Gig Review: Peter Still Hooked on the Feeling of Newly Ordering the Joy from the Divisions of his Old Bands

Gig reviews used to be a thing. Then they went away. But I am doing my best to bring them back. Gig by gig. So here's one about Hooky and his crew paying lip service to the old songs as best he can.

Peter Hook & The Light play Joy Division and New Order ‘Substance’

Thursday, May 16

The Opera House, Wellington

Peter Hook — or ‘Hooky’ as fans all know him, as he refers to himself — has been touring various shows that trade on Joy Division albums or New Order albums, or both across the last couple of decades, and for this tour he’s presenting the New Order compilation Substance, followed by the Joy Division compilation that shares the same title.

Both are close enough to Greatest Hits albums, covering all of the singles you could want really.

Hook’s current touring line-up has been together for over a decade, that means they’ve been more consistent across the catalogues of either New Order or Joy Division in terms of sheer touring than any of the original members of the bands, apart from Hook himself. A weird thought maybe, but I highlight it only to lead into how tight this group is. They know the turns and twists inside out. And it’s a much bigger (and better) show than when I last saw Hook and the Light in a smaller venue, with far less presence, as well as fewer present.

Not that it guarantees any of them a mention from Hooky. Even his own son (Jack Bates) who not only covers for dad and properly fills out the band’s bottom end but also tours with Smashing Pumpkins doesn’t warrant a mention. Drummer Paul Kehoe also should have had a verbal nod, given he not only played along to programmed patterns, but sat some songs out completely and still looked cool, and was able to so perfectly cop the feel of the almost inimitable and highly influential Stephen Morris, as well as flavouring the energy of the evening with his own magic sprinkles. Particularly early on. He was one of the reasons so many audience members left their seats almost immediately and flooded to the front of stage.

So, it’s New Order’s Substance first, although not strictly in order. Lonesome Tonight is our opener, and Touched By The Hand of God is the set closer. It’s not even collected on this set, but Hooky reckons it shoulda been. So. There.

Look, there are better bands than New Order, and there are better lineups of songs, but fuck me it doesn’t feel like it tonight. The energy is electric as Temptation and Blue Monday are tossed out early on, as True Faith and Bizarre Love Triangle are kept up the sleeve for a bit. It’s just the most perfect set, and the most perfect meeting of minds between band and audience. Everyone so grateful to be there, and to be hearing these songs, they’re quite prepared to forgive Hook for not even being able to live up to being a better live singer than Bernard Sumner. All he had to do was lift the low bar that is Barney. And he couldn’t quite achieve that. That’ll be a sticking point in whoever next publishes a volume of vitriol-with-tour-nostalgia-on-the-side.

But Hooky is the nod to not only New Order, but Joy Division, and Warsaw. He is the living, breathing Authenticity Card. Carrier of the torch. And though his voice will crumble almost completely by the end of the second set, it’s not as if this music needs a huge vocal presence. That’s not to say that Ian Curtis wasn’t exactly that. Of course he very much was. But the audience is pretty happy to fill in the blanks later in the night anyway.

Hey, but like it matters. I doubt I’ve ever heard a better opening set of songs at a gig. Hit after hit, and what a phenomenal run of great singles. Everyone’s energy palpable, as school days and first jobs and nights at the old discos are relived, and everyone is relieved that it really is this good. These songs till mean so much. And the sound of the band is phenomenal. The mix just right. The mood so tight.

I might be alone here, or just showing my age, but I reckon the New Order set should have been the second half. But when we get there I can see why it’s not. Sure, Joy Division came first. Sure they have a half dozen bangers, including at least four songs that are maybe objectively as good as rock music gets. But also, Hooky would have murdered the New Order set (and not in any colloquial good way) if he’d belted out the Joy Division songs first.

So, short break. And we’re back for Substance take two. The Joy Division compilation. Here, synth/keys player Martin Rebelski takes more of a break, guitarist/singer David Potts features more consistently, and drummer Kehoe really gets a frigging good workout, and gives us almost his all.

Hook really starts to struggle vocally, but he’s giving the audience the run of songs they want. Dead Souls and Digital and punk and goth and pop and rock all collide in the loveliest of ways. And the audience sits and sways. Or stands and bops. And songs are chanted back at the stage as heads start to nod more furiously. It’s not just a live gig. It’s a happening.

Such a great fusion of that intriguing bottom end, where the higher frequencies and melodic noodling of the bass sits just over those skittering hi-hats and snapback snare hits. Those great shotgun guitar lines too.

But Hooky tells us he’s tired. He’s shown signs since at least the start of the second set, and no one begrudges him of course. He’s working hard. And even if it’s sometimes hardly working, he’s serving the songs and the legacy.

And then those mighty milestones arrive. She’s Lost Control. Transmission. A lovely Atmosphere of course as dedication. And an urgent Love Will Tear Us Apart.

There’s no encore. And no need. There’s not only nothing left in the tank. They’ve delivered everything they said they would. (And a bonus Touched by The Hand of God). You can have your idea that the music is best left on the recordings. Or you can head along and pay your respects in this way. Both are valid takes. But this gig almost had no right being this good. Still, as someone said to me on the way out when I asked if they’d enjoyed it:

“Of course I did. Right from the very start. Something would have to be wrong if you did not. You’d have to be dead in your soul”.

Correct answer.