Transmission (The Sound of Joy Division)

Devoted to recreating the atmosphere of a live Joy Division gig, Transmission emulate the sound of one of the most inventive, evocative and influential groups of their era. Joy Division were formed in the late 1970s and dissolved in May 1980 after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis. The remaining members went on to form New Order and have achieved much critical and commercial success. The influence of Joy Division, however, was far reaching. They were considered the pioneering band of the post-punk movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Forty years on you can still relive the dark cavernous sound of Joy Division through Transmission the U.K's number one Joy Division tribute act.

"Though I adore Martin Hannet's studio production, Joy Division live was first and foremost a pile driving rock band. This 'Gang of 4' capture the moment perfectly!"

"It didn't feel like a tribute band at all. As close to the real thing as you could get."

"They're so faithful to the actual songs it's unreal. Even ones like Atmosphere which you think wouldn't work well live, they have the crowd going wild for."

"Unlike many tribute bands who make great efforts to look like clones of the band they cover, Transmission concentrate solely on the sound and musical ability of Joy Division and they pull it off perfectly."

"Forget looking like a poor replica band - close your eyes at this gig and you would be forgiven for thinking you were at a Joy Division gig in 1980, the sound is so perfect."

Traditionally, tribute bands tend to weave in a combination of musical ability, cosplay and a passing resemblance to members of the band they're emulating. In a lot of ways there's a cabaret element to tribute acts that's become an essential part of how they work. Transmission eschew all those trappings to simply deliver some impressive renditions of Joy Division classics, including 'She's Lost Control', 'Transmission' and 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. A sturdy 'Shadowplay' also lurks in the set along with a few curveballs such as the raw 'No Love Lost'. (Review of O2 Academy, Islington gig Nov 2019)