1998-09-09 Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland

Notes

Here is the diary entry by Jez Webb from Bong magazine issue #40:

The band’s best ever performance in Finland hailed the local press. We had to point out to them it was the lads’ ‘first ever performance’ in Finland...

And here is the diary entry by Jody:

Andy Franks, the tour manager for Depeche Mode, had his computer stolen while the band was in St. Petersburg. He is asking the fans of Depeche Mode to help him find his computer, which has personal info about the band on it. If you are traveling through St. Petersburg, or in Moscow, and are offered a computer directly from Depeche Mode, please make the person a large offer, and immediately contact the webmaster of depechemode.com. You will be rewarded!

This morning we flew to Helsinki in our private plane (we now have Swiss chocolate on-board the plane!). Andy Franks was in the cockpit today, driving the plane (not!). He was bossing the pilots around, got on the P.A., and started saying "Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking...". :)

The band did another "Meet & Greet", as well as a quick interview with Q magazine (a two-page live spread for the October issue). The Q photographer was taking loads of pictures of the concert. The guys from Q thought the concert was brilliant!

The fans of Helsinki went crazy tonight, singing along to every word of every song. We will be going to our hotel after the show (haven't even had the time to see it yet).

Purity was the support act. Tim Simenon DJed before and after Purity's set.

setlist sheet

Set list

1. Painkiller
2. A Question Of Time
3. World In My Eyes
4. Policy Of Truth
5. It's No Good
6. Never Let Me Down Again
7. Walking In My Shoes
8. Only When I Lose Myself
9. A Question Of Lust (*)
10. Home (*)
11. Condemnation
12. In Your Room
13. Useless
14. Enjoy The Silence
15. Personal Jesus
16. Barrel Of A Gun
17. Somebody (*)
18. Stripped
19. I Feel You
20. Just Can't Get Enough

Sources

• Source 1 is a good audience recording, but a bit lacking in bass.
• Source 2 is Wiecor's good master audience recording; it's cassette sourced, with a bit of distorted bass, and only the first half of the concert was recorded.