Depeche Mode - 101

 "Good Evening Pasadena!"
What a challenge it must have been to the recording engineers when they were asked to capture a defining moment in the rise of Depeche Mode stateside.The culmination of a gruelling tour of the United States at the 60,000 seat Pasadena Rose Bowl.Even those of us with just a cursory knowledge of audio technology would do well to avoid making a recording in an open air stadium.Your environment is against you from the word go.Not only do you have the problem of sound bouncing off the seating stands,you also lose a large amount of audio signal to the very air around you.Also add to that the problem of recording a band that at this point in their career were very technology/electronic reliant.A format that does not lend its self to ambiance or atmosphere!

So it was no mean feat that this document of what must have been a fantastic nights entertainment exists and what a treat to our ears to have it remastered and released in 5.1 SACD surround sound.If you close your eyes,turn the volume up nice and loud,you almost feel like you're there.

Which leads me to what this recording sounds like.Unlike other SACD 5.1 mixes that are out there,this one is purely been mixed to give you the concert experience rather that bury you in the instrumentation.So the band is front and centre,and the crowd is left and right surround.

As far as quality goes you could not ask for a better mix and the stereo mixes also benefit from the remaster.So if you want to feel what it was like to see Depeche Mode live in the 80's.Then "101" is what you need.I can also recommend the DVD version of this release which contains a great doco and part of the show as well as the other more recent DVD releases(eg."Touring The Angel") by the Mode.

"Good Evening Pasadena!" January 27, 2008

 If you only own one Depeche Mode CD
I'm not a big Depeche Mode fan, electronica fan, and I never buy the "live"CD. That said this is an amazing collection and showcase of there best! I have never owned any of the music except a 45 of People are People and thought I should fill the gap in my library. I reviewed all of their albums to see what I wanted and this CD set has more than the singles and best of CD's combined! paired w/ Violator only Walking in My Shoes is missing. Since it arrived I have not been disappointed. If not for the fan noise they are as "on" as any studio session. BUY IT!!!! December 19, 2007

 Awesome live CD
This was an awesome concert and a great live cd. It brings back great memories! If you didn't attend the concert it will still be a great CD to listen to. You can feel the energy of the audience, and if you were at the concert like I was it takes you back in an instant to one of the best concerts I've ever been to. December 31, 2006

 In the classroom with Depeche Mode
I can still remember when I first heard this album. I had it on cassette tape. I had an immediate positive reaction to the music. I was very glad when the cd version was released. this is a wonderfully documented account of a truly original band.As I listen to it, this many years later, the magic still remains. Some live albums fail in the attempt to keep the music fresh. This album succeeds in not only keeping the material fresh it also keeps it exciting! August 21, 2006

 Love It After All These Years
Originally I had 101 on tape, years ago. I had to get it on CD, and I still love it. Nothing has changed, I just remember being in high school and loving Depeche Mode, they helped me through my angst,and the music has really stood up to the test of time!! August 12, 2006

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