A massive cross country North American tour has been announced for Peter Hook & The Light’s “Joy Division : A Celebration” concerts which sees the group take to the road across the United States and Canada in August and September 2022, for their biggest and most extensive tour to date in the territory.
At some twenty six dates overall, the tour takes place across five weeks as the band return to some venues and debut at others to perform Joy Division’s seminal two albums “Unknown Pleasures” and “Closer” in full with additional Joy Division rarities and an opening set of New Order material.
The tour follows the debut UK dates for “Joy Division : A Celebration” which commemorate the 40th anniversary of Joy Division and Ian Curtis’ continuing influence.
Aside from some one off incidental dates such as The Roxy in LA, the “Joy Division : A Celebration” run of dates is the first time the band have toured both iconic albums in the same show in North America and the concerts are bound to be hugely special for the many devoted fans of the band.
With double concerts at the same venue announced for the opening nights in Toronto and then in Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles the tour also takes in Montreal, Royal Oak, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Boston, Silver Spring, Philadelphia, New York, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.
These Joy Division album shows have become much less common for The Light as they moved through their progression of touring the New Order albums in succession in the almost twelve years since Hooky began his odyssey through both his bands’ back catalogues.
That journey has seen them now perform his bands’ albums all round the world including numerous tours of North and South America, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and the Far East.
The influence of Joy Division and their music remains strong in popular culture, holding a sincere reverence. The albums are played sequentially in track order, respecting the inspiration and impact of the stunning debut album “Unknown Pleasures” and the immaculately produced second “Closer”.
“Unknown Pleasures” features “Disorder”, “Insight”, “New Dawn Fades”, and “She’s Lost Control” while “Closer”, considered “a start to finish masterpiece” by Pitchfork Media counts “Atrocity Exhibition”, “Heart And Soul” and “Twenty Four Hours” amongst its many highlights.
In addition to the albums, the concerts span the entirety of Joy Division’s rich but short career including early Warsaw material, tracks from the compilation LP “Still” to the final songs “Ceremony” and “In a Lonely Place” written by Joy Division which were to form New Order’s first single.
On “Unknown Pleasures” – The Album (NME)
“The band’s debut ‘Unknown Pleasures’ is simply one of the best records ever made, and is still powerful enough to floor you 30 years on. With an almost dub-like, spacey atmosphere sculpted by studio genius Martin Hannett, the band’s sound was almost the polar opposite of the punk music which had brought them together after a Sex Pistols show in 1976.” 10/10
On “Closer” – The Album (Pitchfork Media)
"Closer is even more austere, more claustrophobic, more inventive, more beautiful, and more haunting than its predecessor. It's also Joy Division's start-to-finish masterpiece, a flawless encapsulation of everything the group sought to achieve" 10 / 10.
August 2022
Thursday 11th August 2022 The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
Friday 12th August 2022 The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
Saturday 13th August 2022 Club Soda, Montreal
Monday 15th August 2022 Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak
Tuesday 16th August 2022 The Eastern. Atlanta
Thursday 18th August 2022 First Avenue, Minneapolis
Friday 19th August 2022 Metro, Chicago
Saturday 20th August 2022 Metro, Chicago
Monday 22nd August 2022 The Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee
Tuesday 23rd August 2022 Paradise Rock Club, Boston
Thursday 25th August 2022 The Filimore, Silver Spring
Friday 26th August 2022 Union Transfer, Philadelphia
Saturday 27th August 2022 Terminal 5, New York
Monday 29th August 2022 The Van Buren, Phoenix
Tuesday 30th August 2022 Mohawk, Austin
Wednesday 31st August 2022 Mohawk, Austin
September 2022
Friday 2nd September 2022 House Of Blues, Austin
Saturday 3rd September 2022 House Of Blues, Dallas
Monday 5th September 2022 Ogden Theatre, Denver
Tuesday 6th September 2022 Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, San Diego
Thursday 8th September 2022 The Theatre At Ace Hotel, Los Angeles
Friday 9th September 2022 The Theatre At Ace Hotel, Los Angeles
Saturday 10th September 2022 The Warfield, San Francisco
Monday 12th September 2022 Crystal Ballroom, Portland
Tuesday 13th September 2022 The Showbox, Seattle
Wednesday 14th September 2022 Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver
