It was a night of heartfelt social messages and raw, unbridled sexuality, a celebration of the qualities that took Depeche Mode's music to the masses with a force that went beyond the synth-pop splendor of their early hits, a few of which they even slipped into a 22-song set that spanned the length of their career.

After setting the tone with the blaring guitar introduction and throat-shredding scream of the Beatles' "Revolution," they made their entrance at Ak-Chin Pavilion with the track that also opens this year's "Spirit."

"Going Backwards" is a brooding meditation on humanity's current flirtation with de-evolution. As David Gahan framed the argument, "We're going backwards / Armed with new technology / Going backwards / To a caveman mentality."

Can't argue that point.

"Going Backwards" was the first of five songs they showcased on Wednesday, Sept. 27, from "Spirit," an album whose underlying themes the front man summed up in an interview with Rolling Stone. "I wouldn't call this a political album," he said, "because I don't listen to music in a political way. But it's definitely about humanity, and our place in that."

On "Where's the Revolution," a song whose chorus demands, "Come on, people, you're letting me down," Gahan sang, "You've been pissed on for too long / Your rights abused / Your views refused / They manipulate and threaten with terror as a weapon / Scare you 'til you're stupified / Wear you down until you're on their side."

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In that same interview with Rolling Stone, Gahan recalled a conversation with Martin Gore about the writing of the album: "Martin said to me, 'I know to some people, this will come off as rich rock stars living in their big houses in Santa Barbara with not a care in the world, and it's true that we're very fortunate. But that doesn't mean you stop caring about what's going on in the world.'"

Depeche Mode's work has been concerned with "what's going on in the world" since the early '80s. Take "Everything Counts," the oldest original they played in Phoenix, which touched off a spirited singalong of "The grabbing hands grab all they can." Or "People Are People," a song they didn't do that would have been a perfect fit for the songs on "Spirit" – a spirit animal even.

They rarely dipped into the '80s, as it turns out. The first early song was "A Question of Lust," nine songs into the set, its synths replaced by a single piano as Gore turned in a tender, emotional reading of the lyrics. "Everything Counts" and "Never Let Me Down Again" retained more of their '80s flavor, as did "Stripped," although that one was closer in spirit to the music they ended up making in the '90s to begin with. And Gore kicked off the encore with a gorgeous, romantic rendition of "Somebody."

"Violator," the 1990 album that became their biggest-selling U.S. hit, provided three obvious highlights - "World in My Eyes," "Enjoy the Silence" and the blues-rocking swagger through "Personal Jesus" that brought the encore to a most triumphant finish. And the followup, 1993's "Songs of Faith and Devotion," yielded three more – "In Your Room," "Walking in My Shoes" and the sexiest number of the night, "I Feel You."

Other highlights ranged from "Barrel of a Gun," which included a snippet of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "The Message" as rapped by Gahan, to "Home," another chance for Gore to take the vocal spotlight.

The stage show made excellent use of video, from the colorful pain splatter image accompanying "Going Backwards" to the Anton Corbijn films, including a bittersweet black-and-white vignette of Gahan as an astronaut.

As live performers, Gore and Gahan are a study in contrasts. Gore, who's written nearly every song that brought that massive crowd to Wednesday's concert, exudes an undeniable sincerity and a vulnerability that makes it easy to relate. He's probably a lot of people's favorite member of Depeche Mode (whose lineup still includes one other founding member, Andy Fletcher).

And then, you have David Gahan, a feral force of nature who was clearly born to front a rock and roll band, working the stage with a sexual energy that's equal parts exotic dancer and a sleazier Mick Jagger, preening, sashaying and strutting with equal abandon.

Performing almost the entire concert in a vest after playfully teasing the crowd with the prospect of losing his jacket for all of one song, he worked the mic stand like a stripper pole and swiveled his hips with his back to the crowd to enhance the effect. His most inspired moment may have been the brushing of some unseen nonsense off his shoulder, with swagger to spare, after rapping his way through "The Message." It was brilliant, really.

And yet, he manages to do all that without detracting from the emotional content of whatever song he happens to be singing while grinding it out (although it does make their sexier material – "I Feel You" or "Stripped," for example – that much sexier). It's a gift.

The fact that Gahan and his bandmates still invest the live show with that kind of energy is half the reason Depeche Mode are still packing venues as massive as Ak-Chin Pavilion after 37 years. The other half is that they refuse to be stuck in the moment that spawned them. Playing five songs from the new release? That's no nostalgia show. And the fact that the new songs are actually worthy additions to the legacy? Hell, I'm already looking forward to the next tour.

Setlist

Going Backwards

So Much Love

Barrel of a Gun

A Pain That I'm Used To

Corrupt

In Your Room

World in My Eyes

Cover Me

A Question of Lust

Home

Poison Heart

Where's the Revolution

Wrong

Everything Counts

Stripped

Enjoy the Silence

Never Let Me Down

Encore

Somebody

Walking in My Shoes

Heroes

I Feel You

Personal Jesus

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