Cozy New Order plays classic games in the Ziggo Dome

In October 2019, New Order played in the Netherlands for the first time in almost 35 years, at AFAS Live. This time the band are back ‘again’ after four years, although it is now the Ziggo Dome where the influential band from Manchester perform.

The New Order of course made a name for themselves in the 1980s. The band played live a lot at that time, albeit in much smaller venues. Because the quartet experimented extensively with new and sometimes shaky equipment and had a main conductor in Bernard Sumner who was forced to step behind the microphone at a new frequency, there were often shifting, sometimes faltering concerts that were often very short. However, the band’s strong lyrical material has always kept fans’ interest burning.

Nowadays New Order, which is of course very old, is played less often, but it is played in large venues. This change from a searching, introspective but stimulating band to a more streamlined and less predictable live act occurred mainly in the years when New Order did not visit the Netherlands. The 2019 performance will be a huge turn-off for anyone who hasn’t seen the band live after 1985. Anyway because guitarist Peter Hook was no longer around at the time.

Tonight’s concert is part of a combined seven-concert European tour, which has taken the band to Denmark and will then take them to France, Ireland and the UK. The old core of Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris have been faithfully supported for years by Tom Chapman on bass and Phil Cunningham on guitar. open with Crystal And Regret It is of course a luxury and always goes well, although the sound is quite loud. Fortunately, this diminishes as the evening progresses, although the band still sounds a bit heavier than they did four years ago.

Sumner looks with relief at the full hall and is glad that the weather outside has finally improved: “It rains more here than in Manchester. Well…maybe not.” Old tracks from the “Golden Years” e.g to celebrate, seduction, Puberty, Subculture, Strange love triangle (Flows beautifully in Vanishing point) And Your silent face Make the room glow naturally. The latter is accompanied by a clip showing the names of passing band members, as if you were watching a video Title sequence Watch a movie or series. And Blue Monday It’s still “fun to play after all these years,” according to Sumner. Of course he is one Classic cold stone But perhaps it is also a secret necessity, comparable to the underworlds Slippery boy or forest Of treatment.

Recent tracks like Plastic And Be rebellious Once again showing the band’s preference for the club. This is how New Order keeps it so expansive in terms of sound. Although the band peaked mainly in the first decade of their existence and after 1993 were far from productive in terms of releases with three albums, there is still a lot to learn from those subsequent years. This is the first time in a long time Close distancefrom the album get ready (2001) and it will be attractive but otherwise not great shake it upfrom the “Group/Rest Album” Missing sirens Many people hear it for the first time.

In the new century, New Order increasingly carries out Joy Division’s legacy during concerts. Although the original versions of the songs are huge and unique, New Orders are well within their rights to bring their revered past to the stage. They also offer an additional charge tonight, although this is largely due to the images on display turning back the clock to the black-and-white era. During the set, a (very) heavy version of insulation Another thing between two stools, appearing with Contracts, moving in And Love will tear us apart It’s like a short self-contained concert but it makes for a worthwhile conclusion.

Like contemporaries of therapy, the new system is above all a Touring band With “only” three albums under their belt this century. Fans around the world are well served and the chance of negative surprises is always slim – although a band like The Cure will always sound better live than New Order. Colorful like other tourist ones The eighties Icons like The Sisters of Mercy, New Order don’t make it either: Sisters’ last album dates back to 1990 (!). Therefore, there is definitely still creative force in the new system. Hopefully this will lead to an inspiring new album, and if the energy is still there, the setlist will be updated for the next and perhaps last years of international concerts.