For a band that ushered in a brave new sonic world after rising from the ashes of the tragically silenced Joy Division in 1980, New Order has risked becoming a merely retro act in recent years. The English group haven't released a new album since 2005, and they haven't been quite the same since founding bassist Peter Hook departed a couple years later. However, frontman Bernard Sumner and the remaining members recently have been performing two synth-heavy new songs, “Plastic” and “Singularity” — a flickering sign of life amid all the nostalgia. Yet despite all the propulsive pleasures of ancient hits such as “Blue Monday,” New Order are most thrilling these days when they uncork the stirring guitar chords of Joy Division's curiously timeless “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” Openers La Roux blend Elly Jackson's yearning vocals with producer Ben Langmaid wash of '80s-era synths.

Sun., July 13, 7:30 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 07/13/14)

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