Peter Hook And The Light perform “Still”, the third and final of Joy Division’s releases live, sequentially and in its entirety for the first ever time at The Factory in Manchester on Friday 18th May and Saturday 19th May 2012.
· Released as a double album in October 1981 to counter the slew of unofficial and bootleg releases which followed Ian Curtis’ death, “Still” first disc comprised studio out-takes and mainly unreleased or lesser heard tracks while the second album is a live recording of Joy Divisions’ last ever concert at High Hall, Birmingham on 2nd May 1980.
· At the concert Hooky and The Light are to perform each disc separately, first the studio recording and then replicate the final ever Joy Division concert in a double header which has been long awaited and anticipated by fans and devotees of the band.
Peter Hook And The Light Perform Joy Division’s “Still”
Friday 18th May & Saturday 19th May 2012
The Factory, Manchester from 8pm
112 – 118 Princess Street Manchester, M1 7EN
In Association With Mind And Forever Manchester
Tickets : £20.12 (Includes Charity Donation)
Tickets available from 12 noon Friday 2nd March 2012 at www.factorymanchester.com / www.skiddle.com / www.fatsoma.com
24 Hour Credit Card Hotline – 08444 77 10000
In Person – Piccadilly Records / Vinyl Exchange / Fopp / Gaffs
In the third of what has now become an annual event, Peter Hook And The Light are to complete their live performances of Joy Division’s releases, performing the double album “Still” for the first ever time, in full sequentially and in its entirely at The Factory, Manchester on Friday 18th May and Saturday 19th May 2012.
With The Light having already having performed Joy Division’s two full albums, “Unknown Pleasures” and “Closer” since May 2010, “Still” marks a different challenge for the band and a new experience for the audience as the two disc album comprises some lesser known and previously unreleased material which featured on neither of the first two albums as well as a recording of Joy Division’s last ever concert at Birmingham High Hall on 2nd May 1980.
Originally released to provide an official album to counter the numerous bootleg and unofficial releases which followed Ian Curtis’ death, “Still’s” first disc material culled from a variety of sources, studio outtakes, the “Sordide Sentimental” limited edition French Single, and the band’s second John Peel session.
With Joy Division’s stunningly raw sound allied to the futuristic production template laid down by Martin Hannett, the other worldly, ethereal musings of “Exercise One” start up the album, which then opens up into many seminal and highly influential tracks including the thrashy “Ice Age”, the anthemically breaking “Glass”, the prophetically titled “Something Must Break”, a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Sister Ray” and the opening live track to many Joy Division concerts, “Dead Souls”.
Still’s second disc was formed of the live set from Joy Division’s last ever concert at Birmingham High Hall in May 1980. Notable for the first ever performance of “Ceremony”, the concert was just on the cusp of the release of second album “Closer” and the set list comes from both that album and from “Unknown Pleasures”.
Starting with the premiere of “Ceremony” which was to become New Order’s first ever single, the gig runs through many of the now classic live repertoire, the moody elegance of “Shadowplay” segues into “New Dawn Fades”, “Transmission”, Unknown Pleasures’ punchily direct opening track “Disorder” before completing the set with the rare live performances of “Decades” and “Digital”.
On completing the set of Joy Division’s releases with the Still Concerts, Peter Hook commented – “It’s somewhat bittersweet since I honestly wish there were more to go really but I am very happy that now with “Still” I will have played every Joy Division song ever written, again. I am delighted that The Light are performing Joy Division’s final release in what seems set to be the final Light / Joy Division gigs in Manchester and I’m looking forward to a couple of great concerts so finish up the trilogy properly.”
Support for both concerts comes from Kevin Hewick who will soon be releasing his “All Was Numbered” album on Hacienda Records.
On Mind & Forever Manchester Involvement
As has been customary with the previous album debut concerts at The Factory in May, the “Still” gigs benefit two charities, Mind, the mental health charity and Forever Manchester, a local Manchester charity which supports numerous community based initiatives
On the concerts continuing involvement with Mind, Chief Executive Paul Farmer said “Once again, we are indebted to Peter Hook for his continued support of Mind through these incredible gigs. For a third successive year, his efforts to raise vital funds and awareness will help us to continue to provide support and advice for anyone experiencing a mental health problem."
Forever Manchester’s Chief Executive Nick Massey also commented “It is fantastic that Hooky and The Light have involved us in these events. We will ensure that the money raised is put back into supporting the creativity, talent and passion found across Manchester, to improve the lives of all the people here.”
Forever Manchester’s Chief Executive Nick Massey also commented “It is fantastic that Hooky and The Light have involved us in these events. We will ensure that the money raised is put back into supporting the creativity, talent and passion found across Manchester, to improve the lives of all the people here.”
