New Order Review - Goldiggers Chippenham 22 August 1984

A VITAL GLEAM

NEW ORDER
Goldiggers, Chippenham

IN this age of musical compromise and half-baked ideologies, there are still pockets of resistance where certain groups and individuals make their own way and as such are landed with the responsibility of supporting the need for greater commitment and relevance.

Whatever theories are proposed and dissected in relation to what New Order represent (and believe me there are enough of them), or why they still choose a solitary approach, there can be little doubt over their maintained ability to simply ignore all the barbed criticism and animosity which is laid at their door.

For one, the watery eye of nostalgia is not their way, nor meeting convention even half way, with promises never made and expectations never met.

Tonight's show at Virgin's recently acquired Goldiggers Club was a reinforcement of the positive growth New Order are making, in their own time and on their own terms.

The solemn and rarely heard "In A Lonely Place" opened with typically drifting slabs of electronic washes over that wonderfully multifarious Morris drum beat: Bernard Albrecht has now reaffirmed his confidence as front man of sorts, and altogether this was a more fathomable, joyous group to behold.

Curiously, there was only a manic "Age Of Consent" from last year's "Power, Corruption And Lies", but more from earlier works. Both "Everything's Gone Green" and "Hurt" illuminated New Order's special alchemy, an intoxication that at times broke away from their programmed progressions,  free-falling into a sustained rush of extraordinary effect.

But there is always room for dissent, and tonight's new songs (sorry, no titles given out) did seem overtly similar in linear construction to the old, as through this particular fascination with sequencer charges and yearning melancholy had not been fully explored. One quite astonishing song was as much a definite blood relation to "Temptation" as "586" was to "Blue Monday".

And this surprising mini-tour of the island? For financial gain or just a testing ground for refining the new? Just forget the theories; there is a vitality and gleam to this New Order that will surprise many I'd say go see them now, but the tour is already over. 

Still, if the band's pleasure in tonight's performance was equal to that derived from it, then they may return sooner. The days of the nervous meanderings, unnerving complacency and distanced audience wind-ups are seemingly long gone.

MARTIN ASTON