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Wednesday 8 August 1979 concert review

Magazine: Melody Maker (UK)

Publication date: Saturday 25 August 1979

Reviewer: Martin Culverwell

DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS/JOY DIVISION. ROMULUS, BIRMINGHAM

THIS was an adventurous promotion of two totally contrasting bands
Joy Division were superb, and are one of our most exciting groups (Unknown Pleasures and New Values [album by Iggy Pop]) are this year's best rock albums). Iggy Pop is the main inspiration of Ian Curtis's singing and dancing, and of much of Joy Division's music. Interzone and Shadowplay respectively transfer early Stooges and later solo Iggy Pop into a modern and English context
Retaining a driving guitar and bass, they've modernised the sound with disco textures, rhythms and syndrums – the most effective I've heard – on Insight and She's lost control. Their opening number, Dance to the radio [= Transmission] (not on the album), should be a hit single
They were right to pull out of the Specials 2 Tone package – their appeal is not to kids, but to an older middle-class audience. The posters had the slogan "Into The Eighties," but, of these two bands, Joy Division will be there on their own