As far as disco is considered, it is a known fact that disco bands are never good live acts. Considering the amount of 'production' their sounds go through, it is very difficult to reproduce the same sound live. Even if the techno bands manage to re-create their studio-music live, they are hardly as energetic as rock bands, or they hardly manage to create the same magic, their studio-music create.

Depeche Mode is a hard-core techno band. In fact, it is one of the only few techno bands left, which has survived long enough to see the best and the worst periods of techno music. Also, Depeche Mode is one of the only few techno bands, which consists of talented musicians and songwriters, instead of being merely a product of, or rather puppets of European record-producers. With every album of theirs, they have been proving this fact again and again. 101, is one such 'Depeche Mode' album, which proves their superior musicianship, but, with this album, the band also shows what an extraordinary live act it is, and that their talent is not just confined to studio-albums.

This album, a two-c d set, is a compilation album of 'Depeche Mode' songs of the pre-VIOLATOR days, played live - a "Greatest Hits: live" c d set. Showing off what a genius of a band Depeche Mode is, 101 has all the energy and zest of a rock-act, playing live music. The music is absolutely brilliant. Unlike a live show by a disco band, which seems as if some pre-recorded music is being played, this one does seem to have music played live, so that the songs themselves have been tweaked a bit from their original versions. The music is basic, hence has a natural feel to it.

More than the music, it is lead singer Dave Gahan's vocals, which is the focal point of this album, which infuses life into the songs, more than the music being played at the back. From the sound of Dave's seductive vocals, one can easily visualize oneself as a part of the crowd, focused entirely on Dave, mesmerized by his charismatic personality, and his bewitching style of singing. Without any 'production work' to polish off lackadaisical singing, for a good live act, good vocals play as important a part as anything else to give a memorable performance. Dave's vocals prove just this fact. Dave Gahan is one of the best vocalists in music today. Depeche Mode is one of the finest live acts of the present time, and 101 is a proof of this fact for those who have never seen the band play live music.

101
I know that live albums are usually a waste of time - what's the point in listening to a live CD when you weren't there? If you were not there you missed it and renders this CD pointless. Now I love DM as much as anybody else and I bought this off a friend who found it in his house for €7........to me the whole album fails to translate whatever significance the show had. I know that it was a very emotional night for them but what use is that when you hear identikit tunes just with a crowd singing along. Just seems like another gig to me. I think you'd probably have to be a DM mad completist to get any sort of pleasure out of this but I think it would be better to stick with the studio albums.....after all live albums are usually nothing gimmicks to all but those who went to the gigs themselves. Pity the video didn't show the concert in full.......that would have been interesting to watch ( live videos are usually much better than live CDs )
A live album and a greatest-hits album all in one, 101 proves that Depeche Mode are just as capable of performing onstage as they are working in a studio. The listener is easily swept up in the hysteria of the fans screaming in the audience. From the brooding "Never Let Me Down Again" to the sickly sweet "Somebody," the live component of this album makes one realize that there really are humans behind the machines, accompanied by a range of real human emotions. --Beth Bessmer