older vs. newer order live performances

Although there is some overlap, I've divided the traits into Older (1980-1993) and Newer (1998-current) incarnations for your convenience. :D

Older: --unpredictable mix of songs from back catalogue --no Joy Division songs --Gillian --few prior announcements of songs --no backing tapes --younger audiences --lots of off-key singing and bum notes --live versions of songs not yet recorded --drugs, drugs, booze, drugs --Steve's traditional acoustic drums --Barney's frenzied one-chord strumming --more frequent touring --more youthful contempt for audience --relatively static stage presence

Newer: --greatest hits sets (mostly) --Joy Division songs aplenty --no Gillian --most songs announced --backing tapes --older audiences --not as off-key singing --live versions of songs already released --some booze, no drugs --Steve's new electronic drums --Phil's guitar wankery --more rare touring --more fun while performing --Barney's "dancing" and all those whoops and come ons

Older, older, older, older, older, older, older.....

do you really need to ask. o k i voted.

Older, definitely... Relistening to a lot of early live stuff recently (mostly 80-85) - definitely my favourite period - great live sets, very few bad set lists and some great and different versions of established and newer tracks... Kind of goes downhill from about the time of Brotherhood for me - start losing some of the older stuff from the set lists and the newer tracks don't really compare (paradise, Way Of Life, etc.)...

SHEDi xxx

Older !

• Varied setlists
• No whooping
• Sunrise, Elegia, Leave Me Alone,... on the setlists
• In-between song banter: none or very nasty/funny/intoxicated
• Bum notes, off-key singing and playing, wrong chords... great !

I much prefer the 'Older'...

...but I love the whooping and dancing, the guy is class!

Can't abide the announcing of songs and the 'come on' during Love Will Tear Us Apart though. I have a few other issues too actually...!

A (small) part of me craves all their hits, but then again I despise the fact that Gillian is out, they use backing tapes, no funny crowd banter, and pretty much everything from Low Life, Brotherhood and Technique is neglected.

So another vote for old school.

Me. I saw them first in 1986 at the Hacienda. I was 19. I saw them last week in Athens. I'm now 39. They've matured, lost a lot of that self consciousness, that chip that sometimes seemed to be on their shoulder. You see now a confident, almost nonchalant, look you in the eye New Order. That comes with experience, a realisation that they can make this gig work. For themselves and for whoever's watching. You think they never gave a shit? It's now they don't give a shit. You take them as they come. When did you ever get a 90 minute set? You do now.

What an odd poll, Older of course, there is no comparison

older. i only saw one of the 'older' concerts live, but i prefer the bootlegs from that era. certainly more entertaining!

Of course I didn't think hardly anyone would vote for newer. The whole idea for this poll was tongue firmly in cheek. Get ironic, people.

I would say that the older performances (1980-1986) were worse technically, but more exciting and unpredictable. The best performances were probably 1986-1991, when Bernard was having singing lessons. I have to say though that since "Waiting For The Sirens Call", while his voice is great in the studio recordings, Bernard definitely needs to improve his voice in the live performances as sometimes his voice sounds very weak. If he can get back to the vocal quality of the "Electronic" period, that would be great. Maybe if he got back on the Prozac and quit the Pernod before gigs he might well improve.

I´ve never seen Both, but i think that the older performance is better than new one!!

Older for me

Different sets each night

No Boring Encores

Great line up;

Barney, Hooky, Steve and Pernod and Orange ( and tea girl Gillian )

Equipment breaking down

Great little venues

Bundesweir Vests

Hohner Melodica

New songs with working titles and different lyrics to what would emerge on the LP

If you like Fat Cnut Alan Wise, and a singer that needs an auto cue, then you should vote NEWER

well the question is a total nonense..od order played..now thy just mime like Bros or Kylie or the spicewhores would. Sad.

two qualities long lost:

• live versions of songs not yet recorded
• alternative lyrics, always very funny seems Bernard is just too sober nowadays to come up with anything really funny.

I miss The Vikings theme tune from the 'old' days. It was superseded by Alan Wise. Why not have both?

Doctor? wrote: well the question is a total nonense..od order played..now thy just mime like Bros or Kylie or the spicewhores would. Sad.

Mime?! Mime?! I'm pretty sure that Kylie doesn't mime!

But seriously:

I loved the old New Order for their unpredictability and the chance of hearing new songs. In terms of sound quality you can't beat the new New Order.

voted for older as well - especially like the variation in the setlists back then + developing songs in live environment. coming up with new stuff live before it was released. another thing that I thought was a pretty ace idea at times was not to play all the major cities.

The jury's out on this one.I like the majority of old tunes,liked Gillian,ergo more keyboard. New performances they're quite a tight group,not that bum notes ever mattered,that was the whole NO charm.And like was commented on here earlier,they didn't used to do encores.And they're funny as fuck on stage these days. I'm just glad to still have the chance to see them live.

To back myself up,I've had FAC 316 dvd for a while,thinking it doesn't get better than this.And got round to finally buying Finsbury Park on DVD last Xmas and it's bloody brilliant

I voted newer, cos you can actually see the new gigs live, instead of having to listen to old recordings or use your memory.

Wait until we don't get any new gigs any more - then you'll know what you'd prefer.