Depeche Mode Shorts KC Fans At Starlight Show
By Timothy Finn ~
The 5,500 fans who attended Wednesday night’s Depeche Mode concert at Starlight Theatre got much less than they bargained for.
The concert was cut short not long after the band’s road manager announced that lead singer Dave Gahan could no longer perform.
“We are unable to continue because we have lost our man in the middle,” he said.
Gahan sang the first six songs, the last of which was ‘Stripped’. The band fumbled the beginning to that song, then restarted it. That’s when things turned weird. Gahan messed up some of the lyrics and, for the third time in six songs, turned his microphone toward the crowd so fans would sing the chorus. Some fans up front said Gahan seemed distressed. Others thought his voice wasn’t in top form.
“When the band messed up, it looked like he was upset,” said Diane Plymale of Overland Park.
“I thought he looked agitated during Stripped,” said Mike Winkler. “His voice sounded all right but it wasn’t that haunting baritone he’s known for.”
After ‘Stripped’, the band started ‘In Your Room’, but halted it, too. After some huddling onstage, Martin Gore, the band’s chief songwriter, performed ‘Home’. Then someone announced that the band was experiencing “technical difficulties,” so Gore sang ‘It Doesn’t Matter Two’.
After the manager’s announcement, the crowd was asked whether Gore should keep singing. Most people cheered in approval. Gore told them Gahan had suffered a “medical emergency” and sang three more songs. Then the crowd was told the show was officially
over – about 50 minutes after it started.
Live Nation, which promoted the show, referred The Star to the Mitch Schneider Organization, a public relations firm in Sherman Oaks, California. As of noon Thursday band had not issued an official statement about the show or any plans for a makeup concert – if there will be one.
Fans, some of whom drove from St. Louis and Omaha, Nebraska, are hoping for some retribution from a band that doesn’t tour often. Tickets for Wednesday’s show were $75 plus service charges.
“I’m a huge fan,” said Plymale, who had seats 10 rows from the stage. “It’s not the money; I want to see them again. INXS rescheduled; why can’t they?”
Winkler said he thought Gore could have helped the situation by performing more than six songs.
“There was some consolation having Martin come out,” he said. “But I wish he would have done more.”
Source: The Kansas City Star
