By Amber Shaffer, SDAM Staff Writer
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com/Amber Shaffer

You know it, and I know it, so let's just get it out of the way now - I did not go to see Dave Gahan for his new solo stuff; I wanted to hear Depeche Mode. And in the end, I was not disappointed. Plus Gahan's a hottie, although I hear if you get close, you can see how old he looks now. That's why I stayed in my seat and watched him shake & shimmy his black hip-hugger covered ass from a safe, blurry distance. Actually, thanks to House of Blues, I had really good seats. If you've never been to Copley Symphony Hall for a show, I highly recommend the venue. One, it's beautiful (except for the flags on either side of the stage) and two, it's got great seats. I was seven rows back, on the center isle and it was awesome! Had I actually had to pay to get into the show, I probably would have been up in the balcony, but the view from up there looked pretty good too. But who am I kidding? Nothing beats seventh row! Well, except front row, that is. Now, I thought I was at the Dave Gahan Solo Tour but turns out it was more like the Dave Gahan Sexy Workout Video. If I do jumping jacks to "Personal Jesus" next time I go to Sabbat, will I simultaneously look ridiculous and hot, just like Dave? And when you're ready to feel the burn, feel free to join him in the Flashdance spin. And for warm up (and I do mean warm), there's the aforementioned ass wiggling and hip-shakin, guaranteed to burn off love handles and saddlebags. Recommended exercise clothing is a pair of low slung jeans and t-shirt. Which you if you don't rip off by song three, you obviously arenšt working hard enough. For the most part, the crowd was as expected: Goths, post-goths, 80s music fans, and Latinos (was Morrissey in the house?). But there was that one pair of dudes in the front row high-fiving each other during every song. They must have taken a wrong turn on the way to the Padres game. And some other frat guy, obviously a friend of the meat-heads down front, who jumped on the stage during the last song and stood there with his hands raised over his head. Just...weird. Besides Personal Jesus, other DM songs (I can remember) that filled the hall were World in my Eyes, I Feel You, Never Let Me Down Again, and an acoustic Enjoy the Silence. There were more, but I think Dave knocked them all out of my head when he grabbed his crotch at the lyric "my little one" from A Question of Time. Overall, a fun show after he got through his solo stuff which wasn't very captivating (Martin Gore is god). I think the $60 ticket price was a bit steep, but it was a sold out show, so I guess most people in town are more devoted than I. And the bass player with the missing front tooth might have actually been worth the money. I didn't know the British could be so ghetto. The show ended relatively early and since it was Thursday, my cohorts and I rallied and went over to Shooterz who hosts my favorite 80s dance night. Take a wild guess at what band we heard whilst trying to perfect our Gahan-hip-shake...