Peter Hook, otherwise known as Hooky, best known as the bass player from the band Joy Division and later New Order. He brings the songs of these two bands to life, and usually does so, in small-ish venues, which always creates a great ambience. Hooky grabs Joy Division and New Order
songs by the scruff of the neck and gives them a raw punkiness, with his bass driving the songs.
Peter Hook and the Light was formed by accident really. In May of 2010 they played what was supposed to be a one off show in Manchester at The Factory. The club that Hooky co-owns and has an incredible post punk ambiance. This one off gig sold out in minutes, so a second show was added for the next day. After those two sold out shows Peter Hook had offers to bring that show all over the globe...and he did! Peter Hook and the Light, as his solo band is called, play Joy Division and New Order songs, usually divided by independent sets at his gigs. A couple years ago he cleverly disguised the separation by naming the first set under a different band name (fictitious) altogether! The only problem was that those people who missed the opener, also missed Hookys first set. (Sigh, one of those people were me!) Very bummed I was when I walked in towards the end of what I thought was the opening band and I see Hooky onstage, killing it! Needless to say, nowadays when the schedule says show starts at blank o'clock....I'm there ten minutes before!
I went to this gig with someone who had never seen Hooky before, though he knew the music. When we were there, we saw someone I had gone to see Hooky with in 2014 at The Mezzanine. The Mezzanine has a certain ambience that's darker and 'punkier', it just exaggerated the edgy sound. (As the guy I went to The Mezzanine gig agreed). Both guys seemed to like the show. Though The Warfield was fine, the sound on this night was less than satisfactory. When I was shooting from the pit, I could hear no vocals and I was only a couple feet from the action. After the first three songs I went to join the person I came with and the sound was as bad, possibly worse. We moved around the venue and found that the only decent spot for sound was directly behind the right side of the sound booth. The left side was also surprisingly bad. I ended up telling the sound guy, and it did improve slightly. Only he got up and walked round the venue. The Warfield doesn't usually have issues with sound, but on this night sadly there was. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed the show. Although I prefer to see Peter Hook and the Light at The Mezzanine for the the added edgy, raw atmosphere, the je ne sais quoi....However, Peter Hook never disappoints, I've seen him many times...no matter where he plays.
The setlist at The Warfield | May 12, 2018:
Dreams Never End
(New Order cover)
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Procession
(New Order cover)
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Ceremony
(New Order cover)
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Everything's Gone Green
(New Order cover)
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Temptation
(New Order cover)
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(New Order cover)
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Confusion
(New Order cover)
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Thieves Like Us
(New Order cover)
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The Perfect Kiss
(New Order cover)
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Subculture
(New Order cover)
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Shellshock
(New Order cover)
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State of the Nation
(New Order cover)
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Bizarre Love Triangle
(New Order cover)
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True Faith
(New Order cover)
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Joy Division
No Love Lost
(Joy Division cover)
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These Days
(Joy Division cover)
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Shadowplay
(Joy Division cover)
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Warsaw
(Joy Division cover)
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Leaders of Men
(Joy Division cover)
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Digital
(Joy Division cover)
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Autosuggestion
(Joy Division cover)
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Transmission
(Joy Division cover)
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She's Lost Control
(Joy Division cover)
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Incubation
(Joy Division cover)
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Dead Souls
(Joy Division cover)
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Atmosphere
(Joy Division cover)
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Love Will Tear Us Apart
(Joy Division cover)
The band:
Peter Hook - lead vocals, guitars, melodica, bass, electronic drums (2010–present)
Jack Bates - bass, electronic drums, cymbals, cowbell (2010–present)
Paul Kehoe - drums, keyboards, synthesizers, programming (2010–present)
David Potts - guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers (2013–present)
Martin Rebelski - keyboards, synthesizers, programming (2017–present