Peter Hook and the Light at Webster Hall's Grand Ballroom

Peter Hook (born Peter Woodhead in Lancashire, England, on February 13, 1956) is best known as the co-founder and bassist for Joy Division and New Order, but his history in the music business has included stints as a disc jockey, nightclub owner, record company mogul and the author of two books, one about his club management days and the other about Joy Division. Hook also launched a masters degree program in Music Industry Management and Promotion at the University of Central Lancashire in 2012. Hook left New Order in 2007 and New Order reformed in 2011 without him or his permission to use the brand name, according to him; this will be settled in the British courts. Hook is currently lead vocalist and bassist for Peter Hook and the Light, which is performing Joy Division and New Order songs exclusively.

The current tour has Peter Hook and the Light playing New Order’s first two albums, 1981’s "Movement" and 1983’s "Power Corruption and Lies" track by track, along with a few additional songs. At Irving Plaza tonight, this was a visit to a time when dance-beat rock was at its peak. The key to the set was monotony, as the band played each song’s groove for extended periods, with just a small amount of lead guitar work or layers of synthesizer sounds. The band started the songs with a rhythm, Hook sang a bit, and then he stepped back as the band continued the groove. Hook frequently interchanged between his bass and guitar, but they were mostly for show, as he hardly played either.  Most of the time Hook’s right hand was on the microphone stand, so much so that the musician on his right frequently played bass even while Hook slung his own bass from his shoulder. Occasionally Hook would also play, meaning there were two active bassists on stage, but Hook never played throughout a song. Ironically, the spotlight remained on Hook the entire show, even when the band did all the work and he did nothing. Hook was at best a fair singer. Nevertheless, for those who came to relive the glory days of new wave dance music, Hook and the Light’s performance provided a nostalgic trip to the past, performing no new songs and giving the audience two hours of exactly the songs they wanted to hear, live and upbeat.

Visit Peter Hook at www.peterhook.co.uk.