Brit Face Off: Depeche Mode vs. the Cure
By Abby Johnston, Fri., Oct. 4, 2013
Depeche Mode
Fri., 8pm, AMD stage
Years active: 33
Hometown: Basildon, Essex
Current members: Dave Gahan, Andy Fletcher, Martin Gore
Height of the lead singer: 5 feet 11 inches
Number of albums: 13
Career high point: The World Violation Tour
Number of Grammy nominations: Five
Musical weapon of choice: Virus TI keyboard
Notable ex-members: Alan Wilder, Vince Clark
Song they have to play: "Enjoy the Silence"
Song they shouldn't play: Most of Delta Machine
Last show in Austin: March 15, 2013, Brazos Hall
Signature frontman accessory: Vest and no shirt
Preferred stage lighting: Anything that shows off Gahan's abs
Key non-secular but secular song: "Personal Jesus"
Celebrity fans: Frank Ocean, Coldplay
Essential concert movie: 101
Early band names: No Romance in China, Composition of Sound
Number of fan sites on the first page of a Google search: Five
Why one over the other? Depeche Mode is built for the arena-sized crowds ACL offers, with frontman David Gahan still every inch a rock star, albeit an electronic one.
The Cure
Sat., 8pm, AMD stage
Years active: 37
Hometown: Crawley, West Sussex
Current members: Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O'Donnell, Jason Cooper, Reeves Gabrels
Height of the lead singer: 5 feet 10 inches
Number of albums: 13
Career high point: 1992's Wish nominated for Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album
Number of Grammy nominations: Two
Musical weapon of choice: Robert Smith. And his hair.
Notable ex-members: Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, Lol Tolhurst
Song they have to play: "Pictures of You"
Song they shouldn't play: "Give Me It"
Last show in Austin: Aug. 6, 2008, Austin Music Hall
Signature frontman accessory: Lipstick and smudged pancake makeup
Preferred stage lighting: Blue
Key non-secular but secular song: "Just Like Heaven"
Celebrity fans: Depeche Mode
Essential concert movie: The Cure in Orange
Early band names: The Obelisk, Easy Cure
Number of fan sites on the first page of a Google search: Four
Why one over the other? Robert Smith, the poster child of British goth weirdness, knows how to pander to his cultlike following and singles fans alike. Plus, they're coming without a new album out, leaving them free to shut up and play the hits.
