Depeche Mode’s new DVD and CD set, “Touring The Angel: Live In Milan”, is out on September 25th.

Depeche Mode's 'Touring The Angel' can be re-lived from September 25th when it's released as a special edition 3-disc set, featuring the full-length live show and a host of exclusive extras on two DVDs and a live audio CD.

Directed by Blue Leach, who has previously worked with R.E.M, it was recorded at Milan's Fila Forum on February 18th and 19th 2006 and sees the band at their live best with a pulsing sound, electric stage presence and ecstatic audience.

The first DVD features over 20 stunning live songs, including the recent hit singles 'Precious', 'A Pain That I'm Used To', 'Suffer Well' and 'John The Revelator' plus the definitive 'Just Can't Get Enough', 'I Feel You', 'Enjoy The Silence' and many more.

DVD2 features a range of exclusive extras, including: two bonus live songs - 1986's smash-hit 'A Question of Lust' and 'Playing The Angel's 'Damaged People' - plus a 20-minute documentary featuring Anton Corbijn, who directed the video for 'Suffer Well' and created the tour's six stage screens, which also appear here.

Additionally, the DVD boasts the official tour announcement from Germany, summer 2005, and the previously unreleased 'Playing The Angel' electronic press kit. Meanwhile, the audio CD features over thirty minutes of stunning live tracks from the concert.

THE DVD TRACKLISTING IS:
A Pain That I'm Used To
John The Revelator
A Question of Time
Policy of Truth
Precious
Walking In My Shoes
Suffer Well
Macro:
Home:
I Want It All
The Sinner In Me
I Feel You:
Behind The Wheel
World In My Eyes
Personal Jesus
Enjoy The Silence
Shake The Disease
Just Can't Get Enough
Everything Counts
Never Let Me Down Again
Goodnight Lovers


PLUS
A Question of Lust
Damaged People


THE AUDIO TRACKLISTING IS:
A Pain That I'm Used To
John The Revelator
Precious
Suffer Well
Macro
I Want It All
The Sinner In Me
Damaged People


Source: www.depechemode.com

Well, my tour with DM is finally over. It's been a wonderful 6 months and I'm now in manic depressive mode, so I thought it might be therapeutic to re-live some of it.........

1. Pain and Suffering in Various Queues (Dusseldorf, Vienna, Paris)

My little European tour started off with roadrunner in Dusseldorf on 21st January. For some strange reason, we decided to take our men with us - it was worth it just for their impressions of Dave........ Due to the hindrance of having the men, we only saw night one of the two gigs in Dusseldorf. We met up with b16dmo (where is she these days?) at around 3pm and headed over to the LTU Arena to queue up. Note to self: next time take an umbrella. It absolutely lashed it down on us and was freezing cold, when we finally got into the venue it took at least two hours to dry out. The gig was good (although not great, the sound got a bit lost in such a huge venue), the crowd were friendly most of the time, and the Medicine was the highlight of the trip :D

Next stop for me was Vienna with Racer (roadrunner had to go skiing with her family so couldn't make the next two). For me, going back to Vienna was very exciting as it holds a special place in my heart. The city looked beautiful, the public transport ran like clockwork and the hotel was ok if a little freaky. Met up with Ishtar on the morning of the gig for coffee and cakes, very civilised! Having learnt nothing from the Dusseldorf experience, got to the Stadthalle at about 1.30 minus umbrella. Were first in the queue initially, but the organisation was so pants that by the time we got in we didn't manage front row. Queuing took 5 hours, during which time Racer was only saved from frostbite by a good rub down from a friendly Hungarian. Note to self: take hot water bottle next time. The gig was superb, we got 2nd row in the end just in front of Martin and almost within licking distance of Dave, the crowd were brilliant and the highlight of the trip was "bankomat man" the next day in the restaurant :p

Less than a week later, Racer and I were on a plane to Paris to meet up with Poser, Limphalo and Daddy J. We reached our hotel around lunchtime, got quickly changed and headed out to find "somewhere to eat". We were standing outside a bar deliberating whether or not to go in when Poser suddenly appeared from inside and in we went. We never did get that something to eat, but several (I think it was 3) bottles of red wine later we were suitably wankered. Luckily for me, Daddy J dragged me off and bought me a kebab and a large coke which was consumed in the snow whilst watching the queue (although I have a vague suspicion that I actually just threw most of the kebab all over myself). Don't really remember the gig very well, except for the shame of having to go to the back during Personal Jesus, and spending the rest of the gig nursing a bottle of water. I did better than Racer though, the lightweight had to go back to the hotel! Note to self: do NOT drink ever ever ever again. Highlight of the trip? The cheese sandwiches......

2. Pain and Puking in the UK (Manchester, Birmingham and London x 2)

After a break of 6 weeks, it was time for DM's 4-gig stint in the UK, starting with Manchester. Having learnt nothing from taking the boys to Dusseldorf, we decided to take our children to the gig. As a result, we'd booked seats for a change and had the luxury of not queuing. The afternoon began with a meet-up in the pub with Racer, Poser, Limphalo, Iggy, ING, Nichi, Ewan, Mum etc etc etc, then we took the kids off for an italian meal before heading for the gig. Really enjoyed Manchester. I think I sing and dance a lot more when I'm not squashed up in a crowd. Maybe I'm just getting too old. As for the kiddies, well it was very late and they got very tired and I think the music was a bit loud. Note to self: take earplugs for Brainwashed next time. Highlight of the night? turning round and seeing my 12-year-old singing along to Goodnight Lovers - priceless!

