New Order play First Direct Arena in Leeds - review

Forged from the debris of the iconic Joy Division, after their singer Ian Curtis took his own life both bands are justifiably part of our musical folklore.

Their marriage of synths and rock guitar driven by Peter Hook’s melodic bass playing and Stephen Morris' metronomic drumming proved hugely influential to many bands. Hook left some years ago but retains a loyal following of his own with his band The Light who tour the entire Joy Division catalogue as well as the New Order albums he participated on.

Good evening Leeds, greeted Sumner as he took the stage (Image: Dave Lawrence)

The band - Bernard Sumner (guitar and vocals), Stephen Morris (drums) and Gillian Gilbert (keyboards) and augmented by regulars, guitarist Phil Cunningham and bassist Tom Chapman - delivered a wonderful show at First Direct Arena that veered from the melancholic to the transcendent.

“Good evening Leeds," greeted Sumner as he took the stage. “It’s Saturday night, let’s have some fun”.

Stephen Morris on drums with New Order in Leeds (Image: Dave Lawrence)

The band’s set was packed with audience favourites and they moved effortlessly between the more guitar driven songs earlier in the set like opening number Crystal, and the follow ups Regret, Age of Consent and Ceremony to the more synth driven dance floor material such as Sub-culture, Bizarre Love Triangle and Plastic.

A dazzling laser and light show along with moody videos on the screen behind the band also proved a visual treat throughout the show.

Gillian Gilbert on keyboard with New Order in Leeds (Image: Dave Lawrence)

Beginning so strongly might, for some bands, be seen as peaking early but New Order have a deep reservoir of classic songs which together with the revered Joy Division material means this was never a possibility.

Sumner’s voice remains the fragile instrument it has always been, sometimes – certainly live – the vocals are close to disappearing into the overall mix, but they always sound uniquely vulnerable.

Bassist Tom Chapman on stage with New Order in Leeds (Image: Dave Lawrence)

Like their contemporaries, The Cure, did last December in the same venue, the band closed their set in the strongest possible way, delivering stirring versions of what to most of us in attendance would tell you are timeless classics.

True Faith, the glorious Blue Monday and Temptation closed the main set in superb style before returning for an encore that just about took the roof off.

Phil Cunningham on stage with New Order (Image: Dave Lawrence)

Opening with Atmosphere, the giant screen displaying archive footage from the song’s eerie video interspersed with images of the forever monochrome Ian Curtis, the band began a three-song encore of Joy Division numbers that in reality was much more of a celebration of the band than a tribute.

A warp speed version of Transmission was accompanied by a blizzard of lasers and lights beaming out across the arena before the band closed the show with the iconic Love Will Tear Us Apart. Mid-song the screen slowly zoomed in on Curtis’s penetrating gaze almost as if he was watching with approval as his former bandmates brought what had been a wonderful show to a close.