Depeche Mode, Peter Hook and The Light, A Place To Bury Strangers: Reviewed

Depeche Mode brought their music to the masses and gave us a black celebration (whatever, sue me.) On the road promoting their 14^th studio album, Spirit, the iconic British electronic band presented their mega successful Global Spirit Tour May 27 one last time to American audiences with a sold-out appearance at the AT&T Center, flawlessly banging out their biggest hits and album-oriented material to an enthusiastic crowd of 15,000. The band, comprised of vocalist Dave Gahan, guitarist Martin Gore, keyboardists Andy Fletcher and Peter Gordeno and drummer Christian Eigner impeccably delivered song after song as they cataloged their entire career into an energetic two-hour set, proving why four decades after their debut they remain a vital presence. With deep running roots in San Antonio’s music scene, audiences excitedly sang and danced through the night. If their show and fan response was any strong indicator, they surely have another album and one final world tour left under their belts before calling it a day. San Francisco alternative band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club opened the show.

Former Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook, along with his band The Light, presented the twin compilation Substance, a collection of JD/NO material at the Paper Tiger May 30. The sold-out crowd of roughly 800 went wild as familiar tunes like “Bizarre Love Triangle”, “Blue Monday” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart” filled the sweaty club for a near two and half hours. San Antonio is a solid new wave town and many in attendance were present at the Depeche Mode show earlier in the week. The city’s keen and eager embrace of new wave is the reason Joy Division and New Order still resonate decades after their formation. This performance was the closest to a proper JD set we’ll get from a surviving founding member. Peter Hook and The Light played like a band half their age to an animated crowd, ensuring the legacy of each band will continue to live on.

Brooklyn noise band A Place To Bury Strangers brought their Pinned Tour to Austin June 1 at Barracuda with a strong 11. Known for playing not so quiet sets, the trio delivered their brand of gazey “wall of sound” punk to ear-splitting volumes complete with heavy fog and frenetic, seizure-inducing strobe lighting that was not for faint of heart. On the road promoting their fifth album, the surprisingly quiet (to band standards) Pinned, APTBS is band not to be missed if your flavors fall in line with post-punk psychedelic shoegaze.

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