A live orchestral rendition of Joy Division’s greatest hits is coming to Manchester later this year, bringing some of the band’s best-known songs to life on stage at The O2 Apollo.
Curated by founding band member Peter Hook alongside musical director Tim Crooks and Manchester Camerata, it is the first time a founding member of the band has developed a project of this kind.
Hook has reportedly poured his ‘heart and soul’ into a carefully-constructed setlist that includes many of the trademark songs that made the band’s name across their all too short career, as well as some more unexpected tracks and surprise inclusions.
Image: Official Joy Division
Bringing together the full orchestra, members of Peter Hook & The Light and guest vocalists including Bastien Marshal and Mica Millar, the show will see over fifty musicians join together on stage for The Sound Of Joy Division Orchestrated when it returns later this year after a three-year hiatus.
Manchester Camerata Orchestra will celebrate the iconic 70s band in a live show, performing seminal classics and lesser-known tracks from Joy Division’s respected catalogue.
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The live orchestral show promises to revisit the post-punk elements that shaped Joy Division’s early ground-breaking sound, working alongside Manchester Camerata’s 50-piece orchestra to reflect the spirit that defines the Manchester band’s considerable heritage.
The Sound Of Joy Division will debut in Manchester first, appearing at the O2 Apollo Manchester on Friday 14 October before going on to London to play the historic Palladium.
Last time it was performed live, the acclaimed show sold out both London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House In 2019.
Image: Yannis Hostelidis
Approaching the gigs, Peter Hook commented: “Covid has given these events strange timings, but after touring and playing Joy Division normally shall we say, I am looking forward to this new working more than ever.
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“It takes Joy Division’s music to a whole different place, emotionally and aurally. It is difficult to transcribe but I love the challenge, and it brings a freshness to the whole concept.”
“After those two amazing concerts at The Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House, I did wonder how we could possibly surpass it. Playing those gigs did give me a great insight in how to improve the impact for future shows.
“The Apollo has played a huge part of my musical career, so they seemed a great fit. Both great venues for a great show!”
Musical director, Tim Crooks, added; “It’s fantastic news that we’ll be bringing this amazing show to The Palladium and The Apollo, two of my favourite ever venues.
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“As musicians we’ve all missed being able to perform and as we finally return with the show, I do hope the concerts bring a great deal of pleasure for everybody there.”
To find out more and book tickets, visit the website here.
Feature image – Manchester Camerata
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Man City release statement after being found guilty of all charges related to Premier League’s financial rules
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City has finally broken its silence after being found guilty all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules.
Yesterday, the Premier League released a formal statement confirming that an independent Commission had found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period.
On top of that, the club was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors during the nine-season period – which were part of a disguised funding scheme, with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Following this report being published yesterday, Manchester City has now finally released a statement of its own, breaking its silence on the topic for the first time since the news broke last Friday.
The statement reads in full: “Manchester City FC is both disappointed and surprised by the opinion of the Premier League Commission, that has been published today.
“The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case. The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.
“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements uncompleted. Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe.
“The Club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence.
“The Club is obviously restricted in what it can say further until all future proceedings are complete.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Scheme approved and date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation
Emily Sergeant
The long-awaited Piccadilly Gardens transformation is a go.
It’s official – planners have given the green light for the scheme to transform Piccadilly Gardens, with Manchester City Council having received no objections to the proposals which meant that officials were able to approve the full planning application without it needing to be considered at next month’s Planning Committee.
The decision means that preparation works can continue at pace, ready for the main works due to get underway this autumn.
In case you aren’t up to date with the Piccadilly Gardens transformation plans, the idea is, in a nutshell, to put the ‘Gardens’ back in Piccadilly Gardens.
But what exactly does this mean?
Well, the approved plans show a vision for more green space – including lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful horticultural displays – with the temperamental fountains being removed for good and replaced with a new space called The Pavilion that will host family-friendly events.
Date set for work to begin on Piccadilly Gardens transformation / Credit: Supplied
The low concrete walls and raised planters at the edge of the gardens will be ripped out, improving the setting of the Queen Victoria statue.
An there’ll be a new, larger playground for younger children, created in the same high-quality style as the new parks at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
The plan is to also make the space ‘safer’ overall, through improved sightlines, better lighting, and enhanced CCTV.
The Council and its partners say they are ‘clear’ that delivering a ‘better’ Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements, but it also requires improvements to how the area is managed and maintained.
We're putting the Gardens back into Piccadilly Gardens
The major regeneration plan to transform the square has now been approved by planners.
This means we can start work this autumn to make the Gardens more colourful, vibrant and safer for residents and visitors. pic.twitter.com/5Ayv2k9SRw
This process is said to have already started, primarily with a strengthened police presence, but a new management model is also being developed to ensure that improvements are sustained.
“Securing planning permission means that before this year is out, we can get started properly on work to transform the space and have it finished and ready for the public to use next year,” explained Councillor Garry Bridges, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“Piccadilly Gardens has huge potential to be a real asset to the city and its people. We know it hasn’t been good enough – but that’s about to change.”
Georgina Pellant -
2nd August 2022 
