Joy Division and New Order co-founder, Peter Hook, is taking part in a charitable evening of live music and conversation right here in Manchester city centre early next year, and it’s being hosted at one of Manchester’s most beloved pubs, the Star and Garter.
Being held at the legendary city centre pub, which now bears the freshly restored mural of his former bandmate and one of the greatest English musicians of all time, Ian Curtis, the significance of the intimate concert being held at such an iconic music venue is not lost on anyone.
Better still, the special one-off gig, Q&A session and evening as a whole has been set up with the help of local music-driven mental health organisation, Headstock, and will be raising money for their partnered nationwide charity, Shout.
Peter Hook and the Light are merely the latest in a long line of huge names to grace the Star and Garter.
Announcing the gig on Monday, 4 December, the veteran vocalist, bass player and singer-songwriter said of the inspirational fundraising gig, which will also pay tribute to Curtis: “I have campaigned for a long time for Ian and Joy Division to be commemorated anyway and anywhere possible.
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“From the statue in Macclesfield, still ongoing, and the mural there as well; to the mural in Manchester and the upcoming one in Stockport. I will only rest when every town in Great Britain has something.
“I am immensely proud of Ian and our work as Joy Division and to celebrate it in this way is such a pleasure. I am hoping to bring Ian’s best man at his wedding and childhood friend, Kelvin Briggs to join me so fans can get a real insight into this wonderful man and artist.
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“To play at such an iconic venue as the Star and Garter just seals the deal perfectly.”
Speaking on the event, Headstock founder Atheer Al-Salim said, “We are so grateful to Peter Hook and his band who are giving up their time and talent to help us raise much-needed funds to support our charity partner, Shout, and their life-saving text-support service.
“The evening promises to be a poignant moment for Manchester, and an event of huge musical and cultural significance for the city.”
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As for Shout, their CEO Victoria Hornby added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Peter Hook and The Light and Headstock for putting on this very special event which will raise vital funds for us to keep the Shout text messaging support service running 24/7.
“Our volunteers take up to 2,000 conversations with children, young people and adults in urgent need of mental health support every day, and every £10 raised funds a conversation that could save a life.”
Set to play a predominantly Joy Divison-based set in the same year that the famous Manc four-piece finally received their inaugural nomination to be entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there will be just 200 spaces available and the Star and Garter be packed just as it was back in its heyday.
Tickets will be allocated via a ballot on Skiddle, with the first ballot already open and will close on Friday, 2 February 2024. Each successful ballot entrant will be allocated a maximum of two tickets to the event.
The pricing for ‘An Evening of Music and Conversation with Peter Hook’ on 12 April, 2024 is as follows:
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1x ballot entry – £10
3x ballot entries – £15
10x ballot entries – £20
The gig is already selling fast, so secure your spot to see an unforgettable night of music and insight, all for a great cause, HERE.
Peter Hook announces special career-spanning city centre show, with a veteran Manc band supporting
Danny Jones
Local music legend Peter Hook and his live touring partners, ‘The Light’, have announced a special career-spanning anniversary gig right here in Manchester, chronicling his incredible music career.
The former Joy Division member and subsequent New Order co-founder is celebrating 50 years in the business next year, and is marking the occasion with a comprehensive and retrospective live show come the summer.
Arguably one of the most influential musicians to have ever come out of the region, the Salford-born bassist and now lead singer of his own solo outfit (still playing countless hits from his extremely lengthy discography, of course) is now 69 years old and still going strong.
In fact, that’s exactly what they’ll be doing for the landmark live show: playing some of the biggest and best tunes from his various projects over the decades he’s spent in the studio and on the stage.
Suitably shared in Haçienda/Sex Pistol-coloured announcement poster, not only will Hook be revisiting Joy Division’s seminal debut album, Unknown Pleasures, but he’ll be going back through everything from Power Corruption & Lies by New Order to his lesser-known works.
Be it his 1995 side project, Monaco, or the recently unearthed Freebass collab with the likes of Andy Rourke, Tim Burgess, and the late, great ‘Mani’ from the Stone Roses, fans of the avid audiophile and prolific live performer are in for a real treat.
Having toured this storied material extensively, Peter Hook and the Light have now amassed over 800 concerts as a band. For the Greater Manchester native himself, it’s an incredible feat to make in the music industry, full stop, let alone reach half a century in it.
As for the Pistols connection, ‘Hooky‘ just happened to be one of several future Manc icons like half of The Smiths and The Fall, Factory Records’ own Tony Wilson, John Cooper Clarke, and even his then-soon-to-be Joy Division bandmate turned New Order lead singer, Bernard Sumner.
It’s a fairly safe bet you’ll find the post-punk veteran and plenty more of his peers in the crowd for another major music milestone in 2026.
It’s this particular date the group are toasting that motivated Hook to go out and buy a guitar.
Even more fittingly, this 50th anniversary gig will also see the group joined by another veteran rock band from the region, as fellow local punk sons, The Buzzocks from Bolton, who also formed after THAT very same gig at Lesser Free Trade Hall in ’76.
Early access tickets for the exclusive show at Manchester Academy next June go on pre-sale this Wednesday, 3 December; general admission will be available from Friday, 5 December.
We had the honour of chatting with the man, the myth, the legend, once again back in February 2024, when our Audio North arm was still known as ‘The Manc Audio’.
Rising Manchester band M60 announce biggest UK headline tour to date
Danny Jones
Local lads M60 have announced their biggest UK headline tour yet, and are now only set to play their lengthiest run of live dates, but the largest Manchester gig they’ve played so far.
There’s nothing quite like a hometown crowd, is there?
For those who may not have yet come across them before, the Manc indie band have had a good couple of years, releasing some of their best-produced music to date and growing an even bigger following up and down the country.
If you’ve been to see M60 live here in Manchester, you’ll know they already bring a die-hard crowd of deeply loyal and passionate fans. They’re also the band that famously and successfully pestered Gary Neville every day to give them a shout-out for the best part of a year…
Revealing the latest series of shows to start off December, M60 have confirmed nearly a dozen gig dates in the new year.
Scheduled to get underway next spring, they’ll be playing throughout the month of April and into May 2026; official support act(s) are yet to be signed up, but you can expect more native talent to share in the spotlight.
You can see the full list of gigs announced down below.
M60 live tour dates – 2026
Oh, and we’ve also kindly highlighted the other Northern dates for you, just in case you can’t make it to the Manc one.
Thursday, 9 April – Liverpool District
Friday, 10 April – Sheffield Foundry
Saturday, 11 April – Leeds Key Club
Thursday, 16 April – Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Friday, 17 April – London Oslo
Saturday, 18 April – Bristol Thekla
Thursday, 23 April – Birmingham Mama Roux’s
Friday, 24 April – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Saturday, 25 April – Manchester O2 Ritz
Friday, 1 May – Glasgow Nice N Sleazy
Saturday, 2 May – Newcastle The Grove
Music video budget be damned, it’s still a good tune.
Having released their latest single ‘Lemonade’, along with a rather fitting new brand logo, the group are looking to kick on in 2026.
With new lead guitarist, Owen Baldwin, joining the quartet earlier this year, not to mention having played big festival slots at the likes of Kendal Calling, Neighbourhood and more this past summer, we have every faith they will.
Tickets for their huge homecoming performance at O2 Ritz in Manchester on Saturday, 25 April 2026, go on general sale this Friday, 5 December at 10am.
Danny Jones -
5th December 2023 
