DEPECHE MODE: TOWER RECORDS IN-STORE TO MARK OCTOBER 18 RELEASE OF ‘PLAYING THE ANGEL’; PRIVATE ‘STARTING THE ANGEL’ SHO

DATE: OCTOBER 14, 2005

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN/LATHUM NELSON

DEPECHE MODE:
TOWER RECORDS IN-STORE TO MARK
OCTOBER 18 RELEASE OF ‘PLAYING THE ANGEL’; PRIVATE ‘STARTING THE ANGEL’ SHOW CONFIRMED FOR OCTOBER 28 AT BOWERY BALLROOM IN NEW YORK CITY ;
‘PRECIOUS’ SINGLE AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS;

DEPECHE MODE will mark the release of their new album PLAYING THE ANGEL by signing copies of the disc for fans Tuesday, October 18 at Tower Records in downtown New York City . The influential and pioneering band who began 25 years ago—DAVID GAHAN, MARTIN GORE, ANDREW FLETCHER—have also confirmed rumors of their “Starting The Angel” warm-up club show for contest winners Friday, October 28 at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom. DEPECHE MODE will use the private event to preview their world tour, which launches November 2 in Ft. Lauderdale and returns to New York City ’s Madison Square Garden for two shows (the sold-out December 7 concert and newly-added December 8 date).
 

Excitement for the album has been bolstered by the initial multi-media reaction to the first single and video “Precious,” which Billboard magazine described (9/17/05) as  “an elegant yet stomping number–the song brings together melancholy lyrics; percolating, ethereal synths with the sounds of battling fuzzed-out guitars; and other distorted effects. All hell breaks loose with the killer bridge."

Already an international hit, “Precious” has reached #1 in Italy , Denmark and Spain , the Top 5 in Germany , U.K. and Norway , plus the Top 15 in Holland , Switzerland and Ireland . PLAYING THE ANGEL marks the 11th studio album from DEPECHE MODE, who have sold over 50 million records and have played to approximately 10 million people. The album follows the band's acclaimed 2001 studio release Exciter, which sold more than 2.6 million copies around the world.

The Bowery Ballroom gig will be DEPECHE MODE’s first public performance since November 5, 2001 when their “Exciter” tour concluded in Mannheim , Germany . On that mega-successful trek, the band performed 85 shows to nearly two million people.

Here’s some early critical praise for PLAYING THE ANGEL:

“One of rock’s most underrated survivors plumbs the depths of personal and emotional darkness…It’s crushing dance pop, and their best album since Violator.”

–Bart Blasengame, DETAILS (10/05)

“…remarkable return to form, which recalls many of the band’s provocative peaks. Songs like ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’ seethe with the twisted sexuality of DM classics circa Black Celebration, with Gahan’s ominous baritone leading the way. ‘John The Revelator’ is a gospel-tinged blast that harnesses the arena-readiness of Songs of Faith and Devotion numbers like ‘I Feel You,’ only with even more passion and resolve.”

–Permanent Ink, URB (10/05)

“Now it its 25th year, Depeche Mode has returned with its 11th album, arguably the band’s strongest effort since Violator hit in 1990. From its aggressive introduction through its heartbreaking close, Playing The Angel features Depeche Mode in classic form. Much of the album juxtaposes the harsh, industrial rhythms of 1985’s Black Celebration with the velvet smooth melodies of Violator for a collection wrought with the sort of elegant despair that has earned this band its large and devoted fan base.”

–Liz Ohanesian, OUTBURN (Fall/05)

DEPECHE MODE’s North American tour dates:

DATE                         CITY                                       VENUE
*Wed 11/2                Ft. Lauderdale, FL                BankAtlantic Center

*Thu    11/3                St. Petersburg , FL                St. Pete Times Forum

*Sat     11/5                Atlanta , GA                             The Arena at Gwinnett Center

*Mon   11/7                Houston , TX                            Toyota Center

*Tue    11/8                Dallas , TX                               American Airlines Center

*Wed 11/9                San Antonio , TX                     SBC Center

*Fri      11/11              Denver , CO                            Magness Arena

*Sat     11/12              Salt Lake City , UT                  E Center

+Tue   11/15              Vancouver , BC                       GM Place

+Wed 11/16              Seattle , WA                            Key Arena

+Fri     11/18              San Jose , CA                         HP Pavilion

+Sat    11/19              San Diego , CA                       ipayOne Center (Sports Arena) 

+Mon  11/21              Los Angeles , CA                    Staples Center

+Tue   11/22              Los Angeles , CA                    Staples Center

+Wed  11/23              Anaheim , CA                          Arrowhead Pond

+Fri     11/25              Phoenix , AZ                            Glendale Arena

+Sat    11/26              Las Vegas , NV                       The Joint

+Tue   11/29              Chicago , IL                             Allstate Arena

+Wed  11/30              Detroit , MI                               Palace

+Thu    12/1                Toronto , ON                           Air Canada Center

*Sat     12/3                Atlantic City , NJ                      Borgata

*Sun    12/4                Montreal , QU                         Bell Center

*Wed  12/7                New York , NY              Madison Square Garden

*Thu    12/8                New York , NY              Madison Square Garden

*Fri      12/9                Washington DC                      Patriot Center

*The Bravery supports

+The Raveonettes supports

For more information, visit www.depechemode.com.

###