After 11 months, over 40 players, and countless hours of planning and listening, the Tournament of Champions is here! Who with the what now? Let me backtrack a bit …
If you’ve ever seen posts on social media that start off with one openly wondering what others would like their favorite bands to include in their live set lists, and then noticed these posts often went nowhere, join the club.
These did trigger an idea with us, though … and bear with us … what if they did go somewhere?
Which brings us to the Depeche Mode Live Set List Fantasy Draft! We came up with a “fiendishly clever” system which allows 7 players to select songs in a wrap-around snake style (just like in online fantasy sports games), in order for all to create imaginary Depeche Mode live set lists. Each set list is comprised of 21 songs: a) an instrumental opener; b) 17 Dave songs; and c) 3 Martin songs.
The process involves having an online draft night where we all come together to select our songs, share stories, and all in all have a blast in the company of other super fans. Then, we each go off and craft our set lists to be shared with the rest of the group. Next, we all take time to listen to these set lists and rank them from most to least amazing because let’s face it, they’re all great. Finally, a winner is crowned and earns our undying admiration.
In versions 1 and 2, we were really testing the system out. Seeing what worked, what didn’t, what could be better, and what new things we could incorporate. With versions 3 to 5, we took our set lists to the internet on Radio.co and allowed the whole world to listen in to our creations. With the closing of the host though, we have relocated the airings to this very page via MixCloud with somewhat on-demand availability for any listener from version 6 onward. No interruptions (ahem, YouTube), but all the versions the players wanted (looking at you, Spotify). We’ve also added the element of pre-set hype tracks and final outros for the players to show off some of their other influences.
Each set list’s details will be added the day after it airs in full. But once the set’s audio player is posted on the participant’s day, the set list can be listened to at any time.
Day 1 – 4/21 – Strangelive Tour – Presented by David Ethredge – YouTube – WINNER! 1st Place
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | Asphalt Kiss (Matrixxman Remix) | (by Null+Void) |
| 1 | Fpimp | |
| 2 | A Question of Time | Live ’06 |
| 3 | Suffer Well | Live ’06 |
| 4 | So Much Love | |
| 5 | Dangerous | Sensual Mix |
| 6 | Only When I Lose Myself | Lexicon Avenue Remix Edit |
| 7 | Martyr | Booka Shade Full Vocal Edit |
| 8 | Light | |
| 9 | Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth (M) | |
| 10 | The Things You Said (M) | Live ’88 |
| 11 | John the Revelator | Live ’06 |
| 12 | Soothe My Soul | Angello vs. Lu Cont Remix |
| 13 | Nodisco | Umangus Buttmach Mix |
| 14 | Shout! | Live ’82 |
| 15 | Master And Servant | Live ’84 |
| 16 | People Are People | Live ’88 |
| 17 | Heroes | Highline Session |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 18 | Judsas (M) | Live ’06 |
| 19 | Freelove | Live ’01 |
| 20 | Strangelove | Live ’88 |
| 21 | Goodnight Lovers | Live ’06 |
| Outro | Ion | (by Placebo) |
Day 2 – 4/22 – Ultra Devotee Tour – Presented by Mark Jones – YouTube
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | 20-XX | (by Machines in Heaven) |
| 1 | Interlude #2 | |
| 2 | Higher Love | Live ’93 |
| 3 | Halo | |
| 4 | Peace | |
| 5 | Useless | |
| 6 | World In My Eyes | Live ’17 |
| 7 | I Am You | |
| 8 | Death’s Door (M) | Live ’93 |
| 9 | Fail (M) | |
| 10 | Insight | |
| 11 | Sister of Night | |
| 12 | Get Right With Me | Live ’93 |
| 13 | Lilian | |
| 14 | Love, In Itself | Live ’83 |
| 15 | See You | Live ’84 |
| 16 | Fools | |
| 17 | A Pain That I’m Used To | Live ’14 |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 18 | Somebody (M) | Live ’84 |
| 19 | Cover Me | Live ’18 |
| 20 | Dreaming of Me | Live ’81 |
| 21 | Just Can’t Get Enough | Live ’18 |
| Outro | Die For Your Love | (by Atom Tree) |
Day 3 – 4/23 – Rush Back To Me Tour – Presented by Jeff Ford – YouTube Promo / YouTube – 3rd Place
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | Deception | (by Jeff Ford) |
| 1 | Big Muff | BBC ’81 |
| 2 | Barrel of a Gun | Live ’17 |
| 3 | The Sinner In Me | Live ’06 |
