British synthpop pioneers Depeche Mode thrill thousands of fans as they launch their 2013 tour in the coastal Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (MAY 7, 2013) (REUTERS) -  Depeche Mode, the British synthpop pioneers whose hits "People Are People" and "Master and Servant" cemented their status in 1980s New Wave and beyond, kicked off their 2013 worldwide tour in Tel Aviv on Tuesday (May 7).

After Tel Aviv the band consisting of members Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher will hold 34 shows in Europe and a leg in North America.

The trio, who last toured in 2009-2010, have recorded 20 tracks for their 13th studio album. Five of the songs are written by frontman Gahan, whose rich baritone has been the band's hallmark through the decades.

Fans in Israel, who gathered for the concert hours in advance, shared their enthusiasm ahead of the show.

"I think they are amazing. I'm very thankful for them for doing this because there are some other artists that are afraid, they are not coming. And they still come and again and again," said fan Maya Kahan Halevy.

"We're anticipating and waiting for this moment to come. We're really excited. we saw already thousands of fans really eager to see them on stage and that's it. We're waiting for that," said Oren Sarig, the manager of the band's Israeli fan club.

Depeche Mode's textured sound, a blend of synthesizers, industrial samples, driving percussive and moody lyrics, made them one of the most popular bands to emerge from the British New Wave in the early 1980s.

Later successes, from 1989's "Personal Jesus" to 1997's "Barrel of a Gun" earned them fans among around the world.