Out and About: Peter Hook Brings Joy Division and New Order Favorites to Plaza Live Orlando

- Michelle Snow

Seeing Peter Hook and The Light live at the Plaza Live was like taking a trip back in time. The calendar may have said it was April 19, 2015, but the music said it was the 1980s.

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

That’s because Hook was co-founder of the bands Joy Division and New Order, and his show incorporated plenty of songs from those bands.

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

Hook and his band The Light started the evening with a short set of New Order tunes, in effect opening for themselves. The set list included “Thieves Like Us,” “Dreams Never End,” “This Time of Night,” “Sunrise,” “State of the Nation,” and “Face Up.” The band closed with New Order’s biggest hit, “Blue Monday.”

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

After a brief break, Peter Hook and The Light launched into the first of two Joy Division albums the band would play in their entirety.

They started with Unknown Pleasures, then after another brief break, came back onstage to perform Closer. Hearing these albums live took me back to my teen years, when I practically lived at a import vinyl store called Paradise Records in Madison, WI.

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

The music was also impacting many in the audience, who were dancing and singing along. One rather inebriated gentleman even attempted to disrobe, but security made him put his shirt back on. Enthusiastic fans are always a plus at concerts, and can even add some side color to a show.

Finishing the albums, Hook and his band went offstage, while the nearly packed room screamed for an encore.

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

A few minutes later, they returned and launched into a brief encore that included Joy Division’s “Transmission (Dance to the Radio)” and closed with their biggest hit, “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

Peter Hook and The Light live at Plaza Live Orlando 4-19-15

All told, Peter Hook and The Light played for almost two and a half hours, keeping the crowd enthralled all the while. Kudos to them for putting on such a great show, and hopefully they’ll return in the future. For more information on Peter Hook and The Light, visit peterhook.co.uk.

Thanks also to the staff at Plaza Live for maintaining a great venue to see live bands in Orlando.

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