Sold out “clean,” as Live Nation exec Billy Conn, who owns that nickname, would say. After Friday’s show, it is clear the thirst for ’80s electro-pop is alive in VegasVille.
The now-duo of vocalist David Gahan and multi-instrumentalist Martin Gore flew through a set list punctuated by such persistent Depeche Mode staples as “Strangelove” (a delicate acoustic take), “Enjoy the Silence,” “Never Let Me Down Again,” “Just Can’t Get Enough,” and the finale “Personal Jesus.”
”World In My Eyes,” tucked in the middle of the set, was dedicated to the later Andy Fletcher, the band’s co-founder whose image was displayed on the big screens. Fletcher died in May 2022 of a heart ailment. Two years prior, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a thrill for its worldwide following.
Depeche Mode again proved it has met their decade’s demand for nostalgia. We’re commonly looking for Las Vegas theater residency candidates. This genre-bending band is in that class.