In his memoirs, Sir Edward Abbott Parry — a renowned English county judge of the early 20th century — said of Manchester: “For Manchester is the place where people do things…. ‘Don’t talk about what you are going to do — do it.’ That is the Manchester habit.”
There is perhaps no one who better epitomizes this spirit than Manc bassist Peter Hook, famed for his contributions as a founding member of both Joy Division and New Order. Tough, determined, and opinionated, Hooky is a man who gets things done through and through.
Separated from the band that made him famous for more than 15 years now, Hooky tours their shared catalog with Peter Hook & The Light, drawing upon the core of his ’90s band Monaco to play music that puts the spotlight on his passions. Because while Peter Hook is certainly a man who rolls up his sleeves and does the work, he is just as much a big-hearted fellow who feels the joys and sorrows of his life’s work. And this is what you see when you watch him and his band perform live, as seen in their most recent sold-out performance at 9:30 Club.
Peter Hook & The Light usually differentiate their annual shows by choosing to focus on a specific Joy Division or New Order album, and so it was that Peter Hook showcased Get Ready, the splendid 2001 comeback album he released with the band, for the first set of his show at 9:30 Club on Sept. 8.
Hooky and his crew — Monaco’s David Potts (guitar, vocals) and Paul Kehoe (drums) along with Jack Bates (bass, Hooky’s son!) and Martin Rebelski (keyboards) — made a formidable team at 9:30 Club, full of life and brilliance. They do us a favor by turning the light onto somewhat neglected New Order material when they play an album like Get Ready, and the material really shined in their capable hands. It was wonderful to hear rarely performed numbers like “60 Miles an Hour” and “Run Wild” live — and even “Crystal,” the awesome lead single from the album (which opened the show), doesn’t get enough love.
Stream New Order’s “Crystal” by Peter Hook & The Light live on YouTube:
As satisfying as it was to hear Get Ready live in its entirety — and it was quite satisfying — people truly turned up for the second meatier set of Joy Division and New Order favorites, which Hooky and company delivered with energetic gusto. After a brief intermission, Peter got right back into things by dedicating “No Love Lost” to his late bandmate Ian Curtis, whose death transformed Joy Division into New Order in 1980.
It wasn’t long before Peter Hook & The Light surfaced well-known Joy Division numbers like “Isolation,” “Transmission,” and “Atmosphere,” and by this point, the crowd was completely mesmerized by the sheer genius of the show: Ian Curtis’ timeless poetry as a living thing combined with the defining sound of Peter Hook’s bass guitar. Hooky growled and yowled, pulling the grit and determination from his own soul to imbue the music with power. And it surely cast a spell over the full house at 9:30 Club. In this way, not only does Peter Hook put his whole self into the show, but he also in my opinion honors his former bandmates, both living and dead.
And in my two cents: Hooky’s singing voice has improved quite a bit since I first saw Peter Hook & The Light live — and of course he wisely divided the vocal labor with David Potts. I was there when they first visited DC for a show at 9:30 Club in December 2010. In subsequent return DC trips, the band have played the Howard Theatre and The Fillmore Silver Spring, but 9:30 Club was once again the best home for their scrappy, never-say-die spirit.
Peter Hook & The Light sold out 9:30 Club when they were here two years ago — but on that occasion they did not have Jack Bates, their outstanding bassist, on hand because he was touring with The Smashing Pumpkins! And so it was welcome to see Jack back in the fold, adding groovy layers to “Ceremony” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” the concert closer.
Watch Peter Hook & The Light perform “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division live in Manchester in 2022 via YouTube:
As an aside, with the core members of Monaco present, you might expect to hear a Monaco tune — “What Do You Want From Me?” in particular — but in a surprise move, Peter Hook & The Light injected a cover of “Pineapple Face” by Peter Hook side project Revenge instead. That was an unexpected deep dive into Hooky’s long musical repertoire!
Peter Hook & The Light continue their 2026 North American tour for several more weeks. But we longtime fans are perhaps as excited for Peter Hook’s recognition as a founding member of Joy Division and New Order when he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a Los Angeles ceremony on Nov. 14.
It seems Bernard Sumner, Hooky’s estranged New Order bandmate, will be there, while it seems New Order drummer Stephen Morris and keyboardist Gillian Gilbert will not due to an unidentified illness sidelining Steve. This suggests to me personally that New Order will not play although Bernard is taking the band on the road with touring members only for a jaunt through South America after the Los Angeles induction ceremony. (Ian Curtis also is an inductee.)
But sure as can be, I know Hooky will be there in Los Angeles. Because he’s the man who gets things done. And what better Mancunian could there be to represent the spirit of rock and roll than our favorite bass player, willful, ready, and confident.
Here are some photos of Peter Hook & The Light performing live at 9:30 Club on Sept. 8, 2026. All pictures by Mickey McCarter.
