Peter Hook and The Light live at the York Barbican

11/12/2024

Alexandra Pullen (she/her) reviews the bassist’s recent tour celebrating Joy Division and New Order’s Substance albums

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Image by Ivan Karczewski

By Alexandra Pullen

“7pm - Doors

8pm - Start

11pm - Finish

Be there”

This was what appeared on Peter Hook’s (Hooky’s) Instagram story hours before his show at the York Barbican in October. What struck me immediately was the sheer length of this set. An hour and a half has become the standard stage time for musicians touring nowadays, so how on earth was Hooky planning on filling three hours on stage?

Having had the pleasure of chatting to Peter Hook before this leg of shows, I knew how excited he was to perform the Substance albums by New Order and Joy Division, but even I was hesitant about how classics such as ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘She’s Lost Control’ would sound without the haunting, unique vocals of Ian Curtis. But here’s the thing: not for one minute is Hooky trying to replicate Curtis. Instead, he uses these incredible, extensive tours to appreciate the music created by himself, Curtis, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris back in the 1970s and ‘80s and keep the sound of the band alive and appreciated by fans worldwide.

So, how were these three hours on stage filled? Well despite playing two entire albums per show, Hooky thought it would be fun to throw in a few extras too, which change from show to show. For ours in York, we began with ‘Your Silent Face’, a personal favourite from Power, Corruption and Lies, ‘Procession’, New Order’s second single, and ‘Cries and Whispers’, a B-side from the single ‘Everything’s Gone Green’.

This half of the show, the first act, was notably lighter and more upbeat with New Order being known for their fusion of post-punk, pop and EDM which shaped the wider sound of Manchester in the 1980s. Hooky greeted the crowd with a simple “so, we’re back!” as this was the first show on the UK leg of his worldwide tour with The Light. It was a real mix of ages, with some younger fans who, like myself, couldn’t wait to hear such legendary songs brought to life, but mainly audience members seemed to be wanting to revisit their youthful years, perhaps when the Hacienda felt like the centre of the universe. And of course, Hook referenced his Mancunian roots with ‘Salford Rules’ being sprayed across one of the amps.

Despite this range, each person in the audience was captivated by Peter Hook’s insane talent on the bass – it’s the beating heart of so many New Order and Joy Division songs. He perfectly performed the likes of ‘Temptation’, ‘Confusion’ and ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ in this section of the show, even on a stage which he joked was too big!

The highlight of the New Order Substance album has to be ‘Blue Monday’ though. The seven and a half minute epic is a cult classic and was dedicated to Mike Johnson who engineered the song back in 1983, and was sitting up on the balcony of the Barbican watching as Hooky performed the opening riff just feet away from us. He smirked at us, clearly expecting a rise in energy from the crowd, and such a reaction he certainly got. He closed with ‘True Faith’, another track which got the audience going.

“My morning sun is the drug that brings me near / To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear / I used to think that the day would never come / That my life would depend on the morning sun”

A five minute interval went by, and Hooky returned, swaggering onto the stage with a The Police t-shirt on and ready for the turn of Joy Division’s Substance. Again, we had a few added songs before jumping into the album, including the incredible ‘Disorder’. This was a real treat for us, as one of Joy Division's biggest songs and a favourite of mine, Hooky’s bass abilities really shine through on this track.

He then jumped into the album and immediately a darker and edgier atmosphere enveloped the Barbican. Chatting to me about this, Hooky stated: “The big thing about Joy Division was that Joy Division on record was completely different than Joy Division were live. Live they were much edgier, much punkier and much faster.” This was definitely reflected in songs such as ‘Warsaw’ and ‘Transmission’, but the eerie sounds of ‘She’s Lost Control’ and ‘Atmosphere’ were the absolute opposite.

‘Atmosphere’ is one of Joy Division’s best: march-like drums, some of the most intense vocals, a melancholic bass riff and chimes which give me goosebumps every time I hear them. Hearing this live was something special. The night came to a booming end with ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, a song that, despite its emotional lyricism, injected a sense of euphoria into the York crowd as everyone chanted along with each word.

During this gig, the feeling of passion and honour which Hooky had previously expressed in being able to perform the discographies of Joy Division and New Order became clear on stage. Through his tours with The Light, Peter Hook is giving life to this remarkable period of Mancunian music, allowing many to revisit the soundtracks of their formative years and introducing others to so many defining tracks of the 1970s and ‘80s.