When I was in junior high school, about the time this came out, Depeche Mode were *the* thing. Recently I fished this out of the darkest recesses of my closet and put it on for the first time in I don't know how many years. How interesting to hear the same music with very different ears!

When I was about 15 I came to develop a bias in favor of guitar-based music and against electronic music, so DM fell out of favor in my pantheon for quite some time, but rediscovering them now is quite a trip. Listening to Alan Wilder's beautiful orchestrations and countermelodies ("Shake The Disease", "Blasphemous Rumours", etc.) really makes me realize the possibilities inherent in keyboard-based music, which I never noticed way back in the day. The music is great, no doubts there. The 101 film (out of print), which I recently found on e-bay, is terrific too, although I'm a bit preoccupied with the fact that Andy Fletcher doesn't DO ANYTHING! Dave Gahan's stage act ("Alright! Hey! Ohhhhh!! I wanna hear everybody sing it!") seems somewhat overwrought to those of us into introverted indie-rock these days, so it seems funny now. Martin Gore's (who DM fans revere as a "poet") lyrics tend to be strikingly honest and direct, with a distinct touch of that certain adolescent, vaguely petty angst. What teenager entangled in the social web of his peers wouldn't relate to a song like "The Things You Said"? Depeche Mode's songs have a knack of being irresistibly melodic, true-to-life, and tenderly vulnerable. Put all these together, and you can begin to understand the rabid fanaticism which they inspired in so many people during this heyday in their career. It's documented on every second of this live album, and it's fun to share in it vicariously.

June 8th, 1988. A day that will live in infamy for every Depeche Mode fan. The day that this masterful and truly influential band performed at the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California during their legendary Music For The Masses tour. If there are truly defining moments in life, then this certainly was one of them for DM.

As the opening track PIMPF plays, the crowd begins to lose control and as soon as Behind The Wheel starts up, they've completely lost it. Dave, Martin, Andy, & Alan are all in top form, playing and performing with an intensity unmatched by any other.

Most bands never sound half as good live as they do in the studio. Depeche Mode make it look easy. With the live version of Stripped, DM take an already fantastic single and make it ten times better. Utilizing a mix of Stripped called the Highland Mix, the boys take the opening notes, and instead of cutting them off short as they had originally done, they hold them the full length, which changes the whole diameter of the piece, giving it this truly epic feel. The crowd noise only enhances the experience, giving you this feeling as if the entire world is there screaming and cheering. After Dave sings the first verse and chorus, he cries out defiantly, "Yeeeaaaaaaaggggghhhhh!!!!!!!" igniting the crowd and it is such a powerful moment to behold. I have heard Stripped performed many times, but never with the same strength, passion and veracity that was shown here. I only wish this live version had been released as a single because it truly deserves the status. It is a classic performance all its own.

Martin Gore, our loving curly blonde songwriter, performs three very memorable songs for this concert: Somebody, The Things You Said, and A Question of Lust. Somebody is a love song so honest, pure and forthright in its intentions that one is overcome by its emotional resonance. The live version gives this very intimate song a public feel as the crowd watches and cheers for Martin. As he sings "ten..der..lyyyyy", you know there isn't a dry eye on any teenage girl's face. It's quite interesting that Martin follows up Somebody with The Things You Said, a very melancholy song about betrayal and disappointment which is a complete contrast to Somebody. Later on, A Question of Lust is performed, which is another passionate piece by Martin that's as deep and tender as it is inordinately honest and sweet. All very beautifully performed by Mr. Gore.

"A Brief..Period..Of Rejoicing". The words spoken by Mute Records own Daniel Miller. The song: Black Celebration. A song so darkly gothic and pure, that one becomes lost in it's beautiful tranquility (and never wants to be found). This song speaks to us all, and when performed live, Dave is singing to the choir as it were. This live version from 101 is loved also for speeding up the pace of the song, giving it this added extra urgency. It's hard to believe that this piece never became a single.

