Touring his nineteenth studio album release, ‘Intruder’, Gary Numan played to a packed out arena to perform his new material amongst classics from his large back catalogue with a backdrop of apocalyptic visuals accompanying the themes of planetary destruction that his recent work has been crafted on.
He began on the flagship track from the new album with ‘Intruder’, before he transported to his earliest albums playing first from his second solo album ‘Telekon’ with ‘Remind Me To Smile’ and then from his debut solo album ‘The Pleasure Principle’ with ‘Metal’ and ‘Films’. He was joined by his two twin avatar guitarists, Steve Harris (guitar) and Tim Slade (bass) as well as Dave Brooks (synthesisers) and Richard Beasley (drums).
Numan introduced his first guest of the night, Gazelle Twin, who provided backing vocals on the new album, performing with him ‘The Gift’. He later introduced his daughters Persia and Raven on backing vocals who remained onstage over the course of four consecutive songs, performing with their dad from his last two albums with ‘Is This World Not Enough’, ‘A Black Sun’ and ‘My Name Is Ruin’; the former conjured up an immersive futurism that typifies Numan’s current songwriting abilities and was befitting of the accompanying apocalyptic visuals. They also jointly performed Tubeway Army ‘Replicas’ song, ‘Everyday I Die’.
Following a performance of ‘Cars’, Numan introduced his next guest, his long serving ex-bassist Tim Muddiman who contributed guitar to Tubeway Army song ‘Me! I Disconnect From You’ and then two further guests, former Tubeway Army band members Chris Payne (viola) and Russell Bell (guitar) arrived onstage for the song, ‘M.E.’. The band finished the show on Tubeway Army classic ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’.
07/05/22: Gary Numan @ OVO Wembley Arena, London.
Photos © Ayisha Khan.
© Ayisha Khan.