Bad Lieutenant - Ritz, Manchester, 23/10/2009

by Aaron Brown

published: 20 / 10 / 2009

Bad Lieutenant - Ritz, Manchester, 23/10/2009

Aaron Brown finds Bad Lieutenant, the new project of New Order's Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris, confusing their audience at their first hometown gig at the Ritz in Manchester

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The Manchester audience are in buoyant mood this Thursday evening. The band featuring New Order/Joy Division legends Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris and local lads Jake Evans, vocals/guitar and Phil Cunningham, bass, are making their Manchester debut. From the outset, Bad Lieutenant are well received as they kick off with the aptly named 'Home'. Anyone expecting New Order Mark 2 minus Peter Hook would be, however, sadly disappointed . Unlike Sumner's many musical projects, he has opted for a purely guitar based sound rather than the more synth based sound of New Order and Electronic. I can’t help but think Sumner is somehow trying to recapture his youth and possibly going through some sort of musician's mid-life crisis. At least he didn’t take up motor cycling. Recent single 'Sink or Swim' goes down a treat as the audience sing every word. Bernard pretty much takes a back seat as far as vocal duties are concerned and seems suited to this role as Jake Evans is more than capable. For all the hype surrounding the band, the audience didn’t seem to make their mind up and were only there to here the classics. Highlights of the night were sublime covers of Joy Division’s 'Transmission' and New Order's 'Crystal' and 'Temptation.' Possibly the strangest cover more me was the Chemical Brothers/Sumner collaboration, 'Out of Control'. Somehow, it works despite the puzzlement of many in attendance. As it’s their local debut it’s safe to safe this band are only going to get better. The Manchester crowd are contemptous however, despite the absence on Peter Hook.