(Flickr pic by JC Olivera).
Depeche Mode hit the stage on Hollywood Boulevard Thursday night -- and Franklin Avenue was there. The street was shut down between Western and Gower, all for the "Jimmy Kimmel Show" (and also sponsored by W Residences, which is celebrating the opening of its new Hollywood building at Hollywood and Vine).
One cop estimated 15,000 people in attendance. I can tell you: The place was packed. Los Angeles has always been a stronghold for Depeche Mode, thanks in part to KROQ, I suppose. And last night's event proves that they can still draw em in, 30 years on.
The band played a short set of seven songs -- including a handful of new ones. But, of course, the crowd responded to the classics: "Enjoy the Silence," "Never Let Me Down Again," "Personal Jesus." David Gahan still has the rock star moves -- although one of the folks I was with pointed out that, well, Dave kinda reminded him of the aging 80s singer played by Hugh Grant in "Music and Lyrics."
The crowd outside the fence -- sans tickets -- threatened to start getting rowdy, as they climbed on roofs and started shaking the fence (which at one point looked like it would come down, starting a riot). But the cops, perhaps remembering the 1990 Depeche Mode debacle at the Beverly Connection, kept things under control.
The show ended on an anticlimactic note, as there was no encore -- instead just speeches by City Council president Eric Garcetti and the W developer. Boo!
Those of you following Franklin Avenue on Twitter saw my updates in real time (uh, sorry about clogging your account). Here's how it unfolded:
Still 30-45 minutes away until Depeche Mode. Frolic Room so close but so far away
Security to people who climbed a roof to see: "Guys, I love that you're up there,but youre going to go to jail!"
People without tickets trying to knock the fence down. uh-oh-- 1990 all over again?
Holy F, there's a lot of people here. DM's still got quite the fan base here in L.A. We're just all, ahem, a few decades older...
They're playing New Order on the loudspeaker. We've been transported into a 1985 KROQ playlist
Well, they fenced those people away from the fence... no rioting... yet
Warm up guy on stage; DM in a few mins
"Thanks for hanging out and not killing each other" -- Jimmy Kimmel
Kimmel: "Also thanks to Eric Garcetti, who got about a thousand complaints today. Go vote for him."
First song, "Wrong"
Crowd's *kinda* into it, but they're waiting for the classics
Channing Tatum and Elisha Cuthbert also on stage; tonight's Kimmel guests
"Personal Jesus"
Crowd is reaching out and touching faith
"Walking in My Shoes"
Batch of new songs
"Enjoy the Silence"
Martin L Gore on guitar, yo
"Never Let Me Down Again" (Dave: "This is back to where it all began!")
Garcetti on stage, now the W developer. Being booed. Get off the stage!
No encore! Boo. Goodbye, i'll stop filling you with tweets now
(Flickr pic by kiasuchick.)
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