Section 25 with Peter Hook (Beat Club, Blackpool, 19/12/08)

Pink Hearse opened. They are an all female punk band and make a decent stab of recreating the heady days of Siouxie and Penetration. Notwithstanding the ice bucket catching the rain which was dripping through the roof, their high enery numbers worked well and apart from a couple of weaker songs they carved out a decent response from the punters. Like The Hedrons they will find a big market for their brand of UK punk overseas.

 

With an extended set featuring Peter Hook and some blistering renditions of old Joy Division tunes hampered only by a totally inadequate sound system, Section 25 again demonstrated what a solid and viable band they still are. Their short set of 'greatest hits' featured New Horizons, Up to you, Looking from a Hilltop, After image, and Wretch.

 

The appearance of Hooky was of course the highlight and for brief moments during the extended set, they recreated the magic that I felt when seeing Joy Division back in 1979. In fact with a decent sound system and a bit more concentration from Larry to actually sing in the right places without having to rely on nods and prods from Hooky, this would have been even more special than it undoubtedly already was.

 

We were treated to No Love Lost, Temptation, Love Will Tear Us Apart, Shadowplay, She's Lost Control, Ceremony, Interzone and Warsaw. It was wonderful, nostalgic and even slightly moving to see Hooky play these songs at full kilter again. Not sure if this will ever be repeated, but if it comes anywhere near where you live, it's a must see.