New Order in Melbourne: “This might be the last party we ever have”
British band New Order played to 15,000 people at Myer Music Bowl last night before crowd bans begin tomorrow. And they made sure Melbourne’s last big gig (for now) was epic.
Entertainment
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AFTER the Federal Government’s ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people, effective tomorrow, New Order’s concert at the Myer Music Bowl at the weekend became the last big gig in Melbourne for the foreseeable future.
Certainly, despite New Order’s faultless show of anthems, bangers and bewitching visuals, the COVID-19 crisis had to be on the minds of the 15,000 punters who turned out for one last bash in arena-sized numbers.
Five songs in, after the sparkling opener Regret, and a slew of tracks that ran the gamut of electro, tribal and Italo house, New Order frontman Bernard Sumner acknowledged the sombre note the virus had struck nationally, and worldwide.
“This might be the last party we ever have,” he said.
“You know why, don’t you? Let’s not dwell on that, though. Let’s be Emperor Nero and play while Rome burns.”
Sub-culture, with its austere keys, sounded even darker given the isolation-themed lyric: “One of these days you’ll go back to your home, you won’t even notice that you are alone.”
However, Sumner conceded with a smile: “It’s a good song isn’t it? God knows what the lyrics are about.”
Bizarre Love Triangle followed, but was almost overshadowed by Vanishing Point, a searing blend of rock riffs and thumping disco.
“I need a slow song to catch my breath. Whoever wrote the set list is an idiot,” Sumner said, eyeballing the band. “Oh, was it me?”
The home straight was back-to-back hits; True Faith, Blue Monday, Temptation, and in a nod to New Order’s first incarnation — Joy Division — Transmission and Love Will Tear Us Apart.
Special mention to the comedian on the sound desk who chose to play REM’s It’s The End Of The World As We Know It as the crowd filed out.
After that show, to say everyone felt fine would be a massive understatement.