New Order - Manchester Apollo 14th November 2005

Seeing New Order in their hometown is always special. Forgotten is the miserabilism of early 80's Manchester when all was grey and the city was overshadowed by the cloud of the suicide of Ian Curtis.

Instead we come to celibrate the glorious sound and spectacle of Barneys mong dancing, Hooky strutting about and throwing shapes like own the place. Nobody doubts that on the Apollo stage is our band playing our music of our faded youth.

They even played some Joy Division songs, Love Will Tear us Apart, Shadowplay, She's Lost Control and Atmosphere - as Barney said - probably the most beautiful song Joy Division ever wrote.

The only place to be at a New Order gig is in front of Hooky - it turned out that I was next to Barney's Missus for most of the night - she was bopping away like a good 'un!!

An affirmation that falling in love with this band all over again is just like the first time.