Casey's Adventures in Blogging: August 2022

80's pop culture icon Corey Feldman is currently on the road with his "Love Retours" 2022 tour and made a Michigan stop at The Token Lounge in Westland this past Sunday evening.

Here's what was witnessed...
- Songs from Corey's classic films including "Stand By Me", "Dream A Little Dream", and "Cry Little Sister" (Theme from Lost Boys).
- Multiple costume changes.
- Corey's viral hits including "Go 4 It", "Ascension Millennium", and "Comeback King".
- Corey not only singing, but also playing guitar, drums, harmonica, and talk box.
- Multiple songs from Corey's 1994 debut album 'Love Left'.
- A full stage show including a screen showing music videos, lights, confetti, and flags.
- Corey obliging his fans with hand grabs for those who stretched theirs out to touch him.
- Corey's wife Courtney singing "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" from 'The Goonies'.
- Each of Corey's solid band members receiving their own musical spotlights.

- Corey covering both The Beatles and David Essex.

- Fan's getting the chance to meet Corey after the show to get stuff signed and take pics with him.
- A very enthusiastic crowd who left with smiles on their faces.

"Cry Little Sister" (Theme from The Lost Boys) and "Rock On" (David Essex cover) LIVE

***Photos and Video by Casey Schwochow***

Peter Hook is the co-founder of two legendary post-punk UK bands - Joy Division and New Order. This past Monday his new group Peter Hook & The Light played their first US show on this tour at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. It was a special treat as the band performed the classic Joy Division albums 'Unknown Pleasures' and 'Closer' plus more.

Peter Hook opened the show with a short six song set of New Order songs. The band's first song was the instrumental New Order song "Elegia" which saw Hooky, as he is affectionately called, sitting on a center stage stool throughout as he played his bass. New Order have stated that the song was written in memory of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the band's former incarnation Joy Division. The band closed the set with fan favorite "Blue Monday" with the crowd vocally showing their love for it.

After a short break, Peter Hook and the Light returned to the stage to perform the set of Joy Division songs. The band played the Joy Division albums 'Unknown Pleasures' (1979) and 'Closer' (1980) in their entirety and in the same sequence as they were originally released.

Hearing the songs performed live was indeed a special occasion as Joy Division never played the USA due to the untimely death of their singer Ian Curtis shortly before a US tour was to take place. Hooky took on vocal duties and did the songs justice. Besides playing bass, Hooky also broke out the melodica (which Joy Division used a little bit toward the end of the band) for the song "Decades". The Light did a remarkable job replicating the New Wave/Post-Punk sound that made the band so influential. You could close your eyes shut and imagine that Joy Division was actually performing.

The band's encores consisted of the early Joy Division compilation EP rarity "Digital" and the singles "Ceremony", "Transmission", and "Love Will Tear Us Apart". The closing song "Love Will Tear Us Apart" had nearly the entire room chanting the chorus as Hooky took a break singing and playing bass to soak it all in.

The UPS had misrouted the band's entire load of merchandise earlier that day and they had nothing to sell at the show. Before he left the stage for the night, Hooky stripped off the T-shirt he was wearing during the set and stated "Now thanks to the UPS, this in the only piece of merchandise we've got. God bless you and whoever wears it" and threw his shirt into the crowd.

Fans of Joy Division/New Order, or the countless bands they influenced with their synthesizer sound, would only be doing themselves a favor by checking out Peter Hook & The Light live when they come to town.

Enjoy these sights from the evening...