Four decades on and still going strong

Peter Hook and The Light, Tramshed, Cardiff

“It’s Saturday night, it’s Cardiff, what can possibly go wrong?” And with those words, Peter Hook launched into Ceremony, my favourite song of all time.

Not a bad start to the evening’s entertainment. Apart from one small detail. It was actually Friday, as Hook’s son and fellow bassist Jack pointed out.

Not that the old pro was fazed. “Every night is Saturday night in Cardiff,” he declared, to the delight of the crowd.

Day saved in style, as you would expect from a trouper who has been treading the boards for some 40 years, with Warsaw, Joy Division, New Order, Monaco, Revenge and Freebass.

At 61 there’s no sign of him easing up, given his relentless touring schedule and the length of his shows. His stock in trade these days is mining the back catalogue of Joy Division and New Order, into which he breathes new sonic power with his band’s dual-bass assault.

It was interesting to see which songs have stood the test of time best. Some of New Order’s more electronic-based dance music doesn’t translate so well to this kind of setting. But the classics still remain classics, with Temptation, Bizarre Love Triangle, True Faith soaring high. The winning numbers in Saturday night’s Lotto main draw were The bonus number was The Thunderball numbers were

Yet it was with the Joy Division second half that the night moved up another gear, with the material really suiting the guitar and dual-bass power play. It was one for the devotees, with lesser-known tracks like Novelty and Komakino, while there were even a couple of numbers from the debut 1978 Ideal For Living EP.

The more familiar songs built to a memorable finale, the mesmerising Atmosphere followed by a full-throttle rendition of Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Peter Hook, four decades on and still going strong. and Simon Thomas and

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