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Peter Hook 'Closer' show moved to Gramercy (updated dates), the rest of New Order reuniting for charity

by Bill Pearis

Peter Hook

Despite a general consensus that it’s a not the greatest idea or use of his time, Peter Hook and his current band The Light continue to tour the Joy Division catalogue and will be in New York next Tuesday (9/13) for a show at Gramercy Theatre, a show that was originally supposed to be at Irving Plaza. Where last year’s tour concentrated on Unknown Pleasures, this time the focus will be on Joy Division’s second, final album, Closer. Some dates on this tour will still get Unknown Pleasures, though, and all tour dates are below indicating which album Peter Hook & the Light will be performing.

Back in May, Peter Hook & the Light released an EP of new versions Joy Division songs, including the unrecorded “Pictures in My Mind” plus three other songs with lead vocals by Rowetta who sang with Happy Mondays in the ’90s and later placed fourth on the first UK season of Simon Cowell’s X Factor. Videos for The Light’s versions of “Atmosphere” (with Rowetta) and “Pictures in My Mind” (with Hook taking lead vocals) are at the bottom of this post.

Meanwhile, the rest of New Order are reuniting without Peter Hook, and that includes keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert who hasn’t played with the band since the ’90s. Gilbert was a part of the recording of 2001’s Get Ready but bowed out of touring to take care of her and husband (and New Order drummer) Stephen Morris‘ daughter. Replacing Hook will be Tom Chapman, who plays in Bernard Summner‘s Bad Lieutenant. I wonder how low he slings his bass? This version of New Order play October 17 at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels and October 18 at La Bataclan in Paris and both shows are benefits for ailing friend of the band Michael Shamburg who produced many of the band’s ’80s videos. Maybe they’ll stick to songs from 1992’s Republic which doesn’t features much of Hook’s signature bass style.

Speaking of Gilbert, she and Morris (who made records as The Other Two in the early ’90s) have released a new EP, Swing, under the name Gillian and Stephen on their own Hard Cheese label, consisting of house-y instrumentals originally conceived and written as a soundtrack to Anna Blessman & Peter Saville’s exhibition between October 2010 and January 2011 at the Gallerie Frac Champagne-Ardenne in France. Saville designed the sleeve.

You can stream a track off the Swing EP at the bottom of this post, which is also where you can find those Peter Hook & the Light videos and tour dates.


Peter Hook & the Light – Pictures in My Mind

Peter Hook & the Light – Atmosphere

Peter Hook & the Light – 2011 Tour Dates
Tue 9/13 New York, NY Gramercy Theatre CLOSER
Wed 9/14 Los Angeles, CA The Music Box CLOSER
Thu 9/15 Los Angeles, CA Amoeba Music
Fri 9/16 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Sat 9/17 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine CLOSER
Mon 9/19 Denver, CO Bluebird Theatre UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Tue 9/20 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club CLOSER
Wed 9/21 Washington D.C., DC 9:30 Club CLOSER
Fri 9/23 Chicago, IL Metro CLOSER
Sat 9/24 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Sun 9/25 Montreal, QC Club Soda UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Wed 9/28 Tijuana, MEX Black Box UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Thu 9/29 Guadalajara, MEX The Warehouse UNKNOWN PLEASURES
Sat 10/1 Mexico City, MEX El Pasaguero UNKNOWN PLEASURES

Gillian and Stephen – Swing Robot
02. Swing Robot – Stephen & Gillian by Republic of Music

The Other Two – Tasty Fish