Depeche Mode members Martin Gore, left, and Dave Gahan arrive Tuesday in Berlin for a press conference to announce the group’s 2023 tour. Photo: Sven Darmer
Depeche Mode announced a new album and the band’s first concerts in more than five years during a Berlin press conference.
Dave Gahan and Martin Gore said Tuesday that the album “Memento Mori” will be released in March.
The accompanying tour will start with what’s billed as a “special, limited series of North American arena dates,” starting March 23 in Sacramento. The group will then launch a summer stadium tour in Europe.
The news comes a little more than four months after founding member Andy Fletcher, 60, died May 26 of an aortic dissection.
Fletcher was scheduled to join Gahan, Gore, and the team in Santa Barbara and hear the new music, Gahan said.
The album’s Latin title translates to “Remember That You Die.” It was selected before Fletcher’s passing and is meant as a call to action, Gore said.
During the approximately 20 minute press conference, the band shared some snippets of the new music on “Memento Mori,” but didn’t offer any insights or talk about what to expect on the album, Depeche Mode’s 15th studio release.
Depeche Mode has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide since their debut, “Speak and Spell” in 1981.
Next year’s tour will start in Sacramento and take the band to New York’s Madison Square Garden, Chicago’s United Center, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, among other stops.
Fan pre-sale tickets go on sale Thursday, and regular sales on Friday.
In Europe, venues will include the Stade de France in Paris, Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and London’s Twickenham Stadium.
Depeche Mode have not yet announced dates in South America, Mexico, Asia, as well as the full North American tour.