| 4 | Something to Do | Live ’88 |
| 5 | Rush | Live ’93 |
| 6 | Nothing’s Impossible | Live ’06 |
| 7 | Angel | Live ’13 |
| 8 | Heaven | Studio Session |
| 9 | I Want You Now (M) | Live ’18 |
| 10 | Macro (M) | Live ’06 |
| 11 | The Love Thieves | Ambient Mix |
| 12 | Alone | Midas Remix |
| 13 | Come Back | Live ’09 |
| 14 | So Cruel | |
| 15 | Where’s the Revolution | Live ’17 |
| 16 | Wrong | Live ’09 |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 17 | Sometimes (M) | Orchestral Mix |
| 18 | Happiest Girl | Jack Mix |
| 19 | Tora! Tora! Tora! | Live ’82 |
| 20 | Ice Machine | Live ’84 |
| 21 | Personal Jesus | Live ’09 |
| Outro | Crumbled | (by Jeff Ford) |
Day 4 – 4/24 – Black Celebration World Violation ’22 – Presented by Rob Rohm – YouTube
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | Feels Like Winter | (by Rob Rohm) |
| 1 | Christmas Island | |
| 2 | Black Celebration | Live ’86 |
| 3 | Fly on the Windscreen | Live ’86 |
| 4 | Dressed In Black | Record Mirror Version |
| 5 | Lie to Me | Live ’84 |
| 6 | Corrupt | Studio Session |
| 7 | Surrender | Bare |
| 8 | Clean | Bare |
| 9 | Here Is The House (M) | Live ’90 |
| 10 | World Full of Nothing (M) | Live ’90 |
| 11 | Going Backwards | Highline Session |
| 12 | Secret to the End | |
| 13 | Condemnation | Live ’93 |
| 14 | The Darkest Star | |
| 15 | Better Days | |
| 16 | Should Be Higher | Live ’13 |
| 17 | Precious | Live ’13 |
| 18 | Sea of Sin | Sensoria |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 19 | Home (M) | Live ’10 |
| 20 | It’s No Good | Live ’97 |
| 21 | Route 66 | Live ’90 |
| Outro | Speed of Life | (by David Bowie) |
Day 5 – 4/25 – The Tour to End All Tours – Presented by Mads Kruse – YouTube
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | YAK | (by Motor) |
| 1 | Oberkorn (It’s A Small Town) | Live ’82 |
| 2 | My Secret Garden | Live ’82 |
| 3 | New Life | Live ’82 |
| 4 | Photographic | Live ’82 |
| 5 | More Than a Party | Live ’86 |
| 6 | Two Minute Warning | Live ’84 |
| 7 | New Dress | |
| 8 | Puppets | |
| 9 | Shouldn’t Have Done That | |
| 10 | Sweetest Perfection (M) | |
| 11 | It Doesn’t Matter Two (M) | |
| 12 | I Want It All | |
| 13 | Ghost | |
| 14 | Little 15 | |
| 15 | In Your Memory | |
| 16 | Walking In My Shoes | Live ’09 |
| 17 | Enjoy the Silence | Live ’09 |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 18 | Leave In Silence (M) | Live ’06 |
| 19 | Dream On | Live ’01 |
| 20 | Boys Say Go! | Live ’82 |
| 21 | Policy of Truth | Live ’09 |
| Outro | 2 | (by Recoil) |
Day 6 – 4/26 – Wilder Than Ever Tour – Presented by Jenna Rose Robbins – YouTube – 2nd Place
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | Cecilia Ann | (by The Pixies) |
| 1 | Interlude #1 | |
| 2 | I Feel You | |
| 3 | Stories of Old | |
| 4 | If You Want | |
| 5 | Pleasure, Little Treasure | Glitter Mix |
| 6 | Stripped | Highland Mix |
| 7 | Shake the Disease | Remixed Extended |
| 8 | In Your Room | Zephyr Mix |
| 9 | To Have And To Hold | |
| 10 | Blue Dress (M) | |
| 11 | One Caress (M) | |
| 12 | The Sun & The Rainfall | |
| 13 | Get the Balance Right | |
| 14 | The Landscape Is Changing | |
| 15 | Flexible | |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 16 | A Question of Lust (M) | |
| 17 | Work Hard | |
| 18 | Blasphemous Rumours | Edit |
| 19 | Mercy In You | |
| 20 | (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me | Release Mix |
| 21 | Everything Counts | In Larger Amounts |
| Outro | Abdulmajid | (by David Bowie) |
Day 7 – 4/27 – Celebration for the Masses Tour – Presented by Dale Chumbley – YouTube
| # | Song | Version |
| Hype | Don’t Go | (by OMD) |
| 1 | Agent Orange | |
| 2 | Welcome to My World | Live ’13 |
| 3 | It’s Called A Heart | |
| 4 | But Not Tonight | |
| 5 | I Feel Loved | |
| 6 | The Meaning of Love | |
| 7 | Now, This Is Fun | |
| 8 | Told You So | Live ’84 |
| 9 | Hole to Feed | Live ’09 |
| 10 | Jezebel (M) | Live ’09 |
| 11 | It Doesn’t Matter (M) | |
| 12 | My Joy | |
| 13 | The Sweetest Condition | |
| 14 | Fragile Tension | |
| 15 | Sacred | |
| 16 | Never Let Me Down Again | Live ’01 |
| (ENCORE) | ||
| 17 | Any Second Now (M) | Voices |
| 18 | Behind the Wheel | Live ’06 |
| 19 | Nothing | Live ’88 |
| 20 | Waiting for the Night | Live ’09 |
| 21 | Goodbye | Live ’13 |
| Outro | Join In The Chant | (by Nitzer Ebb) |