Thursday, April 16, 2020

Depeche Mode - Recording the Angel (Live) (2006) | Album Review, Fun Facts & Trivia

Depeche Mode - Recording the Angel (Live) (2006)

Depeche Mode – Recording the Angel (Live) (2006)

Release date: 10 October 2006
Label: Mute Records / Sire Records
Format: Live album / DVD
Genre: Electronic, synth-pop, alternative rock
Length: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes (DVD version)

Recording the Angel (Live) captures Depeche Mode’s historic Touring the Angel performances in 2005–2006, showcasing the band at a peak stage of live performance energy. It’s one of the most comprehensive live recordings in the band’s career, emphasizing the emotional intensity of Playing the Angel tracks alongside classic hits.

Background

Following the release of Playing the Angel in 2005, Depeche Mode embarked on the Touring the Angel world tour, which ran from October 2005 to August 2006, covering Europe, North America, and other regions.

Key points about this live release:

Filmed and recorded at Olympic Stadium, Barcelona, Spain, during the European leg
Captures a visually striking and technologically advanced production, with Anton Corbijn’s signature lighting, video, and stage design
Features a setlist spanning their entire career, including Playing the Angel tracks, classic 80s hits, and fan favorites

Tracklist (DVD – Barcelona Performance)

A Pain That I’m Used To
World in My Eyes
Walking in My Shoes
Precious
A Question of Time
In Your Room
John the Revelator
Black Celebration
Never Let Me Down Again
Stripped
Suffer Well
I Feel You
Enjoy the Silence

Encore:
14. I Feel Loved
15. Personal Jesus
16. Just Can’t Get Enough

Note: CD and DVD versions sometimes differ slightly in track inclusion.

Album Credits

Depeche Mode:

Dave Gahan – Lead vocals
Martin Gore – Keyboards, guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on select tracks
Andy Fletcher – Keyboards

Live Band / Additional Musicians:

Christian Eigner – Drums
Peter Gordeno – Keyboards, piano, backing vocals

Production & Design:

Anton Corbijn – Director, cinematography, and visual design
David Bascombe – Mixing and mastering of audio recording

Commercial Performance

Peaked at No. 7 on the UK Music Video Charts
Peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Top Music Videos
Certified Platinum in several countries for video/DVD sales

The release was praised for its high-quality audio and visuals, capturing the energy and scale of Depeche Mode’s stadium performances.

Highlights & Features

Dynamic setlist: Includes hits spanning 1980–2005, appealing to both long-time fans and new listeners
Anton Corbijn visuals: Massive LED screens, iconic black-and-white imagery, and striking stage design
Vocal performance: Dave Gahan’s energetic and commanding stage presence is a focal point
Live reinterpretations: Songs from Playing the Angel often feature extended arrangements, additional instrumentation, and electronic layering

Fun Facts 🎤

The Touring the Angel tour became one of Depeche Mode’s highest-grossing tours, playing to over 2 million fans worldwide.
“Suffer Well” was performed live extensively during this tour, a rarity as it was a Gahan co-written track.
The DVD release was one of the first Depeche Mode live recordings to integrate 5.1 surround sound for home viewing.
This live recording features the largest stage production in Depeche Mode’s career up to that point, with elaborate lighting rigs and video screens.
“Just Can’t Get Enough,” a classic 80s hit, closes the show, bridging early synth-pop with modern performance style.

Did You Know? 🤔

Recording the Angel was filmed over multiple nights, but the Barcelona performance is considered the definitive version for the DVD.
The title is a play on Playing the Angel, highlighting the live interpretation of the studio album.
Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno, the touring musicians, have remained integral to Depeche Mode’s live performances since the mid-2000s.
The tour marked a return to large-scale stadium shows after several smaller tours in the 1990s.
This live recording captures the evolution of Depeche Mode’s sound from early synth-pop to the darker, rock-influenced style of the 2000s.