night," soaking in the notes and sweet vocals of Dave and Martin live for the last time. After the houselights went up, we made our way down to the front to meet with Tara and crew so we could make our way to the afterparty at Barcadia. Many friends old and new gathered there, but we eventually moved to another club after Barcadia closed at 2am. One of my local friends graciously agreed to be my designated driver so I could stay and party the night away with several friends I probably won't see for another three or four years. We reveled in the joy of the best music in the world and I stepped back to reflect on all I had done this tour. Several of my friends' still had distance left in their journeys, but mine had come to an end. It was time to say goodbye to the many wonderful people I'd met along the way. My good friend told me, "When one journey ends, another begins." I don't know what the future may hold until then, but these goodbyes are only temporary. We'll be ready do it all again next tour!

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