5 JULY
★★★★★
The premiere of Peter Hook and Manchester Camerata orchestra’s classical reworking of Joy Division’s catalogue could have been a horror show.
Manchester Camerata conductor Tim Crooks is responsible for Haçienda Classiçal, whose cheesy vibe is the last thing you’d want for Unknown Pleasures. But here was a reminder that this music matters more to Peter Hook than even Joy Division diehards.
The Camerata’s playing was too subtle to descend into stadium bombast, but its power gave a glimpse into how songs like New Dawn Fades and Heart And Soul could have sounded under a more regular producer than Martin Hannett – not to detract from his unique style, more of a complementary alternative. Honed over the time fronting Peter Hook And The Light, Hook’s voice wasn’t overpowered, and the additional vocalists truly shone. Natalie Findlay best captured Ian Curtis’ spirit with a whirlwind performance of She’s Lost Control, while Bastien Marshall was a shimmering avatar of Curtis on Disorder.