Exciter Tour Press Release
As their haunting new single "Dream On" gets ready to impact radio in a few days, DAVE GAHAN, MARTIN GORE and ANDREW FLETCHER today (March 13) announced the dates of DEPECHE MODE's "EXCITER TOUR", a massive five-month, 24-country world tour, at a press conference in Hamburg, Germany. In America, "EXCITER TOUR" is being presented by MTV2.
The tour takes its name from the title of DEPECHE MODE's forthcoming album EXCITER, due out May 15 on Mute/Reprise. The journey launches June 15 in Montreal, Canada; reaches the United States June 19 in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a summer-long run of arenas and sheds; touches down overseas August 28 in Tallin, Estonia; and concludes October 30 in Istanbul, Turkey. This marks DEPECHE MODE's first concert tour since 1998's "The Singles Tour", where they played to over 1,000,000 fans in 18 countries.
Testifying to the vitality and growing popularity of DEPECHE MODE, the tour will bring the pioneering band, who've sold over 50 million albums, to such countries as Ukraine and Turkey for the first time. Says GORE: "We consider it our good fortune that our concert itinerary has expanded. Performing in front of new fans for the first time is an added bonus and inspires us to keep pushing forward creatively."
"EXCITER TOUR" will again feature the innovative stage design of their longtime artistic collaborator Anton Corbijn. "Always weird, very Anton" is how GAHAN describes the unique visual element that Anton--who's photographed and created classic videos for the band--brings to their stage show. "Anton is someone who doesn't merely listen to our music, he gets inside of it and interprets it in a way that always surprises us."
From their 10 studio albums, DEPECHE MODE started with a list of 100 potential songs to perform, "narrowing it down to 25," reveals FLETCHER. Classic DEPECHE MODE songs will mingle with various songs from EXCITER, which signals a new era of creativity for the band. Working for the first time with producer Mark Bell (best known for producing Bjork's Homogenic and Selmasongs), they've come up with an album where the sounds (electronic and acoustic) are strikingly varied, the songs are emotionally rich, and GAHAN's vocals are even more resonant than before. Which songs from EXCITER will make the set list? "We're actually wrestling with that decision right now," says FLETCHER.
For the upcoming dates, DEPECHE MODE are welcoming the return of the musicians who accompanied them on their last tour: Christian Eigner (drums), Peter Gordino (keyboards), and Janet Ramus and Jordan Bailey (backing vocals).
Meanwhile, the release of "Dream On" to radio will be followed shortly thereafter by the debut of the Stephane Sednaoui-directed video, shot in February in the desert near Barstow, California. Expect a video that will be as mysterious as the song itself, which contrasts skittering beats with acoustic guitars and lyrics like "It sucked you in, it dragged you down/To where there is no hallowed ground/Where holiness is never found." Fans anticipating EXCITER have been logging into the band's website (www.depechemode.com) to hear 30-second snippets of various songs from the album.
Press release was taken from official Depeche Mode web-site.
