As part of the Memento Mori World Tour launched in 2023, Depeche Mode performed in Budapest for the second time. Last July, the British new wave synthpop group gave a sold-out concert at the Puskás Arena, where 50,000 people were able to enjoy their visually and acoustically impeccable quality production supporting their album of the same name as the tour, which was also about their fellow musician, Andrew Fletcher, who died in May 2022. they remember. This time, the musicians chose a smaller venue: on March 26, the Hungarian fans of Depeche Mode were invited to the MVM Dome, which is otherwise suitable for 20,000 people, but at this concert, due to the space occupied by the stage and catwalk, was maximized to a crowd of 16,000.
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Dave Gahan Gallery: Depeche Mode concert at the MVM Dome (Photo: Tamás Kaszás / Index)
As is well known, Memento Mori is the band’s 15th studio album, the work of which the three founders of the band worked together in the early stages of the pandemic. The themes of the compositions on the disc were inspired by the current period, but the death of Andy Fletch gave the project an extra meaning, which was finally completed by Dave Gahan and Martin Gore as a duo. According to the musicians, Fletch wanted this album very much, so they were both looking forward to finally sharing it in March 2023, and then presenting the Memento Mori material live to fans around the world as part of their tour starting at the same time.
There is no risk in ticket sales
The fact that Budapest was included twice in their 19th concert series in a row is not surprising at all – the activities of the new wave synthpop formation, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, has now sold 100 million records and has a worldwide fan base of more than 35 million It has long been a stable interest in Hungary as well. By the way, during the Global Spirit tour preceding Memento Mori, they visited our country three times, and the success of their performances clearly shows that there is no risk in bringing a production to the stage several times in our country. Anyone who has never been to a Depeche Mode concert should definitely give it a chance to experience the unique atmosphere created by the powerfully charismatic performers through their unique, mostly melancholic songs. It really is
as if one were to step into another world.
The MVM Dome is considered a relatively new venue in terms of concerts. The multifunctional facility was handed over in December 2021, and the 2022 European Men’s Handball Championship was held here in January. That year, only a few concerts were held in the building, but in 2023 several Hungarian and international performers took the stage there. So far, I myself have seen the productions of three artists and the performance of Cirque du Soleil at this venue, and although it was mostly a positive experience, I was still not one hundred percent convinced that the hall is suitable for organizing concerts in all respects. Actually, I was waiting for the confirmation of this from the production of Depeche Mode, after the formation last year in the Puskás Arena – which the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who performed there for the first time, didn’t really manage to record in an acceptable way – gave a perfect concert in every respect. In addition, I was also very curious about what it would be like to see the same production in a much smaller, closed space after the 50,000-seat, open stadium.
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Gallery: Depeche Mode concert in the MVM Dome Gallery: Depeche Mode concert in the MVM Dome (Photo: Tamás Kaszás / Index)
Even without extra show elements, the view is lavish
I arrived at the MVM Dome shortly before 8pm. By then, the backing band Deeper was playing in full swing, while most of the audience was still around the hall – fans were trying to get in in droves at the gates, just as people were greeted by snaking lines inside the building and at the buffets. This time I followed the events from the arena, which was nicely filled, as were the seating areas. Our protagonists appeared on the stage a little after 9:30, which had a similar structure as in the Puskás Arena last year: a classic podium with an LED background, equipped with a catwalk, with one not too large projector on both sides, which in itself is not a big trick, but the creative solutions with which all this was tuned up presented the attendees with something quite amazing.
The projectors – as last time – worked in harmony with the otherwise four-segment background LED, which also had a giant letter M, referring to the tour, as an integral part – the latter sometimes as a separate element, other times by melting into the background LED, which helped the visual effects. As pyrotechnic elements are not typical for Depeche Mode, and even show elements such as fireworks, balloons or confetti are not really used, this time they relied exclusively on the already mentioned LEDs and the rich light show. The projections of the Memento Mori tour are quite spectacular – as if the world of each song is a separate work of art, where the audience can see the musicians and clips in the background, played in the most varied variations on the split LEDs.
A in the playlist compared to last year’s concert, a minimal difference could be observed. Although the curve of the production was similar – it is still the My Cosmos is Mine They started with the composition entitled and the Personal Jesus closed the evening, and the biggest audience favorites like that Enjoy The Silencea Preciousa Black Celebration or just the Just Can’t Get Enough they were not left out of the line this time either – some numbers were replaced, a World in my Eyes instead of, for example, Behind the Wheel Andy Fletcher was remembered with the song. At one point, Dave Gahan also inserted a short greeting – he sang a Happy Birthdayt to a lady who enjoyed the concert next to the stage. In addition to Gahan, Martin Gore also had plenty of the spotlight: roughly halfway through the Home is in Somebody for example, it was heard in his presentation.
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Dave Gahan Gallery: Depeche Mode concert at the MVM Dome (Photo: Tamás Kaszás / Index)
There are no more sitting sectors
At Depeche Mode’s concerts, it is always noticeable how intensely the audience reacts to what they see. And here we don’t have to think about the visuals, but specifically about the musicians blessed with extraordinary charisma, whose every movement provokes an immediate reaction from those present. In addition to his characteristic dance moves, Dave Gahan is also able to make them crazy with an arm wave, which was no different this time, and around the third song, as I looked around the hall, I experienced the same thing as at last year’s concert: many of those who took seats in the seating sectors were already dancing standing on the stairs, this and towards the end of the concert, it only intensified – already in the last few tracks
there wasn’t really a sector where anyone could stay seated.
The audience, becoming part of the production, pulsated along with the songs all the way through, which sounded in impeccable quality this time too – at least the sound was perfect in the arena, you simply couldn’t get involved in anything. Due to the characteristics of the venue, the whole experience was somewhat more intimate and at the same time much more intense than what was experienced in the Puskás Arena. it immediately transfers to everyone, even those on stage.
Even now, you could feel how much the members of the band enjoyed their performance – although they didn’t speak much, they communicated with the audience through their songs and their movements, but they played their compositions with such experience that it was a joy to watch. After the applause, it was as if all emotions had escaped from the audience – a Just Can’t Get Enough from the number on, the entire hall turned into a single dance floor – after the last song, they hardly wanted to let the musicians go.
(Cover photo: The Depeche Mode concert in Budapest, March 27, 2024. Photo: Tamás Kaszás / Index)
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