Few things will get me to commit to a trip to Las Vegas. It’s not a fun place if you don’t like to gamble, drink, smoke, and be lost in a crowd of tourists. But when I found out that one of my favorite bands was playing, I had to go. I haven’t seen New Order since 1993, and they haven’t been in Utah since about 1989. My cousin Darin and I had to make the journey.
The concert was at the Chelsea inside the Cosmopolitan, and when the show started, the floor started to shake with everyone jumping to the beat. It was almost like a trampoline. I hope the structural engineers considered the fact that thousands of us were going to be bouncing like crazy to “Blue Monday” before the night was over.
(That’s my cousin and me getting our new-wave on!)
New Order didn’t disappoint! They sounded great and appeared to be having a blast. Back in the 80’s, their live performances were sometimes hit or miss, but they were amazing! Keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert is back in the band after a decade’s absence, and she completed the lineup. Bernard Sumner crooned away and danced around like your drunk uncle during “Bizarre Love Triangle” “True Faith” and other favorites. After about five songs, Bernard Sumner announced a special guest, and out came Brandon Flowers from The Killers to sing “Love Vigilantes” and “Crystal” with the band.
(That’s Brandon Flowers on the right.)
Here is a video of their performance of “Crystal.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqeNx7wAu1I]
After an encore of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Brandon Flowers returned to the stage. Bernard Sumner announced that they had never performed the song “Superheated” before, but were about to play it just for us. That’s the song on their new album that Brandon did with them. It was a great time!
After the show, I went to bed. My nerdy cousin waited outside the venue for three hours and I’ll be damned if he didn’t get to meet Bernard Sumner and get a photo!
(Darin and Bernard Sumner: BFF’s!)
I couldn’t get out of Vegas fast enough the next morning, and wasn’t prepared to get back to Utah weather.
Here I am gassing up in Beaver during a blizzard!
Despite the fact that Las Vegas is not my kind of place, I had a blast at the New Order concert!