Peter Hook and David Potts's Monaco will return with a live show on Saturday 23 May 2020 at the ⁦‪W-Festival‬⁩ at Waregem Expo in Belgium.

Meanwhile, follow Monaco on Instagram for the latest updates.

Labels: Belgium, Monaco, Peter_Hook, W_Festival

Manchester has always had its fair share of 'I was there' moments, and Friday night's (re)opening of FAC251 barged its way, ceremoniously, onto the list.

Any sense of Hacienda-vu - the opening was delayed whilst the builders finished building, the upper floors smelled of paint (some of it still wet), the fire alarm went off and that photo of Tony Wilson hangs above the reception desk - was quickly dispelled as Hooky took to the centre of the stage and, proudly wearing his (and Wilson's) heart - We made HISTORY not money - on his t-shirt, announced: "It's my club and i'll do whatever the f*ck I want!".

He then proceeded to do just that.

During an hour long, free and easy set that included Warsaw, Joy Division, New Order, Monaco and Freebass: Howard 'Mr Nice' Marks ranted, Mani played bass, Hooky played bass, Hooky's son played bass, Rowetta sang Atmosphere, Rowetta sang Insight, unfinished Joy Division and New Order tunes were finished, H air-punched, whooped, sang the wrong verses, paused mid-tune to get his breath back, and generally had the time of his life whilst co-lessor (?) Aaron Mellor stood transfixed at the rear of the stage, clearly loving every minute.

But one event - probably lost on all but the very few who were present at the opening night of the original Charles Street folly - confined the ghosts of how not to run a club to history.

Twenty years ago guests were summonsed by an invitation that consisted of a CD case bearing the axionometric diagram of the building on the cover. In true Factory style somebody forgot to hand out the contents - FACD 251 - on the night.

On Friday, though, VIP (or VASTLY INFLATED PERSONA according to their wristbands) guests were treated to a small gift: a CD case with an identical cover, this time complete with an actual CD.

A cheeky wink to the past indeed. But what of the future?

FAC251 The Factory could be a very interesting proposition: name any band in the world that would turn down an invitation to play in Peter Hook's front room. The fully northern alt-Ronnie Scott's.

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Joy_Division, Monaco, New_Order, Peter_Hook, T-Shirt, Tony_Wilson

Full tickets details for the Opening Weekend of FAC 251 The Factory have been announced.

Friday 5 February 2010 featuring Peter Hook’s The Light

A one-off performance by Peter Hook’s The Light, a Manchester supergroup put together specially for the occasion featuring Mani (Stone Roses), Rowetta (Happy Mondays), Howard Marks and other special guests, performing rare Joy Division and New Order tracks, and a hits retrospective from Hooky's previous bands Monaco, Revenge, New Order, Joy Division and the first ever debut of his new material with Freebass.

22.50 GBP (very limited tickets) for gig 7–11pm
8.50 GBP for Club Afterparty (Entry after 11pm ONLY)

Tickets on sale at FAC 251 The Factory at 12:00 midday on Friday 29 January 2010.

Saturday 6 February 2010 featuring Stonelove / Hacienda Presents Launch Party + special guest live act

Register at FAC 251 The Factory for details and tickets.

More info and details of gigs the weekend after (including White Lies and Twisted Wheel) available at the newly-fully-launched official website.

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Happy_Mondays, Joy_Division, Monaco, New_Order, Peter_Hook

Redeveloped, recrafted and entirely redesigned by original architect Ben Kelly, Factory Records' "One Charles Street" central Manchester offices reopen as FAC 251 The Factory, on 5 February 2010. FAC 251 will mix live bands, indie and dance influences across three different floors for Manchester's and the UK's gig and club goers.

The new venue is a joint venture between Peter Hook and established club operators Tokyo Industries (14 venues across the UK including the award-winning Digital in Newcastle and Brighton and the Tokyo Mansion Party venues). Tokyo Industries Managing Director Aaron Mellor is a long time Factory Records afficionado, having began his club career on the Hacienda dance floor and later DJing at Stonelove at the Hacienda in the mid-Nineties.

Original Factory architect has completely recast the building to suit its new purpose as a venue which draws on the legacy of the past but updates the original Factory ethos for contemporary bands, promoters, DJs and of course the people.

The Opening Weekend – Friday 5th / Saturday 6th February

Friday 5 February 2010 – Peter Hook’s The Light

"A one-off performance by Peter Hook’s The Light, a Manchester supergroup put together specially for the occasion featuring Mani (Stone Roses), Rowetta (Happy Mondays), Howard Marks and other special guests, performing rare Joy Division and New Order tracks, and a hits retrospective featuring songs by Hooky's previous bands Monaco, Revenge, New Order, Joy Division plus and the debut of his new material with Freebass."

