By now we know the score, and that doesn’t make it any less awesome: Peter Hook & The Light return to Boston tonight (September 3), bringing both Joy Division and New Order’s Substance compilation albums to the Paradise Rock Club.
“It still amazes me how enjoyable it is to play the Substance LPs,” says Peter Hook. “The contrast between Joy Division and New Order is very apparent but both complement each other very well. My only frustration is not being able to play more of our records each night. I am totally looking forward to the next phase. So, let’s enjoy some Substance and get ready for the future. Lots of love.”
The stateside dates, which began over the weekend in Toronto, are part of a legit run of tours for the iconic bassist, who takes the defining music of his legacy bands to Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The North American run of the Substance tours draws from both bands’ catalogs through their “greatest hits” releases, which means we’ll hear all the Joy Division and New Order classics over the course of the evening; and there are a lot of them, so that means no opening or support act.
Also, tonight we raise a glass to the late James Masters, Hook’s legendary media director and close personal friend who passed away late last year at the age of 50. Masters was instrumental in our decade-long coverage of Peter Hook and all his various projects (tours, books, anniversary shows, etc.) since our inception, and this is Hooky’s first visit to Boston without our spirited email exchanges sorting out press coverage. We’re grateful for the friendship; he is very much missed.
PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT :: Tuesday, September 3 at The Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston, MA :: 7 p.m., 18-plus, $37.50 :: Event info :: Advance tickets
***
