Depeche Mode at Twickenham Stadium

Twickenham Stadium was fully packed on Saturday for the long-awaited return of Depeche Mode following their absence from the stage since 2018 and the recent death of longtime member Andy Fletcher.

Moves like Jagger from Dave Gahan don’t go unnoticed in the long intro of “my cosmos is mine”: while he stretches his back and dances his way like there’s no tomorrow, adoring fans are mesmerised by his presence and follow him everywhere he goes.

The beauty of these carefree moves favour an un-toxic masculinity, almost necessary in 2023 but not taken for granted. The mid-crowd – cis white middle-aged heterosexual men – is immersed in this multitude of electronic sounds, with a fearless leader who likes to go further and is not afraid to stop at nothing.

There are touching moments for their late keyboardist, Fletcher, during the song World in My Eyes – immediately the torches of the cell phones light up and it feels like a collective hug.

Night falls and the poignant Enjoy the Silence comes to life. An extended mix of the song makes the fans teary and the singalong is guaranteed. Yet, one of the best moments of the evening comes with Never Let Me Down Again: three old friends at the seats in front join in a long embrace, singing out loud, “I’m taking a ride with my best friends”. Gahan and Martin Gore also join in a soft hug in the final part of the catwalk, right next to the fans, hoping to extend the feeling to everyone.

All dark, the evening is about to end, but not before a choir on the notes of Personal Jesus‘s “Reach out and touch faith”, and magically the rain also begins to fall, almost like an answer to a collective prayer against the great heat that has been gripping the UK in recent days.

“After this year, they might not play ever again you know,” a lady in line at the toilet points out. Let’s hope she’s wrong, Depeche Mode still have a lot to give.

Laura Bit
Photos: Virginie Viche

For further information and future events visit Depeche Mode’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Enjoy the Silence here: