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Phoenix Atkinson finds out why Peter Hook & The Light have perfected the art of nostalgia
Image by George Driver
Watching Peter Hook & The Light play is like being transported back to a Joy Division concert, except with more warmth and more of the iconic Hooky riffs we can come to expect from the now-legendary bassist. His way of playing hits into your chest, and you’re eased slightly by his vocals melting into the song.
This concert was split into two sections, the first being a full play through of New Order’s deeply under-appreciated 2001 album Get Ready. Starting with the oddly joyous Crystal, you could tell that the Newcastle crowd was already, as Hooky’s Mancunian compatriots may say, mad for it. We were then cruised into the garage-y 60 Miles An Hour, which feels almost like a post punk Shut Up And Drive, but it is incredibly difficult to imagine Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna lip-syncing to it. I got vaguely blinded by the lights during the politically minded Rock The Shack, but I’m hardly going to blame Peter Hook himself on it. On that note, the tech team knew what they were doing. It’s often disappointing when bass focused tracks feel muddy, but this concert had none of that. Even in the deeply melodic and emotionally thoughtful tracks, including Someone Like You and Run Wild, you could still pick out the bass notes.
The next part of the concert was a crowd pleasing mix of classics, from the thumping beat of Here To Stay to No Love Lost, which was touchingly dedicated to the late Ian Curtis, every track had the audience bouncing along. The classic She’s Lost Control was then played, in all its stunningly edgy glory. It’s rare that a song still feels so fresh and different this long after its release, but it’s a wondrous thing when it happens. Transmission swiftly followed, showing that he is still that virtuoso at the bass guitar as I hoped. And followed by Atmosphere, the bassline and shimmery synths might as well be etched in my brain. They did it justice, is all I can say. Then, naturally, it couldn’t not include the dance classic that is Blue Monday.
Plenty are somewhat critical of nostalgia-focused tours, but there is an art in getting it right. Peter Hook & The Light haven’t just perfected that art, they’ve built a gallery just for it.
