POP MUSIC REVIEW : Histrionics Lesson by Revenge

A New Order concert can be the next best thing to Sominex. But Peter Hook, the popular British dance-rock band’s moonlighting bassist, showed a surprising wild streak as he fronted his new group, Revenge, at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

The cussing, hollering, arm-waving Hook didn’t show much more than that, though. Revenge’s uninvolving hour on stage Tuesday centered on a voice of narrow range and little individuality, and songs of solid craftsmanship but scant substance. Having his own band gave Hook a chance to work out some pent-up energy in lumbering fashion. For all the expressiveness of Revenge’s nebulous love-hate odes, he might have taken up rugby instead.

Revenge’s basic sound through most of the show was darker, tougher, more dense and more rock-oriented than New Order, although the second half veered toward New Order-style techno-dance pop (the show consisted mainly of songs from Revenge’s debut album, “One True Passion,” and included no material from New Order).

The dance-beat stuff failed to lock into a motivating groove, and the rockers tended to be murky, rather than steely and hard. The most focused moments coming during a persuasively angry run through the Rolling Stones’ “Citadel,” and a simmering, but not scalding encore, the Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat.”

Australian band Died Pretty struck a fervent, embattled tone in its brooding opening set, but lacked the originality and stage presence to make a deep impression.