Gary Numan – Live Review – Leeds O2 Academy
The following article was written prior to the announcement of the death of John Webb, Gary Numan’s brother, at the tragically early age of 60. The entire On: Magazine team wish to extend their condolences and sympathy to the families of both John and Gary.
By David Schuster, November 2025
The recipe for a really great gig is pace; you need a snappy start to capture the audience. Follow this with a measured middle section, sprinkled with shades of fast and slow to maintain interest. Then you build to a (hopefully) triumphant finale. Gary Numan’s electrifying performance at Leeds O2 Academy had all of this, in spadefuls. The electro-rock pioneer clearly knows this. Let’s face it, he’s got the experience, with more than 1,000 concerts over a career of almost 50 years. This current tour marks the 45th anniversary of Telekon, the third and final of his classic ‘Machine Trilogy’ albums.
Even before the first song, the audience is, quite literally, steaming in anticipation. Outside, storm Claudia is doing her best to batter a freezing mix of rain and hail onto the queuing masses. Inside, the combined body warmth of an absolutely packed auditorium results in a gentle mist. The thin fog enhances the clever use of two pairs of twin red spotlights, replicating the iconic logo of the original record cover, against the otherwise darkened stage. Floodlights flare blindingly, Gary and the band rip into ‘This Wreckage’ and we’re off!
“Light and colour”
The initial number is quickly followed by the similarly rocking ‘Remind Me to Smile’, before morphing into the darker electronica of ‘Remember I Was Vapour’. Musically and visually, the band are stunning. Their look is decidedly gothic-noir. Bassist Tim Slade and guitarist Steve Harris mirror each other. With shaven heads and floor-length black cassocks they appear like vampire priests of some unholy sect, led by the front-man in post-apocalyptic chic. Drummer, Jimmy Lucido and David Brooks on keyboards, complete the quintet in black. The stage setting continues the theme; black backdrop and industrial metal grate flooring, of the type favoured for science fiction spaceships, whilst technically clever lighting ensures a continued movement of light and colour throughout the performance. Floods of green and red uplight the musicians from beneath the grating, and a 360 degree myriad of directional spotlights divide the air into rows and columns, or sweep back and forth in mesmerising formation.
Telekon is arguably Numan’s greatest record. The tracks utilise a wider range of instruments than the previous releases; guitar, violin and viola, augmenting a wider range of synthesisers. This allowed for a fuller, more complex sound than that for which he had become famous, which put him at odds with the record company. However, many of the best albums are forged from the adversity of their creators, and this was no exception.
Tired with the machinations of the music industry, and the general antipathy of the press, the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter retired from touring for a brief period following its release. Retrospectively, it’s easy to see that ‘This Wreckage’ was his farewell letter to the fans. The lyrics to which say it all: “This wreckage I call me would like to leave you, leave you, leave you, leave you soon.” It’s extremely satisfying then that time has proven him correct; it topped the UK Album charts and is often cited as influential to the sound of many subsequent artists.
“Epic”
The set list, which covers all the original tracks off Telekon, highlights this musical diversity; The strings on ‘The Joy Circuit’, the arrhythmic bass and syn-drum introduction to ‘The Aircrash Bureau’ and the rock feel of the fabulous ‘I Die: You Die’. Amazingly, the latter didn’t feature on the initial UK launch of the album, an omission that was hastily corrected for the US and other overseas releases. There’s also time for the hauntingly beautiful piano instrumental ‘Photograph’, which only appeared on the 1998 CD re-issue, but which definitely deserved its inclusion. Notably, the set also includes a re-discovered song, ‘Like a B-Film’, never played live before this tour. The frontman takes the time time introduce it, and makes clear that at the time of the original recording he didn’t consider it worthy of inclusion. That’s perhaps overly harsh, it would have made a solid album track. However, the time constraints of vinyl records ensured that only the very best ideas made the cut.
The main set climaxes with ‘I Die: You Die’ and ‘We Are Glass’ played back to back. There’s only a short interlude, before the band return for a trio of fast electric rock numbers from his first record as frontman for Tubeway Army: ‘My Shadow in Vain’, ‘Friends’ and ‘Listen to the Sirens’. The fourth and final encore, ‘Down in the Park’, is also from this period. It’s a fabulous version of an old fan favourite, a hybrid of the original single with an epic introduction taken from the later piano instrumental version. As the final notes fade away, the crowd roars it’s appreciation.
It’s been a masterclass in how to deliver an entertaining performance. Well worth seeing, if you can grab one of the few remaining tickets.
Gig images: Gail Schuster
David Schuster describes himself as an “adventurer, collector, musician and writer. Not necessarily in that order.” Growing up west of the Pennine hills of the UK and living his adult life east of them, he’s inclined to think that the Wars of the Roses were a mistake. David loves discovering new bands and musicians and is happiest listening to live music. He has travelled extensively in the UK and is fascinated by the variety, history and landscapes of the thousands of islands that comprise the British Isles. David is always reassured when online shops confirm that he’s not a robot.
