Depeche Mode looks ahead to 2009

By Alex Young on October 6th, 2008

Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be upon us, then Christmas, and then well, say hello to 2009. Sure it’s still a few months off, but between all the new festival dates and newly unveiled plans of Depeche Mode, it may be time to pick up a 2009 calender…just for organizational purposes.

During a press conference earlier this morning in Berlin, the English electro superstars made the announcement many had been waiting over a year to hear - 2009 will see the release of a brand new studio album and world tour from three-piece outfit.

The currently untitled effort, which will be the band’s 12th studio release overall, is scheduled to drop on April 20/21, 2009 via Mute Records. While little is still known, the band did confirm that it will again be working with Ben Hillier, who produced the album’s predecessor, 2005’s Playing the Angel, and will feature material written by both Martin Gore and Dave Gahan.

Depeche Mode will follow the album’s release with a “Tour Of The Universe,” which will kick off in May at Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv, the site of the band’s final scheduled tour stop in 2006 that was ultimately scrapped due to the outbreak of war. A full list of all European dates can be found below. North and South American ones are expected in the next couple months.

Depeche Mode 2009 Tour Dates:
05/10 - Ramat, Tel Aviv @ Gan Stadium
05/12 - Athens, Greece @ Terra Vibe Park
05/14 - Istanbul, Turkey @ Santral Instanbul
05/16 - Bucharest, Romania @ Parc Izvor
05/18 - Sofia, Bulgaria @ Tuborg Greenfest
05/20 - Belgrade, Serbia @ Tuborg Greenfest
05/21 - Zagred, Crotia Tuborg Greenfest
05/23 - Warsaw, Poland @ Gwardia Stadium
05/25 - Riga, Latvia @ Skonto Stadium
05/27 - Vinius, Lithuania @ Zalgirio Stadinoas
05/30 - London, UK @ O2 Arena
06/02 - Hamburg, Germany @ HSH Nordbank Arena
06/04 - Dusseldorf, Germany @ LTU Arena
06/07 - Leipzig, Germany @ Zentralstadion
06/10 - Berlin, Germany @ Olympiastadion
06/12 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Commerzbank Arena
06/13 - Munich, Germany @ Olympiastadion
06/16 - Rome, Italy @ Stadio Olimpico
06/18 - Milan, Italy @ Stadio San Siro
06/20 - Werchester, Belgium @ TW Classic Festival
06/22 - Bratislava, Slovakia @ Inter Stadium
06/23 - Budapest, Hungary @ Puskas Ferenc Stadium
06/25 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Slavia Stadium
06/27 - Paris, France @ TBA
06/30 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Parken Stadium
07/02 - Bergen, Norway @ Koengen
07/02 - Arvika, Sweeden @ Arvika Festival
07/11 - Libson, Portugal @ Super Bock Super Rock Festival