EXCITER TOUR DATES
| North American Dates | ||||
| June 2001 | ||||
| Mon | 4 | Los Angeles | ROXY Club | warm up show, tickets were spread by KROQ |
| Mon | 11 | Quebec City, CAN | Colisee Pepsi Arena | warm up show, on sale since April 27th |
| Wed | 13 | Ottawa, CAN | Corel Centre | warm up show, on sale since April 17th |
| Fri | 15 | Montreal, CAN | Molson Centre | on sale since April 20th |
| Sat | 16 | Toronto, CAN | Molson Amphitheatre | on sale since April 12th |
| Tue | 19 | St. Paul, MN | XCEL Energy Center | on sale since April 28th |
| Wed | 20 | Milwaukee, WI | Marcus Amphitheater | on sale since April 28th |
| Fri | 22 | Chicago, IL | World Music Theatre | on sale since April 28th |
| Sat | 23 | Detroit, MI | DTE Energy Music Theater | on sale since April 20th |
| Sun | 24 | Cleveland, OH | Blossom Music Center | on sale since April 28th |
| Wed | 27 | New York City, NY | Madison Square Garden | on sale since April 23rd |
| Thu | 28 | New York City, NY | Madison Square Garden | on sale since April 28th |
| Sat | 30 | Philadelphia, PA | First Union Center | on sale since April 28th |
| July 2001 | ||||
| Sun | 1 | Boston, MA | Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts | on sale since April 27th |
| Tue | 3 | Wantagh, NY | Jones Beach Amphitheatre | on sale since May 12th |
| Thu | 5 | Washington, DC | Merriweather Post Pavillion | on sale since April 21st |
| Sat | 7 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | National Car Rental Center | on sale since April 28th |
| Sun | 8 | Tampa, FL | Ice Palace | on sale since April 28th |
| Mon | 9 | Atlanta, GA | Hi Fi Buys Amphitheatre | on sale since April 21st |
| Fri | 13 | New Orleans, LA | UNO Lakefront Arena | on sale since April 21st |
| Sat | 14 | Houston, TX | Cynthia Wood Mitchell Pavillion | on sale since April 27th |
| Sun | 15 | San Antonio, TX | South Texas Amphitheatre | on sale since May 5th |
| Tue | 17 | Dallas, TX | Smirnoff Music Center | on sale since April 20th |
| Thu | 19 | Las Cruces, NM | Pan American Center | on sale since May 5th |
| Fri | 20 | Albuquerque, NM | Journal Pavilion | on sale since May 5th |
| Sat | 21 | Denver, CO | Fiddlers Green Amphitheatre | on sale since May 5th |
| Mon | 23 | Salt Lake City, UT | E Center | on sale since April 21st |
| Fri | 27 | Portland, OR | Rose Garden Arena | on sale since April 28th |
| Sat | 28 | Vancouver, BC | Pacific Coliseum | on sale since May 4th |
| Sun | 29 | Seattle, WA | Gorge Amphitheatre | on sale since May 5th |
| August 2001 | ||||
| Wed | 1 | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento Valley Amphitheatre | on sale since April 28th |
| Fri | 3 | Concord, CA | Chronicle Pavilion at Concord | on sale since April 29th |
| Fri | 4 | San Francisco, CA | Shoreline Amphitheatre | on sale since April 29th |
| Sun | 5 | Santa Barbara, CA | Santa Barbara Bowl | on sale since May 5th |
| Wed | 8 | Las Vegas, NV | The Joint | on sale since May 5th |
| Fri | 10 | Phoenix, AZ | America West Arena | on sale since April 29th |
| Sat | 11 | San Diego, CA | Coors Amphitheatre | on sale since April 28th |
| Tue | 14 | Los Angeles, CA | Staples Center Arena | on sale since May 6th |
| Wed | 15 | Los Angeles, CA | Staples Center Arena | on sale since May 6th |
| European Dates | ||||
| August 2001 | ||||
| Tue | 28 | Tallin, Estonia | Song Festival Grounds | on sale since March 13th |
| Wed | 29 | Riga, Latvia | Skonto Stadium | (T.B.A.) |
| Fri | 31 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Vingis Park | on sale since May 28th |
| September 2001 | ||||
| Sun | 2 | Warsaw, Poland | Horse Race Track | on sale since April 5th |
| Tue | 4 | Prague, Czech Republic | Paegas Arena | on sale since March 14th |
| Wed | 5 | Berlin, Germany | Waldbuhne | on sale since March 19th |
| Thu | 6 | Berlin, Germany | Waldbuhne | on sale since March 19th |
| Sat | 8 | Hamburg, Germany | Trabrenbahn | on sale since March 19th |
| Sun | 9 | Leipzig, Germany | Festwiese | on sale since March 19th |
