Gig Review: Peter Hook and the Light at Stoke Sugermill 24th November 2012

The songs of Unknown Pleasures hadn’t been attempted live by the surviving members of that recording for some three decades, having been laid to rest with the passing of Ian Curtis.  Peter Hook, an original participant, and his band have relatively recently started to play its songs.  Having been unfamiliar with the Joy Division’s musical history, I belatedly took a punt on the LP in the run up to this gig, coming to it 33 years after it was released.  The watchful security, however, appear to be hedging their bets on age and hand out ‘I’m over 18’ wristbands to wear at the bar.

The Shinies from Manchester opened tonight’s proceedings.  Their enjoyable blissed out pop sound comes from the early 90s school; they wrap their vocal cords around songs in a way that makes their words hard to pick out. Unlike their predecessors, they are not rooted to the spot and move to their music.  Joy Division knew the benefits of a telling word or two and discernible lyrics and wonder if these boys could do with something like that to beef up their character but perhaps I wouldn't have reflected on this if they weren't supporting who they were

The Sugarmill is a great venue with its former loft offering balcony views and raised platforms around the edges. Behind the stage, there’s a draped banner with the LP’s artwork flanked at each end by Joy Division and Manchester but why not Joy Division and Macclesfield? – Two members came from the nearby town.  The gents toilets have..overflown – the sort which would have our wives (if we told them) suggesting we leave our shoes outside when we came back

While playing his traditionally low slung bass guitar, Peter Hook takes over singing duties. He acknowledges the passing of Larry Hagman but otherwise talks little between songs; there’s a newly written book at the back stall for those who can’t get enough Joy Division history. There’s no Ian Curtis mannerisms, of course, merely a raised right arm at times, as if orchestrating the up for it crowd (christened ‘mad fuckers’).

There are those in the crowd who would have remembered the band from the first time around.  One guy, we spoke to, brought his son who preferred the Joy Division carnation to the band’s later morph of New Order favoured by Dad.  It was mainly the older generation who were in the deep throng dancing down the front.  Any reservations about how this kind of thing would work are swept aside.  Hook and his Light carry the LP (‘When will it End’ was a high point with me), Love will Tear us Apart and other old songs with conviction.  The purveying reach of this band pulsates out into this rammed club making it an intense living show piece to the belated band, and the departed former singer.