Peter Hook and The Light – Slaves of Venus – at Fonda Theatre – Hollywood, CA

For fans of Joy Division and New Order Saturday evening at the Fonda couldn’t have been a better time. Peter Hook was in town and set to perform New Orders first two albums in their entirety back to back, which would serve as his first solo outing playing New Order songs live in the city of angels. Both “Movement” and “Power, Corruption, and Lies” are hugely influential post-Punk records, so many fans were dying to see many of these songs played live for the first time in decades.

His previous tours saw him perform Joy Division songs in LA in both 2010 and 2011, and they were considered huge successes. After a long 2 year wait Angelenos finally got to see and hear New Order songs played right with his backing band, The Light. Thankfully it all took place at one of our cities best venues, The Fonda.

The night got off to a surprising start when opening band “Slaves of Venus” took the stage. Much to everyone’s surprise that band was indeed Peter Hook & The Light, and much to everyone's liking they kicked the night off with an all Joy Division set. People from the lobby and bar areas quickly darted to get to the main floor to catch this musical surprise as it unfolded before their very eyes.

No one knew how long Hooky & The Light would be on stage so no one took them for granted, all eyes were fixed front and center and all ears were listening, it was musical heaven. The seven song set included Joy Division gems like “Atrocity Exhibition”, “These Days”, “New Dawn Fades” and set closer “Shadow Play” which most certainly got the crowd warmed up and ready for the upcoming New Order set which was soon followed.

The New Order set featured a number of melancholic singles and obscurities that every synth loving new waver in the audience danced to and fed off of. The emotional outpour from Peter to the crowd and vice versa was enough to energize Hollywood Blvd, many were certainly phased by what they were witnessing. This wasn’t a greatest hits festival set, this was one for the fans, every last song was played and played right. Hooky often would switch from bass to baritone guitar and then to melodica for the parts that required it, they could have faked it with backing track, but they didn’t, this was the real deal.

After completing the first two albums in their entirety, Hooky and co. returned for an encore that would see them playing some of New Orders biggest numbers. Temptation drove the crowd absolutely wild, but it was Blue Monday that hit a chord in everyone and served as the perfect closer to the night. The success of Hooky & The Light performing early New Order albums would leave us to believe that perhaps this time next year we can see him and his band performing the next two New Order records which would surely be amazing and something we certainly hope happens.

Make sure and catch Peter Hook & The Light as his band rips through your town this fall!

    More photos of the show can be seen HERE

-Louie Bones-
Big Wheel Staff Reporter

 

 

 

 

Go HERE to see all the latest show reviews

 

Send your comments to the editor HERE