Another standout moment from 101 is Never Let Me Down Again, a song written on the grand scale with much debate over it's subject matter (Drugs? Homosexuality? Or just Martin's experience at taking a plane trip with a friend?) 101 director D.A. Pennebaker assumes it's about drugs, but is he right? The band of course never comment. The 101 live version of Never Let Me Down Again is best remembered for Dave getting the crowd to wave their hands back and forth in the air during the instrumental sequence of the song, as if they were fields of wheat blowing in the wind.

Everything Counts, the final song performed, is the icing on the cake. This is one of the best pieces of music that Depeche Mode have ever used to close a concert. It's perfect because not only is it a tremendously powerful song all its own, but it involves the audience at the end. : "The grabbing hands, grab all they can! Everything Counts in large amounts!" over and over again in unison. A very bonding experience for both the band and the audience. After such a breathtaking performance of all these songs, it's hard to believe that the band had thought they had played badly when they left the stage. Very humbling. But it couldn't be further from the truth. 101 is truly a defining moment for Depeche Mode.

Now finally, all these years later since this epic event, 101 the concert has been digitally remastered as a Super Audio CD (SACD) in 5.1 Surround Sound & 2.0. The original 2.0 Stereo version is also included on this 2 disc set. You must have a SACD Player in order to listen to the concert in 5.1, otherwise it will just play in 2.0 Stereo. According to different sources there are errors on tracks 3, 4 and 5. The multi-channel playback does not work on these tracks. Still, a small price to pay to have this remastered 2CD in my opinion.

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Keep Moding!

LCDStumm101 / 0724359470726

It would be easy to laugh contemptuously at the thought of a synth pop act releasing a live album (a double one, at that), but Depeche Mode have done so and pulled it off quite well. "101" is a recording of their famous concert at Pasadena, which elevated them to a full-blown live act capable of selling out at huge American venues. Rock purists will complain that these performances are too clean and efficient, but that's the reason why "101" works. Unlike other rock live albums, there's hardly any off-key singing or shrill, distracting noises. The Mode pulls off the recording like seasoned pros. I really liked the live rendition of the love ballad "Somebody," and the single "Strangelove" loses none of the bite of the original studio recording. Dave Gahan really gets the crowd roused during "Just Can't Get Enough" and "Question of Time," two energetic, upbeat numbers. But the CD hits its high point with their hit "Everything Counts," which eventually was released as a single. Quite frankly, I've heard better live albums, but "101" is sufficient evidence that electronic acts can hold their own on the stage just as well as their rock peers.

Being only a teenager now i didn't know much about depeche mode, only what older friends had told me. I probably would never have become the fan i am now if i didn't find this cd in the bargain bin at my local cd store. The wonderful thing about depeche mode is that they are perfect for fans of all types of music so dont let the fact of them being an electronic band turn you off. They are very talented musicians. After just a few days i had adapted to there style and i feel in love. Standout tracks for me include:everything counts, Blasphemous rumours and a question of lust

Depeche Mode are definitely a live act to be reckoned with and this is a superb example.

Nothing can quite compare to actually being at a DM concert but this comes close enough. Being from SA in the 80s this album was the next best thing. The first time I heard the record I was transfixed by emotion and awe. OK,Im waxing a bit lyrical but without being to subjective this is a strong live album.

The production is excellent and the balance between music and audience audio is perfect,creating enough live atmosphere without detracting from the songs.

Most of the hits up till "MFTM" are on this double CD as well as some great DM standards eg: "Something to do".Other strong tracks (speaking from a live point of view)for me are, "Behind the Wheel","People are People","The things you said","Black Celebration"(love the ending), and of course the single pulled from the album,"Everything Counts"(the audience singing the outro gives goosebumps).

A special album commemorating a special concert and highlight in the bands career, 101 was there final sellout concert for the Masses at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena, a mean feat by any American band, proving that they had what it took to rake them in. After this the band made a conscious decision not to play in such big venues as they felt (and rightly so) that they could not reach there whole audience. They did a pretty good job trying though.