New Order Whythenshawe Park review

The Haçienda lives on. New Order electrify Whythenshawe Park.

New Order revives the Haçienda spirit at Whythenshawe Park with a night of ethereal synth-pop and Madchester nostalgia.

by Emily Swingle |

Tonight, the Haçienda is back in session. While the rave mecca may have packed up its DJ decks nearly three decades ago, punters have flocked en masse to Whythenshawe Park for a burst of Madchester magic. After a nine-month gig drought, the legendary New Order are set to lure 30,000 fans into their enticing world of ethereal synth-pop – and Mancunians, young and old, are more than happy to give in to the temptation.

Before the evening’s climax of pulsing post-punk nostalgia, New Order’s edition of Live at Whythenshawe Park boasts a considered array of sounds. From alt-rock newbies Kyris to Nadine Shah’s complex fusion of jazz and theatrical indie rock, and Roisin Murphy’s eccentric top hat and confident electropop, each act seems to honour a different facet of New Order’s palette. The crowd is eager to soak up every different flavour, finding something delightful in every offering.

Of course, the arrival of Johnny Marr amps the festivities up a notch. While tonight belongs to New Order, it’s hard not to fall victim to The Smiths icon’s charms as he riffs his way through a selection of staple singalongs. And there’s certainly no need for Smiths fans to beg for what they want – Marr happily churns through classics like ‘This Charming Man’, ‘Panic’, and ‘How Soon Is Now?’.

Considering The Smiths played a key role in the Haçienda days, it’s no shock that so many attendees are enthralled by Marr’s performance. The guitarist is equally happy to be there, revealing that the park was where he shared his first kiss with a girlfriend. “I also took magic mushrooms afterwards over there with my mate,” he continues, pointing to a far corner of the field. “Or maybe I kissed her before… It might have been the other way round. It was a trip.”

New Order Whythenshawe Park review 2
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As ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’ rounds off Marr’s set, it’s the perfect note to end on. While Marr always ends with that track, it’s oddly befitting of New Order’s sombre beginnings. There is no New Order without the sorrow of the late Ian Curtis’ passing – but the band’s ability to twist their post-punk Joy Division roots into something so electrifying, so alive, keeps his light burning.

By the time the sun has set, New Order arrives in a haze of synthetic glory. As lasers fly over the mist-cloaked crowd, ‘Academic’ kicks things off on a high. Bernard Sumner’s distinctive voice melds with the rich, atmospheric instrumentals. ‘Crystal’ only amplifies the nightclub feel of the set, with disorienting colours engulfing the field, and screens flashing as distorted riffs pulse.

Throughout the set, one thing is certain: where words fail, synths speak. The weight of each track is amplified by the thud of synthetics, the whirring and clashing forming a cocktail of sharp emotion. Tracks like ‘Age of Consent’ and the groove of ‘Regret’ take on a new form in a live setting. Fans are enthralled as the sonic layers build, creating a dense wall of sound that sucks you in.

From ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’s crowd-rousing howls of “I GET DOWN ON MY KNEES AND PRAY” to the era-defining kickdrum thump of ‘Blue Monday’, the evening is one of celebration. Even the climactic encore beautifully honours the life of the late Curtis, with the band dipping back into their back catalogue for a triumphant burst of Joy Division anthems. As the glorious melancholy of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ rings out over the masses, fans are left truly spent – there’s been dancing, there’s been tears, but it’s been a fine time indeed.

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