For my first ever New Order gig I took a four-day return trip from Zagreb to Turin of some 1,500 kilometers which cost my life savings at the time. I had been a fan for almost 20 years by then but they never played close. The gig was a part of the Traffic festival linking Turin with Manchester ahead of Turin winter Olympics, it was a free open air affair at a city park holding close to 10,000 people I think.
As it was a last-minute decision, I travelled with no idea where I will spend the night or how will I find the concert, my internet access was limited at the time and I had no credit card. Nevertheless I was lucky in finding a nice hotel on the evening of the 14-hour journey, and next afternoon I simply followed someone in a Joy Division shirt to a tram. At the festivals site, I made friends with a group of Italians who travelled from Milan, and we shared drinks throughout the afternoon, since I arrived early because I had had a dream days earlier that I missed the concert and ended up at a mariachi performance. Not joking.
Twilight landed, and the concert started. As it was a Manchester-themed festival. 808 State opened for New Order, although I spent most of their set queuing for the bathroom (a single ladies bathroom, honestly), but the sound was good an I heard most of the set, and I was in time for the climax, which was followed shortly by the great Tony Wilson announcing New Order. That was my one and only chance to see him in flesh, as he passed away two years later.
New Order opened the set with Crystal, as they did at the time, and although it is not among my favorite songs it was enough to build the excitement. I managed to push myself to the second row and they followed with Regret, Ceremony and Love Vigilantes, that was more like it. That was the time they played Everything's Gone Green after eons, which was my highlight of the concert. I also loved both WFTSC and Krafty, although the album is poorly rated among fans, but WFTSC especially was glorious to watch under starlit sky. Joy Division songs worked well, especially the LWTUA singalong. I do recall Barney's whooping but did not mind, also Hooky's stance although he was at the opposite side of the stage alongside the Vikings.
Blue Monday wrapped the concert up, setlist can be found
here (it does not mention ceremony, although I's reasonably sure it was played). The people from Milan drove me back to the hotel, and next morning I started the return trip which extended to two days after I missed one of the trains in Venice.
However, as I walked around Venice the next morning, I came across a t-shirt store which of all things had a Joy Division Here are the Young Men shirt in the window, so I bought it, considering it a sign.
My second and last NO gig so far took place at InMusic festival in Zagreb in 2012, it was far less interesting and not as good, but I will still write a report tomorrow if anyone's interested-
