Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Peter Hook and the Light at the Wiltern And we all danced

If you don’t like at least one song by Joy Division or New Order than you’re probably a liar. The thing about both of these bands is that they are so prominent in music of various genres. Whether you like it or not, we hear them everyday in our favorite bands. The extent of their influence in the post punk and new wave world goes far beyond the eye can see and it’s reputably timeless. If you’ve ever been to a New Order concert you can see this translate effortlessly into their performance.

I’m a shameless crier when it comes to shows. I cried during Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Air, Beyoncé… I probably cried at a Bright Eyes show when I was 14 and I definitely cried at my first concert ever when I was 9 – The Backstreet Boys. So touching and so moving – when a piece music makes you feel everything at once at a moment in time.

Anyway, it’s really no surprise that I shed more than a tear at Peter Hook and The Light when they played at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

My favorite New Order album is their debut one from 1981, “Movement” and like every other great album, it was released poorly by the critics at the time of its release. I’m not trying to snub Bernard Sumner because he’s massively talented and just as important as Hook, but Hook sings on the most Ian-sounding songs on the record (“Dreams Never End,” “Doubts Even Here”) so for him to sing Joy Division songs in a live setting seems appropriate.

“Movement” is dark like Joy Division but it’s hopeful like everything else by New Order. Peter Hook and the Light mimicked this mood into their set the other night. Hook’s low Curtis-like vocal range made it easy to relish in the Joy Division/New Order revolution that seems to rock and rattle each decade since the 80s.

Hook and his band played an hour of New Order hits followed by an hour of Joy Division bangers with a short intermission in-between.

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He wasted no time from the beginning, playing “Ceremony” second and inviting out Moby who sang the song while embodying Curtis’ dynamic stage energy respectfully enough to where it wasn’t tacky or overdone. Moby came back out one more time during the Joy Division set and sang his heart out to “Transmission.” You can hate Moby all you want but it was pretty psycho in a totally cool and versatile way.

You got to give Peter Hook credit for giving the fans what they want. The performance was seemingly more catered to a Joy Division-centric fan base, which is why I recommend seeing him play in this manner versus New Order, although both are not to be missed. So many people in the crowd weren’t even born until after Curtis died. Now, thanks to Hook, we all can feel a little piece of the “Substance.”–Asal Shahindoust

what youth dylan rieder rest in piece

Dylan Rieder: 1988-2016 R.I.P. to one of the greatest of all time

It’s strange to type this. Hard to believe what the keys are putting down, but Dylan Rieder has passed away from complications with leukemia. He was 28 years old. Dylan’s influence is ingrained so very deeply in skateboarding and everything he touched, and forever will be. Happy to have had the pleasure to spend time…

france, travis ferre

I’m Home! But Have No Idea Where I am After a month in the Old World, I’ve returned to a disheveled homeland

I just got home from a few weeks away. I think it’s called holiday. Or vacation. Depending where you’re from. First one I’ve ever tried. And holy shit do I recommend it. I surfed beautiful waves in Portugal, strolled ancient streets of Lisbon, ate extremely well in San Sebastián, biked through a forest in France…

“There are no beers for Media” Another downtrodden day for the WSL press corps

It was Sunday. I felt like watching surfing and I am fortunate to live within a stone throw of a ‘CT venue that shall remain anonymous, but it is in Europe, is not in Portugal and is within a country renowned for cheese and wine. You get the picture. Some friends and I have media…

Peter Hook and the Light at the Wiltern And we all danced

If you don’t like at least one song by Joy Division or New Order than you’re probably a liar. The thing about both of these bands is that they are so prominent in music of various genres. Whether you like it or not, we hear them everyday in our favorite bands. The extent of their influence…

what youth black sabbath music live concert

Black Sabbath played last night at the Hollywood Bowl For those who don’t want “The End” to end

Black Sabbath played last night at the Hollywood Bowl, and I was there, lucky beyond any measure, to have witnessed what they’re calling their last tour ever, appropriately and painfully called “The End.” With almost all original members on stage – Prince of Darkness Ozzy, Godfather of Metal Tony Iommi, and bass legend Geezer Butler…

taj burrow, surfing

The Tour Without Taj It’s like a sad Friday night in

I’m about to walk down the trail at Lowers to watch the contest. Live. Yep, fuck it, I wanna watch some surfing. And make sure there is still free beer at contests. I remember Jay Larson said he surfed because there was “Free beer at contests” in an old issue of Surfer Magazine. I need…

what youth hunter martinez surfing photography

Hurricane Hermine Hunt Photographer Hunter Martinez took us on his recent hurricane chase

Being from the West Coast, hurricanes — at least the ones they get in the east — are exciting. They seem to change and move and shift and are all sorts of unpredictable (and dangerous). And because of that, it’s not rare to score all by yourself if you’re persistent. It’s also really easy to…

what youth issue 15 launch party

Issue 15 party in the desert Full-moon skinny dips, The Paranoyds and a new issue of What Youth in the desert

At one point last night I looked around and everyone was either in just underwear or swimming in the ACE pool with all their clothes on. The moon was full. The Paranoyds had just blown our minds and HUF and Richer Poorer had kitted everyone out with gear, and then we were swimming. We were nowhere…

Metal Neck and the Olympics What an interesting day it has been

Last night Metal Neck II: The Bangover was released. And of course, we fucking loved it. A classic (and free!) give-no-fucks throwback independent surf vid starring a lot of our friends and a few wild characters including Christian Fletcher, Muffin Man, Noa, Droid, Colin Moran and more. And wouldn’t you know it, the awkward little…

what youth surfing padang padang mason ho

Mega Semadhi wins the Padang Cup A Contest We can definitely get behind

The Padang Cup has always been one of the few contests that we can get behind. The dudes who come out to go left and get tubed at one of our favorite waves are always a perfect mix of local standouts and global superheros like Bruce Irons, Mason Ho and Damien Hobgood and more. The…

The same day in Amsterdam and Paris Europe for the Brixton Broadcast and a bit of radical class tourism

Paris is far too big to seen properly in one day, yet so damn pretty you can feel like you did. And we’re here, right now, but not for long. As is too often the case. We were in Amsterdam last weekend and then Paris. A few nights ago, we watched and documented the Brixton Broadcast…

what youth dear suburbia us open

Surf movie premiere season The US Open of Surfing isn’t just underage drinking and drawing

The US Open of Surfing doesn’t just mean no parking, terrible traffic, underage drinking and drawing, the Huntington Hop, overcrowded lineups, MMA flexing and heavily policed streets. It also means premiering new surf movies. And although it may not be the same grandiose events that used to take place in front of the Shorebreak Hotel…

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