"Hooky's voice is strong, he's not trying to sound like his former singer, yet seems to emulate Curtis' voice perfectly."
September was a huge month for Peter Hook. A settlement with the rest of New Order was announced regarding use of the New Order and Joy Division brands on merchandising and by the looks of it, he won. Tonight Hooky and the band celebrated the careers of two of his best-known bands - Joy Division and New Order. So don't expect a reunion with New Order in this lifetime.
Having seen his past shows this reviewer was once again front and centre to hear the band's take on two hugely influential bands. Touring the world for the last seven years playing Joy Division and New Order albums in full, Hook performed tracks that were never performed live back when they were released. Tonight Hooky and co - the band includes his son Jack Bates on bass - played both Substance albums in full from beginning to end and then some. You cannot accuse the man of short-changing his fans.
Starting with the New Order catalogue, Hooky was looking handsome in his white shorts and Boy London T-shirt. Both Ceremony and Everything's Gone Green were written during Joy Division days and with a keen ear you can tell. They have their dark elements even though they were New Ordered after Curtis passed away. Temptation is the true first song the surviving New Order members wrote that broke the Ian Curtis shackles. All were performed tonight with such passion; you can tell Hooky is proud of what both bands mean to the fans. The band cruised through a greatest hits set with the crowd dancing the first set away, but keeping enough fuel in the tank for the second set.
A quick break and then nothing but rawness of Joy Division. It's amazing and a slightly ridiculous to think these songs are from the late 1970s. Yet, when the riff kicks in for such tracks as Leaders Of Men, These Days and She's Lost Control, they don't sound dated. That's the power of the band influence.
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Not long in and they kick into Warsaw, where it all started for the band back in 1977. The packed crowd spat back the classic count of "three, five, zero, one, two, five go!", it was best two and a half minutes of pure raw punk power!
Hooky is a crowdpleaser, chatting to the audience in between the songs and even kicking a couple of troublemakers out. He threw in the odd reference to Ian Curtis, including dedicating Atmosphere to him, which kept the Joy Division fans happy. Happy and Joy Division; now there's an oxymoron. Hooky's voice is strong, he's not trying to sound like his former singer, yet seems to emulate Curtis' voice perfectly.
Yes, people lost their shit during Love Will Tear Us Apart, which concluded the set. Need I say more about this song?
This reviewer could easily write about every song played - the show went for almost three hours - as they're all classics. To hear back to back greatest hits live of two of your favourite bands just never happens. Many went home tonight with a big grin on their faces.