Unknown Pleasures pioneered late 70s post-punk, it was birthed from the ashes of the decaying musical scene at the time, and became the pinnacle of Joy Division‘s success. Forty years on, co-founder and bassist Peter Hook sought to revisit the melancholic atmosphere that is the Joy Division live experience, with a series of tribute shows worldwide.
Supporting on the Unknown Pleasures tour was reformed 80s cult junk-rock band, The Wreckery. Whilst the choice of support may seem initially puzzling, it gracefully catered to the taste of the large majority of Unknown Pleasures’ audience – middle aged, pathetically nostalgiac, children of the 70s. The Wreckery possessed a dirty pub-rock vibe infused with grinding country rhythms, giving them a sort of husky masculinity. This was of course reflected in their appearance – wild sideburns and Nick Cave inspired vests. Whilst they maintained a steady audience throughout their performance, they had little to cater to the younger generation of Unknown Pleasures fans, who strayed to the bar in refusal to demean themselves with such middle-aged filth.
Peter Hook and Friends turned to the stage with the chiming intro of Kraftwerk’s “Trans Europa Express” resonating throughout the theatre hall. An abrupt finish to the intro, and no greeting to the audience, the band dove straight into their Unknown Pleasures set. I was under the impression that the album would be played in its entirety – from “Disorder” to “I Remember Nothing” – but Peter Hook favoured a more sporadic set, refusing to allow audience insight into what would be next performed.
What was immediately notable to the majority of fans was the immense arrogance with which he performed. He dictated the set with an unwarranted sense of accomplishment and pride at something which had been a collaborative effort; from the guitar that was unnecessarily strapped to him throughout the performance, to his constant fist pumps towards the audience. With closed eyes, however, the music was near impeccable.
From “Interzone” to “She’s Lost Control”; it was the mutual effort between the band’s talented recreation of Joy Division’s music, and the audience’s keen participation, which gave the gig the intensity and emotional provocation that was expected. Whilst the music was still driven with the melancholy depth of its original incarnation, it lacked the distinct draining sense of despair in its execution. It seemed Peter Hook’s intention was for a set that was pure entertainment rather than raw emotion. An encore of some of Joy Division’s other hits – “Atrocity Exhibition”, and a ‘present from Peter Hook to the audience’, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” – ended the show rather quickly. I’d like to say that Unknown Pleasures was ‘off the Hook’, but it would be more appropriate to conclude that Hook has gone off it.
