New Order
Live Brixton Academy Londra 12.10.01

LA RECENSIONE

The floor of the Brixton Academy slopes downward, the stage is low, and for the first 20 minutes, I believe I'm outside, in an inner courtyard; then I notice the very high black ceiling. The New Order are introduced by a speaker who talks about four young guys and finally introduces the Joy Division. Exactly so. They start with "Crystal" from the latest album. Hooky, as if the years haven't passed, continues to play the bass at ankle height. Soon they also play "Transmission," "Ceremony," and "Atmosphere." The audience sings every word. Who would have thought it would be possible to experience these songs live? After the suicide of Curtis, the "Joy Division" had changed their name and renounced their entire back catalog. Talking about the "Joy Division" was even forbidden. And now this. They also play all the New Order hits, those masterpieces of electronic understatement like "Bizarre Love Triangle," "True Faith," "Blue Monday," an unrecognizable "Regret" from "Republic." Then many from the new "Get Ready." Of the original band, only Gillian Gilbert-Morris is missing, her place taken by a session-man who, the couple of times they make a mistake in the song, as is tradition for the New Order, is targeted by Barney: "what the fuck, this is what happens when amateurs play with professionals like us.” During the first pause, Hooky remains on stage alone, continuing to echo a single note, with harmonics bouncing everywhere, almost ambient; then, still alone, he starts the riff of "Age of Consent" from "Power Corruption and Lies" of 1983. And he plays it for a long time, alone. Who else can hold a scene for 10 minutes like this? This is history. A beautiful concert.