By Eric Thomson
Peter Hook & The Light’s concert at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks on May 30 was an incredible and fitting celebration of Joy Division and New Order’s enduring legacy, offering Pittsburgh fans a rare chance to experience their iconic songs live after nearly four decades without a New Order show in the city. The two-set concert opened with a full performance of New Order’s 2001 album Get Ready, a record rarely played live even by the original band. Hook and guitarist David Potts traded lead vocals, while Hook’s son Jack Bates joined him for a unique two-bass attack, giving the performance a muscular, dynamic feel. I have never been to a show with two bass players before, which was a treat!
After a brief intermission, the band returned to deliver a set packed with Joy Division and New Order classics. The Joy Division selections were intentionally more raw and noisier than their studio counterparts, channeling the band’s punk roots and electrifying the crowd. Hook’s heartfelt tribute to Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, who died by suicide in 1980, before “Atmosphere” was a poignant highlight: “And I do wish that he was here to see this tonight. I really do. Now, I think about (him) every day so this song is for Ian”. The second set then went into hyperdrive, delivering synth-driven New Order favorites like “Blue Monday,” “Bizarre Love Triangle,” “Touched By the Hand of God,” and a “Ceremony” to the delight of a very animated dancing crowd. The concert closed with the anthemic “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” as fans joined in a collective singalong, the instruments dropping out to leave only the drums and voices echoing through the theater, the perfect ending to a show that was both a heartfelt homage and a powerful live experience.
Peter Hook and the Light continue their North American tour until June 14 before touring Europe for the remainder of the year. I highly recommend seeing them if you can. If you aren’t able to see them on this tour, a live album recorded on the tour is slated to be released in the coming months.