Location: Ljubljana, Stadion Bežigrad
Concert date: 13.06.2006
Attendance: 14
Ticket price: 9,900 SIT (stands facing the stage and floor) & 11,900 SIT (other stands)
OK, let’s go! Where to? To the Bežigrad stadium, which, by the way, looks dreadful, for the “concert of the year,” as the organizers billed it: Depeche Mode! Since I’m not exactly young and dewy anymore, and since I’m Slovenian, I kind of doubted this event right up to the last minute. Way too many concerts in our little green country have already been cancelled, and Depeche Mode almost went the same way. In March, at least, everything pointed that direction. Some people went to Zagreb, and others probably don’t care enough to go driving all over the place for them. Anyway, when you know they’re playing two meters from your apartment block, you’re going to treat yourself! And there was one more thing Zagreb didn’t get: an opening act that wasn’t Slovenian but the British “androgynous” outfit Placebo! Well, not bad for a Wednesday evening at Bežigrad. And so off we went… First the obligatory purchase of a “red” beer, then mass wandering around the stadium among young and old of every nationality. We find the press entrance, then toss our full beer cans into the trash instead of down the hatch and through the liver (what are you going to do with cans when you can buy a drink inside for 600 SIT and up, right?), and finally we’re in. The curious and the devoted. Which were there more of? Well, both groups were slowly swelling, while we sat in the stands, drank our drinks, checked out the Slovenian VIP scene and waited impatiently for the “British show.”
The stadium was still half empty when Placebo showed up a bit after half past seven and kicked off the songs. I have to admit I’m not a die-hard fan of Brian Molko and his two “companions,” but they still played a solidly good 45 minutes. Even though I figure plenty of the young crowd was there for them, you couldn’t really feel it. The early hour obviously played a part, since the crowd was still happily chatting and drinking, and a half-empty stadium show in broad daylight isn’t exactly the most attractive thing in the world. So, Placebo. They played most of the songs from the album Meds (in some interview Molko was asked whether he’s on any “medication” lately, and he said no, but he’d damn well need some, and he’s probably gotten hold of it by now), and we also heard hits from a few other albums, like Every You, Every Me … Solid, or if you ask me, they pleasantly surprised me. Good sound, “juicy” guitars and the man himself – Molko live! And all that on a Wednesday night!
But there was more, and it was none other than DM! We’ve been listening to them for over 20 years, and it would’ve been a sin to miss them. Dave Gahan, sober again after a long time, or rather healed again, the “angelic” Martin Gore (with “glued-on” little wings on his back) and Andy Fletcher! They started with A Pain That I’m Used To and woke up those who had come exclusively for the Depeches. The stage was colorfully designed, from a giant sphere to screens showing what was happening on stage. A glistening, oiled-up Dave was in the “feeling,” although he gave the crowd no more than a couple of “how are you?”s. But he was just the way we’re used to from the videos and concert DVDs. And that’s how we like him! They had a few songs from the new record, like Suffer Well, Precious, John The Revelator, then some older ones, A Question Of Time, Stripped, Shake The Disease, Never Let Me Down and of course the most commercial ones: Enjoy The Silence, Walking In My Shoes, Personal Jesus, I Feel You, which also fired up our dear Slovenes the most (and everybody else there). Maybe it was the “booze in the veins,” the later hour, a better band or just the more familiar songs, but the crowd got into it and sang the choruses along with Gahan. I admit, with all of that I loosened up too and had a blast along with the 14-thousand-strong crowd. With the last song, Never Let Me Down, they left the stage and, despite the whistling, yelling and pleading, never came back out. As always! Just when it gets craziest, it’s all over!
That was that. Expectations were higher, but for now concerts like this are rare around here, so let’s be happy with what the organizers offer us. Slowly we went our separate ways – some on to Metelkova mesto, others further around Ljubljana… But I was most disappointed with the turnout. It’s true. For Slovenes, DM aren’t Siddharta (or Kelly Familiy, if anyone remembers them!), who’d fill a stadium to the last corner, but you just don’t miss a concert by legends like this. Even if only out of pure curiosity! Yeah, we’re far from Europe or from anything really… but one thing is for sure – the prices were way too salty! Whatever, I had a great time, I was in good company and with good music. And that’s the only thing that matters… See you next time at Bežigrad. One more piece of info (unverified) – they supposedly threw a wild party backstage, with young ladies and assorted substances, but let’s say we doubt it. That they treated themselves to a proper “Slovenian” burek, though, is entirely likely. If anyone saw Depeche Mode on Miklošičeva, let me know!
Setlist
Placebo set list:
1. Infra – Red
2. Meds
3. Because I Want You
4. Drag
5. Song To Say Goodbye
6. Every You Every Me
7. One Of A Kind
8. The Bitter End
9. Running Up That Hill
10. 20 Years
Depeche Mode set list:
1. Intro
2. A Pain That I’m Used To
3. A Question Of Time
4. Suffer Well
5. Precious
6. Walking In My Shoes
7. Stripped
8. Home
9. It Doesn’t Matter Two
10. In Your Room
11. Nothing’s Impossible
12. John The Revelator
13. I Feel You
14. Behind The Wheel
15. World In My Eyes
16. Personal Jesus
17. Enjoy The Silence
–encore
18. Shake The Disease
19. Photographic
20. Never Let Me Down Again
Photo Gallery
