New Order will return to Chile for the first time in seven years this November, but two of the band’s longtime members will not take part in the performance because of personal health reasons.
The English new wave group announced on Instagram that drummer Stephen Morris and keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert “won’t be touring for the foreseeable future” and will miss the band’s appearance at Primavera Chile, scheduled for Nov. 26-28 in Santiago.
“New Order are very happy to be playing Primavera in Chile in November marking the band’s first performance there in seven years.”
The band did not provide additional information about the health issues or specify whether they involve Morris, Gilbert, or both.
Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Bernard Sumner, the group’s founding vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist, will perform at the festival alongside guitarist and keyboardist Phil Cunningham and bassist Tom Chapman, who have toured with New Order since 2011.
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New Order Chile 2026 Performance
The Chile appearance marks New Order’s first performance in the country since 2019. While the group confirmed its participation in Primavera Chile, it did not announce who will replace Morris and Gilbert during the show or whether substitute musicians will be added to the lineup.C
Morris and Gilbert have both been part of New Order since the band was formed in Manchester in 1980. Gilbert briefly stepped away from the band in the early 2000s before returning in 2011.
The couple, who married in 1994, have remained central members of New Order throughout its modern touring era.
The announcement also comes as New Order prepares for a major career milestone later this year. New Order and its predecessor, Joy Division, are scheduled to be inducted together into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.
The band has not announced whether it will perform during the induction ceremony. It is also unclear whether Morris and Gilbert’s health concerns will affect their attendance.
Former bassist Peter Hook, who left New Order in 2007 after a long-running dispute with the remaining members, has previously said he plans to attend the ceremony.
However, Hook recently told Rolling Stone he does not intend to stand alongside his former bandmates.
“No. No. Not after what they did to me and my family, no. No. I won’t stand with them.”
Hook also said he would rather perform with Oasis during the ceremony if the opportunity arises.
“Definitely. Without a shadow of a doubt, for that first gig I gave them in 1990. Do you know what? All I can say is that plans from my side are underway. I’m hoping they come to fruition.”
Founded in 1980 following the end of Joy Division, New Order became one of the defining bands of the 1980s by blending post-punk with electronic dance music. The group released influential albums including Power, Corruption & Lies, Technique and Substance, while the 1983 single “Blue Monday” became the best-selling 12-inch single of all time.
The band first split in 1993 before reuniting in 1998. After another hiatus, New Order resumed performing in 2011 with Cunningham and Chapman joining the lineup following Hook’s departure.
For now, the band’s Chile performance will move forward without Morris and Gilbert, while New Order has not announced when the pair may return to touring.
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