I was watching some footage of the Pro Shot New Order concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom here in NYC in 2005.

Does anyone know what the deal with this show was?

I saw them a few nights previously at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, and they were cracking, really tight, played super well, new songs sounding good (Jetstream got a good response) and they ended with a massive version of Blue Monday replete with Kylie samples.

I got a bootleg of the show, which confirmed that that was in fact, an excellent show, bad jokes from Bernard and all.

But watching this Hammerstein show....which I am guessing was filmed professionally by the record company with the idea of releasing a DVD ala the 2002 Finsbury Park show...what happened?

The band seemed to be intentionally playing in a hilariously haphazard way , the crowd is dead, the whole show just feels wonky.

Also, the filming and editing of the video is pretty bad.

Lastly, what is the extra gear set up next Phil? This was the only show I ever saw it onstage at. Bernard seems to be making fun of it when they start playing True Faith. "We need a bit of your technology on this one Phil, twiddle those knobs."

What was the deal with this bizarre (played by a band with a long history of charmingly bizarre shows)?

Yeah I remember that it aired on TV, I think that's where the Youtube rip came from. If I remember, originally it was filmed with the intention of putting it on a double DVD, the Hammersein show coupled with one of the big outdoor shows they did in London that summer Hyde Park..if memory serves, I remember hearing that both gigs ended up being shit though.

I did Kimmel, Oakland, Coachella and then New York. New York was the worst of the four. It was in NYC that I realized something was definitely off with the band dynamic. The crowd was flatter than a pancake (almost like it was a choir performing). I would agree that Jetstream really broke up any shot at building momentum. Maybe it was just an off night, but I remember leaving to jump on the train back to Philly and being a bit disappointed. I took a friend who did not do the CA shows with me and felt like they didn't get the show I had seen. Oakland was brilliant, and I think, it was the last time Crystal was in the encore.

I agree. The 2006 New Order gigs seemed more intense, focuses, darker. I was watching a video of the Personal Fest gig..that was the last show they did with Hooky...and it seemed like the tension between Bernard and Hooky made it's way into the playing because they played really aggressively.

The Chicago gig was definitely the best of the 95 US gigs so I am glad I saw that one. That being said, the 2012 and 2013 gigs, of which I saw 6 or 7, were better by a country mile.

I did my part, mate! I was there. I met up with some NOOLers and had a brilliant time. It was my first time seeing New Order, and while I think the show I attended in Austin this year was very good, I still have a soft spot for the NY show in '05. I even wrote up a review for NOOL the next day...