Anyone who thought Hooky's centre stage antics have always been the strutting of an over-inflated ego and that his Unknown Pleasures set would be a glorified cover version band tribute look away now.

From the evidence of the residence, The Light poured and Hooky found his voice - and what a voice!

The set was (almost) chronological: At A Later Date ("He's bound to do that - it's one of his!" - Terry Mason), Ideal For Living, Factory Sample, Unknown Pleasures, Transmission, LWTUA.

Bang bang bang: the band were tight, immense and clearly well rehearsed. The set was punched out with very little space in between. Every tune benefitted from a slight re-work - intros shortened, superfluous bars dropped, drop-downs and build-ups accentuated, grunge applied wherever possible. Rowetta did her bit on Insight, Simon Topping even joined in the air punching on Transmission. But, unlike the free-n-easy set on the reopening night of The Factory, this was serious.

The star of the show, though, was the voice. Belting out from start to finish - no mean feat over two consecutive nights - H's vocal strength and depth was remarkable, recalling Ian Curtis's own vocal development at the hands of Hannett (I checked with Di: no harmoniser).

Rumour has it this show is about to be taken to the road. Given that this set represents the first half of Joy Division's finite output - will there be a Closer?

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Setlist [18 + 19 May 2010]

At A Later Date
Warsaw
No Love Lost
Leaders Of Men
Failures
Digital
Glass
--
Disorder
Day Of The Lords
Candidate
Insight
New Dawn Fades
She's Lost Control
Wilderness
Interzone
I Remember Nothing
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Transmission
Love Will Tear Us Apart

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, Peter_Hook, review, The_Light

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