Just Can't Get Enough: A Scoop of Depeche Mode at the Hollywood Bowl

There's perhaps no bigger Depeche Mode fanbase than right here in Southern California, where the band could have probably kept selling out even more shows at the Hollywood Bowl. We were there on Wednesday, Oct. 18 for the final night of four concerts, and the place was electric. Dave Gahan (looking a bit like Bill Murray circa "Rushmore") strutted and swaggered as DM played some of its crowd favorites.

It was a 1990s-heavy night, with the majority of the songs performed from Depeche Mode's three 90s albums, "Violator," "Songs of Faith and Devotion" and "Ultra." The current tour is promoting the release of their latest release, "Spirit," but only three songs were performed from that album.

Here's the setlist from the night:
Going Backwards
It's No Good
Barrel of a Gun
A Pain That I'm Used To
Useless
In Your Room
World in My Eyes
Cover Me
Sister of Night
Home
Precious
Where's the Revolution
Wrong
Everything Counts
Stripped
Enjoy the Silence
Never Let Me Down Again
[Encores:]
But Not Tonight
Walking in My Shoes
Policy of Truth
I Feel You
Personal Jesus

More pics below!

Depeche Mode In Hollywood: Reaching Out and Touching Faith

(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.)

FREE L.A.: Ice Cream, Depeche Mode... and Tweet for Your Dinner

It's already time for Ben & Jerry's annual Free Scoop Day -- make your way to a scoop shop between noon and 8 on Tuesday.

Also this week: McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant is offering a free entrée and beverage to any child that dines for lunch with an adult on Thursday. It's part of the national “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” initiative. Local McCormick & Schmick’s locations include downtown (633 W. Fifth), Pasadena (111 N. Los Robles), Burbank (3500 W. Olive) and Beverly Hills (206 N. Rodeo).

Then there's the free Depeche Mode concert this Thursday in Hollywood. But if you don't have tix, sorry: They've all been handed out.

Now, a time for a FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST. McCormick & Schmick's is giving away a $25 gift certificate to a lucky Franklin Avenue reader. Let's make it our first-ever Twitter giveaway. If you want to enter, send out a tweet that somehow mentions both Franklin Avenue and McCormick & Schmicks. We'll pick a winner from there.

Depeche Mode Returns to Hollywood: Repeat of 1990?

Depeche Mode, KROQ, a crowd of fans on a Los Angeles street. What could go wrong, right?

In case you don't read Franklin Avenue regularly, I recently reminded you that this could wind up happening.

Of course, it's 2009, not 1990, and DM's fan base is a tad smaller... and a bit older. And this time out, there's quite a bit of organization related to the event.

But in case you hadn't heard, Depeche Mode will perform on Thursday, April 23 at the Hollywood and Vine intersection in a live outdoor performance for ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Event is also a promotion tied to the W Hotel's new Hollywood Residences, which will serve as the concert stage backdrop. The "Kimmel" performance reps DM's first late-night talk show performance since announcing their upcoming “Tour of the Universe.” Their new album, "Sounds of the Universe," is out on April 21.

More details at The Scenestar and Losanjealous.

Retro Friday: L.A.'s Depeche Mode Debacle

In 1990, Depeche Mode had just released their "Violator" CD... and decided to make an in-store appearance at The Wherehouse music store in the Beverly Connection. About 15,000 people showed up -- some camping outside the La Cienega store for days.

By the time the band showed up, chaos erupted. Check out these news reports from the time... and how strangely out of touch these anchors sound. Odd that everyone keeps referring to the "hot new band from London," when Depeche Mode had been selling records in America for a decade by that point (and had even already performed its famous Rose Bowl show two years earlier).

The crowd got so out of control that the riot police was called and the band had to leave early. The story wound up leading newscasts. The next day, then-city councilman Zev Yaroslavsky blames The Wherehouse and KROQ for the melee (about 3:30 into this video); Richard Blade then responds:



Of course, these days Depeche Mode wouldn't attract that kind of crazy crowd... but the band still has a loyal following here in Southern California. Depeche Mode's most extensive tour in years, "Tour of the Universe," comes to L.A. on Sunday, Aug. 16 and Monday, Aug. 17 at the Hollywood Bowl. They're also playing the Honda Center in Anaheim on Aug. 19.