| Tue | 11 | Vienna, Austria | Stadhalle | on sale since March 19th |
| Tue | 12 | Budapest, Hungary | Kisstadion | on sale since May 18th or 21st |
| Fri | 14 | Kiev, Ukraine Ukraine | Palace | CANCELED |
| Sun | 16 | Moscow, Russia | Olympiski | on sale since May 9th |
| Tue | 18 | St. Petersburg, Russia | SKK Arena | on sale since April 20th |
| Wed | 19 | Helsinki, Finland | Hartwall Arena | on sale since May 14th |
| Fri | 21 | Stockholm, Sweden | Globe | on sale since May 14th |
| Sat | 22 | Oslo, Norway | Spectrum | on sale since May 14th |
| Sun | 23 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Parken Stadium | on sale since May 14th |
| Tue | 25 | Amneville, France | Galaxy | on sale since March 15th |
| Wed | 26 | Cologne, Germany | Kolnarena | on sale since March 19th |
| Thu | 27 | Cologne, Germany | Kolnarena | on sale since March 20th |
| Sat | 29 | Munich, Germany | Olympia Halle | on sale since March 19th |
| Sun | 30 | Munich, Germany | Olympia Halle | on sale since March 19th |
| October 2001 | ||||
| Tue | 2 | Nurnburg, Germany | Eishalle | on sale since March 19th |
| Wed | 3 | Stuttgart, Germany | Schleyerhalle | on sale since March 19th |
| Thu | 4 | Zurich, Switzerland | Hallenstadion | on sale since March 19th |
| Sat | 6 | Oberhausen, Germany | Arena | on sale since March 19th |
| Sun | 7 | Antwerp, Belgium | Sport Paleis | on sale since March 14th |
| Tue | 9 | Paris, France | Bercy | on sale since March 15th |
| Wed | 10 | Paris, France | Bercy | on sale since March 10th |
| Thu | 11 | Frankfurt, Germany | Festhalle | on sale since March 19th |
| Sat | 13 | Barcelona, Spain | Palau St Jordi | on sale since March 21st |
| Sun | 14 | Madrid, Spain | Palacio De Vistalegre | on sale since March 21st |
| Wed | 17 | London, UK | Wembley | on sale since March 30th |
| Thu | 18 | London, UK | Wembley | on sale since April 9th |
| Sat | 20 | Manchester, UK | MEN Arena | on sale since March 30th |
| Sun | 21 | Birmingham, UK | NEC | on sale since March 30th |
| Tue | 23 | Lyon, France | Halle Tony Garnier | on sale since March 15th |
| Wed | 24 | Milan, Italy | Forum | on sale since March 26th |
| Thu | 25 | Bologna, Italy | Palamalaguti | on sale since March 26th |
| Sun | 28 | Athens, Greece | Basket Ball Arena | on sale since March 26th |
| Tue | 30 | Istanbul, Turkey | Abdi Ipekci Arena | on sale since May 15th |
| Sat | 3 | Zagreb, Croatia | Dom Sportova | on sale since September 17th |
| Mon | 5 | Mannheim, Germany | Maimarkthalle | on sale since September 20th |
Poe will be the opening act for North American leg of the Exciter Tour.
Poe do 30-minute set.
Opening Acts for European LegSet changes
On some shows Surrender, Sister Of Night, Dressed in Black, It Doesn't Matter Two, Judas replace The Bottom Line (All these songs were sang by Martin!!!), and Condemnation replace Clean.
I Feel Loved was rejected from European Leg set-list.
Some show details
The stage design is very minimalistic again. A lot of red and green lights are used. At the very top of the stage (just above the musicians) a lot of little red lights on wires (like the Christmas lights used for the Christmas tree) are deployed like blinds, there are four of them. The drummer locates in center at the back of stage; Martin is at his left (when you look at the stage); Dave - at the front; both keyboards are to the right of the drummer; the backing singers are sometimes at the far right and sometimes in the back flanking the drummer. Some neon lights are on the stage behind each keyboard bank.
A big white screen fills the back of the stage, it is split into two parts horizontaly, and top half of the screen moves to a 45 degree position at some points). Some projected films (only during about 6 songs):
In Your Room : some goldfishes in the top half of the screen and a shark in the bottom half of the screen;All other time were only abstract images and Exciter album/singles cover images.
By the way, DM use drums in almost every song. Real rockers ;))
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