Photo Credit: Victoria Smith
As part of his ongoing world tour, former Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook delivered the live experience of both ‘Substance‘ albums from his previous bands and performing them both in their entirety with his current outfit, PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT. Both compilation albums which were released in 1987 and 1988, respectively have grown to be such a fun live experience for the Salford native that he has chosen to extend the run of performances in to late 2024, as York served as the opening night.
A full Barbican Hall was eager to take a trip down memory lane with the band, despite the fact that there was no time for a support act that evening due to the both albums getting a full play through. As PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT made their spectacular entrance, ‘Your Silent Face‘ opened the set, with the audience cheering joyfully. ‘Temptation‘ and ‘Blue Monday‘ were two of the great numbers that got the York audience even more excited as the New Order songs started to come in. The technicolour lighting created an incredibly fitting mood for an all-around fantastic performance of New Order tracks.
‘State of the Nation‘ received the greatest applause as HOOK‘s bass tone grew more energetic as the show progressed, even though most of the audience knew the running order from the album’s track listing. With the New Order songs coming to a conclusion, the first half of the set ended with a massive sing-along for ‘True Faith‘. The York audience had to wait just fifteen minutes for the band to return and prepare for a series of Joy Division classics.
HOOK somehow manages to give the second half’s opening tune, ‘No Love Lost‘, an upbeat vibe that encourages fans of the legendary band to become more involved, considering that Joy Division songs are notoriously known for having a much more melancholic tone. As anticipated, ‘Disorder‘ and ‘Warsaw‘ were huge hits in York, with almost the entire standing audience cheering along as HOOK observed but maintained maximum focus. The first night of the tour was going great, and the crowd was prepared for anything. ‘Transmission‘ soon arrived, which only added further crowd intensity all the way through to the dramatic beginning of ‘Atmosphere‘.
Before ending the evening, HOOK delivered a speech in which he thanked his fans for their support over the years. He then broke into ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘, which tore the roof off and was the perfect way to cap off a night full of hits, classics, and favourites. A genuine trip down memory lane is only a small part of what makes every PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT performance unforgettable, and after 2 and a half hours of pure emotion, there is no wonder that the catalogues of both New Order and Joy Division are so fondly adored.
Taped Magazine 