Gary Numan

By Debbie Brautman | Photos: Stevo Rood

Gary Numan Gave The Coolest And Most Memorable Performance

Looking like a character out of Mad Max or a futuristic alien, Gary Numan landed onstage at The Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale, fresh off The 80’s Cruise. Ft. Lauderdale was the first concert tour date on The Cruel Sea Tour- North America 2026, an ambitious U.S. and Canadian tour ending in California on April 11. He and his high-energy band gave one of the most unforgettable shows to the sold out, totally packed enthusiastic crowd. His fans are called Numanoids. To say Numan electrified the audience would be an understatement. He mesmerized everyone. He moved like a man possessed. The show was futuristic and industrial in the vein of Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor (who is a massive fan of Numan), except Numan was more Bowiesque in the power of his performance. Every step he took, every move he made, was theatrical and fascinating. In his futuristic gray tunic with arms wrapped in black leather strips and heavy, dark eye makeup he looked like he was from another world. His body contortions and jerky movements, synchronized with the music, gave such an exotic visual delight. You could not take your eyes off him. The seemingly ageless Numan looked fit and youthful, and he moved his body in ways that you wouldn’t think possible. Crouching and kneeling with ease, this was no ordinary 68-year-old. His birthday was an hour after the show ended. Although Bowie initially viewed Numan as a clone and a threat, in later years, Bowie expressed remorse and realized that Numan was a pioneer in his own right. Numan was the founder, frontman, main songwriter and producer of the synth-punk band Tubeway Army, founded in 1977. He released two albums with his band, the self-titled Tubeway Army and Replicas, and quickly moved from punk into electronic music before it was popular. Then he dropped the Tubeway Army name and released The Pleasure Principle under his own name. The song “Cars” from that first solo album is his biggest and most recognizable hit.

For this concert, the music was pure perfection. This was no rehashed rinky dink 80’s electronic band. The intense power of this music was so modernized. He reworked his older songs to have the power of his newer work, so nothing at all sounded dated. It was fresh, dark and heavy. His voice has improved since his early days and so has the music. Gone is the thin sounding electropop of the 80’s. It was replaced with hard driving guitars, heavy bass, punchy keyboards, and kick ass drumming. It was brooding, haunting and dark, with dissonant guitars adding tension. Flashes of colored light streamed onto the dark stage adding to the drama and the cool blue smokey atmosphere. The light show was outstanding. The striking visuals of bass player, Tim Slade, and guitar player, Steve Harris, both dressed in fitted black shirts and long black skirts made them look like gothic monks. Combined with their bald heads and black lines drawn down the center of their faces, it provided a haunting visual than complemented Numan’s futuristic look. They also had some creepy dance moves of their own, which were so fascinating. It was brilliant live theater. David Brooks excelled on keyboards and Jimmy Lucido thrashed with high intensity on drums. In addition, Numan’s daughter Raven was brought out to perform a song that she wrote called “Nothing’s What It Seems.” Her proud beaming father played guitar and added a few vocals, but the song was hers. It fits in nicely with the rest of the show. The setlist was pleasantly varied from his many albums, and it flowed so beautifully.

Check out the setlist:
Halo (2006 Jagged)
Metal (1979 The Pleasure Principal)
Haunted (2006 Jagged)
Everything Comes Down To This (2013 Splinter)
Films (1979 The Pleasure Principle)
The Gift (2021 Intruder)
Down In The Park (1979 Tubeway Army - Replicas)
M.E. (1979 The Pleasure Principle)
Nothing’s What It Seems (His daughter Raven Numan’s song)
Is This World Not Enough (2021 Intruder)
Love Hurt Bleed (2013 Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind))
Cars (1979 The Pleasure Principle) (Industrial rock infused version)
Here In The Black (2013 Splinter (Songs from A Broken Mind))
My Name Is Ruin (2017 Savage (Songs From A Broken World))
A Prayer For The Unborn (2000 Pure)
Are ‘Friends’ Electric? (1979 Tubeway Army - Replicas)

Encore:
Ghost Nation (2017 (Savage (Songs From A Broken World))
The Fall (2011 Dead Son Rising)

The band Tremours opened the show. They are a shoegaze duo of Lauren Andino and Glenn Fryatt from Los Angeles, formed in 2021. Their songs center around loneliness, but the comfort that you can find in being lonely. The crowd approved of their dreamy and brooding performance.
Gary Numan might just be the sleeper show of the year. The Culture Room was the perfect place for it. The superb sound and lighting made it so special. Gary was emotional, gracious and appreciative of the audience. This concert was off the charts. It was sensory overload….in a really good way.