Depeche Mode brought their
music to the masses and gave us a black celebration (whatever, sue me.) On the
road promoting their 14th 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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