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New Order Announce Gigs

added 05 September 2011 at 16.48

...But there's no sign of Peter Hook on bass

New Order are to reform for two special shows later this year... but without bassist Peter Hook.

The legendary Manchester band will play together for the first time in five years at the Ancienne Belgique on October 17 and the Paris Bataclan the following day. The two dates are to benefit Michael Shamberg, the artist who produced a number of New Order videos, including the classic True Faith. Shamberg is suffering from a debilitating illness and funds from the gigs will help pay for medical care.

Singer Bernard Sumner told the BBC: "Michael has been with us from the very start. Initially he was in charge of Factory New York, then became creative producer for all our early videos."

The shows will not feature Hook, who acrimonously "split" from the other members in 2007. The line-up will see latter-day New Order guitarist Phil Cunningham, plus Tom Chapman on bass and the surprise return of Gillian Gilbert on keyboards. Gilbert, the wife of drummer Steve Morris, joined the band in 1980 when their original incarnation Joy Division came to an end after the suicide of singer Ian Curtis.

Gilbert temporarily retired from music to look after her ill daughter, but says: "It's been a long ten years since I took a break from the band, so I I'm really happy to be back, and this is a great place to start. Michael is a very good friend, and I want to help him, so it's perfect timing for me to comeback now."

Tagged as Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Joy Division, Live, Reunion