WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
After All Music Magazine UK’s Billy Seagrave had covered night 1 of the 3-night run of Peter Hook and The Light, playing Joy Division and New Order Album’s in the full, 2 albums a night, Billy covered Unknown Pleasures and Movement and tonight it was my turn, and tonight it was going to be “Closer” & “Power, Corruption & Lies”
I arrived at the Albert Hall at about 7 and the queue to get in was already down the road people in Joy Division and New Order t-shirts, were swapping stories, and there was a respectful buzz in the air.
Every time I walk into the main room of The Albert Hall, I am still blown away by how beautiful it is and what an amazing music venue it has become, with its Baroque and Gothic elements and ornate stained-glass windows, the stage is high, and you can still see the original organ pipes at the back of it. I do love this venue
No support tonight just a DJ playing to the waiting crowd and he was playing some quite strange tunes, I am positive at one point I heard “You’re the One That I Want” from “Grease”
Then it all went quiet, the light dimmed and then when blue, there was a massive gust of dry ice and the band walked onto the stage, Paul Duffy on bass, electronic drums, and cymbals. Paul Kehoe on drums, David Potts on guitars, and backing vocals with Martin Rebelski on keyboards and last the man himself, Peter Hook, his bass slung low.
The first notes of “Atrocity Exhibition“ start, Hooky stands legs apart, like a gunslinger from a cowboy movie and looks to the skies in what I took and has a silent prayer to Ian Curtis and the album “Closer” begins
“Closer” is Joy Division’s second and final studio album and is considered by many to be one of the greatest albums in Post-Punk and New Wave music history and tonight hearing it live played by Peter Hook. This was more than a gig it was a journey an experience that puts it up there with some of the best gigs I have been too. “Closer” is a dark record it explores themes of depression, grief, and introspection, its full of dark synths and Peter Hooks unique rhythmic bass lines, and those haunting vocals and it was all here tonight
The closing track, “Decades,“ is my favourite on the record and tonight was no different I love its captivating and chilling juxtaposition of despair and hope Hooky’s voice fits the lyrics in just the right way.
Hearing the album “Closer” played like this tonight just cements for me that it is a seminal masterpiece of its genre and is truly heartbreaking in its beauty,
The Stage emptied as Peter Hook and The Light took a small intermission before returning to the stage to bring us the 2nd Album of the night, New Orders “Power Corruption and Lies”
New Order is different for me, I liked what I heard, but they never made it into my record collection, so I was hoping I would get the same sort of feels as I did for the first half of tonight’s set.
New Order’s second album, Power Corruption & Lies, is a classic and innovative piece of synthpop that pushed the boundaries of the genre. The album introduced a unique blend of post-punk rock and electronic dance music, creating a sound that would influence the musical landscape for decades to come.
The band start with the iconic “Age of Consent,“ with Peter Hook’s instantly recognizable bass line setting the tone as warm synth sounds wash over the whole venue all held together by Paul Kehoe on drums, this track sets the scene for the rest of the album with its catchy melodies and danceable beats.
The band maintains an upbeat pace throughout, with standout tracks like “The Village“ and “586“ showcasing New Orders’ masterful use of electronic instrumentation. And it sounds incredible as it fills the Albert Hall
The album’s lyrics are poignant and thought-provoking, exploring themes such as love, politics, and societal corruption. And yet again Peter Hook delivers it perfectly, managing to still capture that Bernard Sumner slightly wounded vocal style.
Overall, Power Corruption & Lies is an essential album for anyone interested in the history of synthesizer-based music or the evolution of post-punk rock. It may have been released over 30 years ago, but its influence can still be heard in today’s music.
And as the night came to an end, and the house light came on I took a moment to reflect as I finished my drink. Seeing Peter Hook and The Light tonight could only be described as a magical experience. It is evident from start to finish that every single person in the band love playing these tracks as much as the people gathered here tonight did listening to them. The band sounded phenomenal, and the love and energy shared between the band and the audience were 2nd to none, there truly was love in the air. And as far as I could tell from watching the faces of the fans gathered in the Chapel Hall tonight this has been a truly spiritual journey
SETLIST
“CLOSER”
1/ Atrocity Exhibition
2/ Isolation
3/Passover
4/ Colony
5/ A Means to an End
6/ Heart and Soul
7/ Twenty-Four Hours
8/ The Eternal
9/ Decades
“POWER, CORRUPTION & LIES”
1/ Age of Consent
2/ We All Stand
3/ The Village
4/ 5 8 6
5/ Your Silent Face
6/ Ultraviolence
7/ Ecstasy
8/ Leave Me Alone
Encore:
1/ Hurt (New Order)
2/ Everything’s Gone Green (New Order)
3/ Temptation (New Order)
4/ Blue Monday (New Order)
5/ Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
FOLLOW PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