Saturday 6 February 2010 – Stonelove / Hacienda Presents

"A club event allowing Manchester’s clubbing cognoscenti an opportunity to check out the three separate arenas. Original Haçienda indie club Stonelove returns to Manchester to begin its weekly residency downstairs, whilst Room 2 hosts a soundtrack of 70s New York City Funk & 80s Electro Pop. The Boardroom is handed back to the original Rockstars as FAC 51 The Hacienda begins its Saturday night residency Hacienda Presents at The Factory with a selection of Mancunian rock legends supervised by Hooky and pals alongside a roster of new DJ talents."

A full roster for future events at The Factory will be announced over the coming weeks.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Ben_Kelly, FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Records, Happy_Mondays, Joy_Division, Monaco, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Red_Turns_To

Alexandre announces a party in Paris tomorrow night, Mercredi 18 Fevrier:

I am running a party named From Manchester with Love with David Potts (Revenge/Monaco) spinning records from 22 PM until 5 AM.

It will happen at Truskel, 12 rue Feydeau 75005 Paris.

It is a free party.

Here is the link to facebook event : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=54845225909&ref=nf

Unfortunately, a deliberate lack of any MySecondFacebookTwitterSpaceLife presence prevents me from giving further detail, but here's hoping Pottsy raids his Simple Minds collection (suggestion: I Travel).

Labels: Monaco

Section 25 and Peter Hook of Joy Division/New Order have announced the first of a series of joint live concerts, at the Ancienne Belgique venue in Brussels (Belgium) on Friday 7 November 2008. Further dates in France and Germany will be confirmed shortly.

Their combined set will include highlights from the combined catalogues of Joy Division, Section 25, New Order and Monaco, as well as a sprinkling of new material. Songs will include 'Transmission', 'Temptation', 'Looking From A Hilltop', 'Shadowplay', 'Dreams Never End', 'What Do You Want From Me?', 'Dirty Disco', 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and 'Blue Monday'. Section 25 will also perform a separate opening set.

Section 25 and Peter first gigged together in 1979, during the heyday of Factory Records, when Section 25 often supported Joy Division in London and the North-West. After a gap of two decades, Section 25 again performed as guests of New Order in Blackpool in October 2006, while Peter performed the classic Temptation with SXXV at A Factory Night (Once Again), the sold-out live event staged at Plan K in Brussels on 15 December 2007.

"I'm scared to death, but it'll be great to do a full gig. I’ve missed playing too much!" (Peter Hook)

"It's a privilege to perform these songs with Hooky and the band. There will be power and passion." (Larry and Vin Cassidy)

Labels: Factory_Records, Joy_Division, Larry_Cassidy, Monaco, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Section_25

A reminder that Monaco will play a one-off set at The Ritz in Manchester this coming Sunday 28th October 2007 for the charity gig 'Oxjam at the Ritz' - the Manchester leg of the country-wide series of fundraising events for UK charity Oxfam.

Hooky told the Manchester Evening News : "I haven't played the Ritz since Rob Gretton's memorial and am very much looking forward to performing there again."

Ex-Happy Mondays man Ben Knott also appears on the bill with Vinny Peculiar.

Tickets, priced at GBP 16.50 are available from Ticketline.

Labels: Happy_Mondays, Monaco

Adam Moss in the MEN reports that Monaco are reuniting for a gig in aid of Nordoff-Robbins on 21 March 2007.

The gig is the Hard Rock Café 'March on Stage' event in Manchester on Wednesday to raise cash for the music therapy charity.

When pressed on the likelihood of a permanent reformation Hooky quipped "Very unlikely, I thought I'd got rid of Pottsy and he thought he'd got rid of me but a one-off like this for Nordoff-Robbins is worth doing".

Pottsy added "We'll let you know if it was a good idea afterwards!"

Labels: Monaco

David 'Pottsy' Potts (ex-Monaco) has a new E.P. modestly titled 'I'm The Greatest' with an album 'Coming Up For Air' to follow next year. He spoke to BBC Manchester about his new work which will come out on his own label.

[check out another Pottsy article in the Manchester Evening News.]

Labels: Monaco

It was 'One Hit Wonders' on Gonzo yesterday evening and who should come out of Zane Lowe's box of vids but Monaco and 'What Do You Want From Me?'.

Labels: Monaco

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