New Order - Tower Ballroom 09 May 1983

NME - POWER CORRUPTION & TRUTH

NEW ORDER
Birmingham Tower Ballroom

FINALLY, TOTALLY, New Order have swept everything aside. One hour of sheer refined Power, beautiful dignified detail and concentrated commitment, and New Order have tried, tested and then torn up every expectation and desire. They were breathtaking, awe-inspiring, completely unnerving.

'Well old things never die (seems like I've been here before)'

At the heart of such strength, New Order's striking, shining singularity sets them above and apart from all others. And the unconcerned confidence with which they began tonight (with the resounding silken grace of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart') left no room for doubt: this would be special.

'It's a strange day in such a lonely way'

The gilding daze of 'Truth' ssshakes and ssshivers, before stumbling into a hypnotic, haunting collision of searing, soaring keyboard and bitterly involved guitars to produce a glorious, furious trance finally free from Hannet's strained production.

'Oh it's the last time'

 'Temptation', sung with unabashed nerve, with that subtle, peaceful strength, shuffles in, seductively simple, the easiest, most unaffected, uplifting triumph of all.

'Tell me how does it feel when you heart grows old'

The cold, consuming 'ICB', 'Blue Monday' and 'Everything's Gone Green' follow, with flickering thrills and shimmers of a flowing, ecstatic energy, a glossy menace, giving 'electronic dance' a blue-soaked, trigger-happy face-lift.

'And there's a taste in my mouth as desperation takes hold'

After the hungry, spirited persistence of 'Age of Consent', the vulnerable, pleading 'Leave Me Alone' finally catches Albrecht out. For one moment only we get a look of guilty weakness and defeated tenderness that even he can't shrug off. It's gonna be so quiet in here tonight....

'And the noise that surrounds me grows so loud in my head'

The shattering, galloping RAGE of 'Denial' - a most dazzling, careering chase, a quite breathless charge - grips the breath, pumps the blood, snatches the pulse with Morris's spell-binding pounding at its heart. Guitars thrash and synths whistle and whirl to form a panic-stricken BLAZE of Power that has even Albrecht pale with the peril of such PACE. Catching your breath you have to wonder.

'How does it feel'

New Order control and contain a desperate ferocity, an inspiring impact, an invincible involvement, with a quiet price and patient economy; they have a delicate tension that tears at the barriers of pure force.

'Is there something I know, the answer's not there'

The most moving,  awesome Might, taking on love, life, time, truth and movement, New Order drown, drain, thrill and unnerve. Over the Top? Well no, for this was New Order, proving, finally, they're doing more than enough.

And it comes and it goes and it frightens me.

Jim Shelley