The following morning it was off to Birmingham down the M6. Arrived at the hotel around 2pm and headed down to the bar where we met Kadi and Nothing and got a brief hug from Reetsjel and a wave from DB. It was raining on and off quite heavily so we made a dash for the queue inbetween showers. The nice people at the NEC had allowed everyone to queue inside which was very pleasant as we had access to toilets and a bar too. Rushed inside and managed to get 2nd row at the end of the cat walk. Could barely contain the excitement and started to feel a bit sick. Next thing I knew, I was getting very intimate with one of the NEC toilets. I missed the whole gig. Was so ill I had to go back to the hotel and spent the night being sick. Note to self: in the run up to a DM gig do not go anywhere near my evil mother when she has just recovered from a stomach bug. I'm sure she did it on purpose. Highlight of the day? Having a drink with Kadi and Notty of course!

Another day, and a drive to London, delayed as long as possible so that I could recover enough to leave the safety of the toilet. We stayed in London with roadrunner's brother and his fiance. Went for a lovely Chinese meal that night having made what I thought was a miraculous recovery. I was wrong. Spent all the Saturday night getting intimate with their toilet and had to be dosed with immodium in a brave attempt to get me fit enough to go to the first Wembley gig. Made it, even managed standing in the queue from about 4pm onwards. Got 2nd row again at the cat walk and spent the gig bouncing around with Smashie and Dave's Angel. DM were wonderful, had several Gahangasms and got some cracking photos. Sound in Wembley isn't brilliant, but being where we were made up for that. Got extremely thirsty, though, and the selfish bastards on the front row were getting cups of water but weren't passing them back. Note to self: bring a fecking drink next time. Highlight of the night? Managing to capture all of G/L on video.

And so dawned another day. Feeling much better and armed with sandwiches, drinks and a packet of chopped up melon we hit the queue at 3pm and spent a pleasant afternoon spotting old friends like Cubik and Iriz and Sabry. Could not believe our luck when we got in and there were still front row places at the end of the catwalk. The gig was superb (how could it not be with a view like that?), had even more Gahangasms and was very nice to the people behind me by handing back lots of water and sharing out our melon before the encore. Highlight? almost getting to see up Andy Kilt's kilt......

3. Chaz and Dave and the Power of Green™ (Wireless Festival and Dublin)

And so to the final leg of my little tour. I approached the weekend with mixed feelings. I was looking forward to seeing DM again, and to seeing lots of friends, but the anticipation was tinged with sadness that Dublin would be my last gig and also that some of my friends couldn't be there.

Set off for London on Friday night, spent most of the journey singing about going this way that way forwards and backwards and over the Irish sea with roadrunner's youngest - it starts to grate on the nerves after a while.... Spent a lovely day on Saturday and again on Sunday morning with roadrunner's family and in-laws, then it was finally time to leave. Met up in pub with Mossy, Limphalo and Daddy J and Wayne and Justin from the Home forum. Several pints and an England match (barely visible on the big screen) later, we set off for the festival. Found ourselves a nice spot just in time for Goldcrapp, and proceeded to sing Personal Jesus as loudly as possible, which was fun. Mossy was an absolute star, throroughly enjoyed spending the concert with him and roadrunner. We were as mad as hatters all the way through and I still can't speak properly I was screaming so loudly. The crowd were wonderful, apart from Tarzan, but I soon sorted him out. DM were on absolutely top form and I think I wet myself when Photographic came on. Definitely definitely without a shadow of a doubt my best DM gig this tour. Highlight? Mossy doing his Chaz n Dave impression when Liberace was murdering Shake the Disease.

After about 2 hours sleep (most of which I spent dreaming about someone singing a song about Dennis), we were chauffered to Stansted by roadrunner's father-in-law and met up with Limphalo for the flight to Dublin. Found our hotel without any problems and made arrangements to meet up with Roxy, Iggy and ING in the bar. I was just standing outside having a fag when Ratty walked down the road. Having left before the news had broken about him coming, I had no idea and was really surprised to see him. After a few drinks we headed to a pub to meet even more Modies including a freshly scalped Poser, Limphalo, Jaffa (Home forum), and the world famous Kilts. Finally got to see up Andy Kilt's kilt, if only in the form of a photo of him falling over whilst trying to pole dance......

Got to the venue around 7ish and were fairly near the front (about 4th row) on Martin's side. Once the gig started we were jostled a lot by the Oirish Giant™ and Vibrating Butt Plug Girl™ and ended up a bit further back. DM were excellent, and I thouroughly enjoyed Nothing's Impossible for the 1st and last time but..... I just couldn't stop myself from thinking that this was the last time. Plus I wasn't enjoying having the Oirish Giant™ trying to stick his dinkle in my armpit, and when two of his smelly, hairy, foul mouthed compatriots turned up it got even worse. I was glad when Ratty decided he needed to get out of the crowd and we made an escape to the side of the crowd where we found Poser lurking. I completely lost it during Leave in Silence but hugs from Poser, Ratty and roadrunner soon helped me regain my dignified composure (yeah right......).

After the gig and a 20 mile hike back to the centre of Dublin, Ratty roadrunner and I installed ourselves in the hotel bar and proceeded to empty the contents of the brandy and tequila bottles. 3 hours and an alarmingly large quantity of alcohol later we finally stumbled to bed. Spent the next day staggering around Dublin with the rest of the walking wounded. Dublin Castle was particularly unimpressing (apart from its girth, obviously), as was Temple Bar, so eventually we went back to the hotel for some more Guinness of the type that tastes exactly like the stuff you get at home. All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Roxy and head off to the airport, and after a very nice sandwich we got on our plane, safely protected from any Guiness-related brainwashing by the Power of Green™.

So there it is. I'm home and I'm knackered and I'm deeply deeply depressed. But it was worth it :D