New Order, Brixton Academy, review: Slick and confident performance from music legends who remain current

Combination of film and live music seems to transport much of the audience back to a time of disaffected youth

Their 10th studio album New Order: Music Complete is a joyfully thumping return to form (Nick Wilson)

Following the tragic suicide of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis in 1980, the remaining members of the band formed New Order and quickly shed their rock roots, opting for a more joyful synth pop sound, finding notoriety at The Haçienda club in Manchester and subsequently creating a legendary cultural nerve centre for emerging electronic music, techno and acid house. Despite various band member departures, New Order still deserves its cult status and constantly remind us of their ability to reinvent themselves for fresh audiences. Their 10th studio album New Order: Music Complete is a joyfully thumping return to form.

The show, which forms part of an extensive sold-out UK tour, before the group embark on a tour of the US in December, began with a show of solidarity for the Paris victims with a flash of blue, white and red lights as frontman Bernard Sumner stepped forward to pay a brief tribute, showing an appreciation of the creative freedoms we have been afforded as the image of the Tricolore flag was projected behind him. The audience reacted with rapturous applause. “Vive la France” one man shouted.

The group embark on a tour of the US in December (Nick Wilson)

Starting out with new electro pop song “singularity” then diving straight into nostalgia-heavy “Ceremony” from their 1987 album Substance and “Age of consent” from 1983 album Power, Corruption and Lies, combined with a film of 1980s Berlin projected behind them onstage; a sentimental and interesting touch. The combination of film and live music seemed to transport much of the audience back to a time of disaffected youth.

As one of the younger audience members, I was relieved from the nostalgia-fest by a soulful and heartfelt version of “Restless”, a brilliant dreamy rock pop song from their new album, along with a backdrop inspired by the strikingly colourful album artwork. Since the Eighties, New Order has had their covers designed by graphic designer Peter Saville, a winning partnership that has helped them to sustain their status at the bleeding edge of pop culture.

Peter Hook’s trademark bass was masterfully and faithfully re-interpreted by current bassist Tom Chapman. His gentle rhythmic pop leading you into ecstatic synth-heavy dance songs “Tutti Frutti” and “Plastic” – both from the new album. These new dance tracks felt slightly hidden in the performance almost as if the band weren’t confident their fans would appreciate anything other than the back catalogue. “Bizarre Love Triangle” was joyfully but dutifully played in amongst some of the new tracks, finishing with effortlessly thumping dance favourites “True faith” and “Temptation”.

New Order are apparently a band famous for never doing encores but we were treated to the most spectacular and surprising rendition of “Atmosphere” and an emotional “Love will Tear us Apart”, both iconic Joy Division songs. Tugging at the heart strings with nostalgic clip of Ian Curtis projected in the background, finally uplifting the end of the show with a euphoric version of “Blue Monday”.

This was a slick and confident performance from music legends that are still staying current with fresh music, I just wished they had played more of it.