Heaton Park, ManchesterThe classic hits come along like buses, and a Joy Division encore is moving, but New Order are one of the few bands of this vintage whose new material you also want to hear
‘It’s been a horrible couple of years. Let’s have a party and try and make up for it,” begins Bernard Sumner, kicking off the biggest hometown show of New Order’s 41-year career. They’ve certainly returned with a bang: 35,000 people have crammed into a field to see lasers, computer graphics, able support acts Working Men’s Club, Hot Chip, and DJ Tin Tin, who powers Madchester classics into the cool night air.
After 18 months of Covid, the vast audiovisual spectacle feels very Never Mind the Pandemic. It isn’t necessarily the best environment to see a band, though. Burger pongs, gigantic bar queues, jostling punters and zero social distancing don’t always make the most comfortable audience experience, and when someone holds up a flare it chokes everyone nearby. Still, any moans are forgotten once Regret soars into the night sky like an aural balm.