It’s hard for me to believe, but this week marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Depeche Mode’s signature album Violator. This album sent Depeche Mode into the stratosphere as far as notoriety, and cementing their mark in the world of alternative music. I will never forget how happy my ears were the first time I heard this gem.
This website was created for the purpose of reviewing live music, so I’m not going to go into what makes this album so great. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen and you’ll know. I think not only does it stand the test of time, but you can still hear its influence in much of the music we hear today.
Now obviously I am a lover of live music, and I think what makes a studio album legendary is when songs that weren’t hits, or even singles can be performed years after an album’s release. When those songs are embraced with as much excitement as the hits, then you know an album has reached iconic status. Such is the case with Violator. Of course, you’d expect the crowd to go crazy when they hear “Enjoy the Silence”, or “Personal Jesus”. You might even expect to hear other excellent singles such as “Policy of Truth”, or “World in My Eyes”. But what is amazing is that in their most recent tour, (Completed in March 2014, in which they didn’t come to Utah. What’s up with that Depeche?! Anyway…) Depeche Mode performed not only “Blue Dress”, but “Halo”, both non singles from Violator. These songs were met with the enthusiasm that you’d expect from hearing a #1 hit. In my experience seeing Depeche Mode, I’ve heard them perform “Waiting for the Night”, “Clean”, and “Sweetest Perfection” as well as all the songs previously mentioned.
Tour after tour, Depeche Mode performs at least four and up to six songs from Violator. I think that says a lot for the type of album is it. Do yourself a favor and allow yourself some time to re-listen to this album in its entirety. Something we don’t do much of anymore. And if you have never heard this complete album, it’s time to give yourself a quality education. Happy 25th Violator!
Here are a couple video clips of live versions of songs from Violator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drn7wXarm-I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiE9xLeS7S8