I was 10 years old when I first heard about Joy Division. Nine Inch Nails had a song on The Crow soundtrack called “Dead Souls.” I thought what Nine Inch Nails album is this on that I don’t have. Well it turned out to be a cover, and I immediately sought out to discover who the band was, which was Joy Division. From that point I started to really get into Joy Division, and could definitely hear where Trent got some of his inspiration and influence from. So when the opportunity came up to see Peter Hook play songs from Joy Division’s catalog, it was a no brainer, I had to go.

The first part of the night was dedicated to New Order. I’ve never really been a huge New Order fan, with the exception of their first couple albums, and the song “True Faith,” so the impact of the first set of the evening didn’t get me very excited. But the great thing about live music is that it has the ability to change your mind about things. I can honestly say that after the set which was full of great songs like “Ceremony,” “Blue Monday,” “In A Lonely Place,” “Thieves Like Us,” “Confusion,” and many more. Starting the night off with New Order was a great way to bring about energy to the almost full crowd.

Now the second set of the night was what I was waiting for. I’ve waited a very long time to hear these songs live. I’ve heard plenty of other bands over the years cover their songs and it always seems to get crowds really excited. Peter Hook delivered a great set of classic soothing songs, so much so that if you looked around at the audience, you could tell that you were in a place that was full of joy. The signature sound of Peter’s bass rang through the venue with bombastic pleasure. Songs like “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atmosphere,” “Dead Souls,” “Warsaw,” “No Love Lost,” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” were absolutely done brilliantly and left me feeling like I could successfully cross this off my list of bands/shows I need to see.

The entire evening was great, seeing all the people in attendance feel right at home. No matter the age, fans were excited to be hearing these songs. There was a lot of dancing and singing along, which was astonishing to see. On two occasions Moby came out to join the band for a couple songs. Once in the New Order set to sing “Ceremony,” and again during the Joy Division set to sing “Transmission.” Moby was extraordinary as a guest. He was really into it, and you could tell these songs meant a lot to him as well. At the end of the night, Peter Hook came out for a final bow and took of his sweat drenched shirt and threw it in the crowd, showing off his ripped physique. That was quite a punk rock moment and a fantastic way to end the night.

New Order Set List:

In A Lonely Place
Procession
Cries and Whispers
Ceremony (with Moby)
Everything’s Gone Green
Temptation
Blue Monday
Confusion
Thieves Like Us
The Perfect Kiss
Subculture
Shellshock
State of the Nation
Bizarre Love Triangle
True Faith
1963

Joy Division Set List:

No Love Lost
Shadowplay
From Safety to Where?
Komakino
These Days
Warsaw
Leaders of Men
Digital
Autosuggestion
Transmission (with Moby)
She’s Lost Control
Incubation
Dead Souls
Atmosphere
Love Will Tear Us Apart

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy