Concert Review: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Depeche Mode

For 50,000 people clapping in unison, this was the night they'll fondly recall as having found their "Personal Jesus."

By KEN MCBRIDE
Depeche Mode Dave Gahan 88 248 (photo credit: )
Depeche Mode Dave Gahan 88 248
(photo credit: )
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Depeche Mode Ramat Gan Stadium May 10 I used to listen to Depeche Mode in high school, 15 years ago. I did my best to remember the band's hits as they were played Sunday night at the Ramat Gan stadium. Following, I can report that reviews of this show should be as uninteresting as the performance itself - though it's nice that Depeche Mode and opening act the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came to perform a gig, completing their contractual obligation at this embarrassing venue: a soccer stadium next to a mall. Depeche Mode's opening song, "In Chains," adequately sums up the experience. Huge screens showed a clichéd video reminiscent of a Benetton ad: an old white guy alongside a young black kid. Over the course of the song, one morphed into the other and vice versa - ooh! - though, apparently, for 50,000 people clapping in unison, this was the night they'll fondly recall as having found their "Personal Jesus." It did seem that many revelers enhanced their concert experience with marijuana. Oddly, this substance was allowed into the stadium, while all liquids were contraband. Any person found to be in possession of a bottle - any bottle - was forced to leave his beverage behind, creating what looked like huge open bars surrounding the trash bin at every entrance. This lack of recycling containers was as shocking as it was a gross injustice to Ramat Gan's cleanliness. Thank God for the homeless people who spent their evening listening to these visiting rockers while searching through piles of rubbish to make a few shekels. In the meantime, I'm waiting for the news that Bruce Springsteen is coming to play here. And, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a cool venue to boot, like a huge Florentin street party or at the park in Neveh Sha'anan - you know, for free.