Peter Hook Marks 50 Years of Music with Retrospective Show

On 4 June 1976, Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto brought the Sex Pistols to Manchester for their first-ever performance at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, an event that would become legendary. Although the audience numbered only around 40, a disproportionate number went on to become key figures in Manchester’s music scene. These included future members of The Smiths and The Fall, Factory Records’ Tony Wilson, punk poet John Cooper Clarke, producer Martin Hannett, and amongst the crowd, a young Peter Hook with his friend and future Joy Division bandmate Bernard Sumner.

Inspired by the raw performance, Hook purchased a bass guitar the following day and soon joined some of Britain’s most influential and iconic bands. He helped pioneer post-punk with Joy Division before shaping the synth-driven soundscapes of New Order. Five decades on, Hook is set to celebrate that formative night with a show in Manchester, the city that defined his musical journey.

On 4 June 2026, fifty years to the day since the Sex Pistols revolutionised Manchester’s music scene, Peter Hook & The Light will perform a retrospective set at the Academy. The show will span his extensive career, featuring tracks from Warsaw, Joy Division, New Order, Revenge, Monaco, and Freebass. Fans can expect a truly memorable night celebrating Hook’s enduring influence.

Joining the show as special guests will be Buzzcocks, who have carved their own legendary place in British music with tracks such as Harmony In My Head, What Do I Get?, and Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve), also marking their 50th anniversary.

The Manchester date in June is the only UK headline show for Peter Hook & The Light in 2026. Pre-sale tickets will be available on Wednesday, 3 December, with general sale starting Friday, 5 December.

KhaborwalaAJ
Source– Total Entertainment