GARY NUMAN–SHEFFIELD
LEADMILL
Previously published door and stage times suggested a 6pm opening with Numan appearing one hour later, there would be no support tonight.
Not quite, doors were actually 19:30pm with Numan taking the stage at 21:00pm, the only element of truth here was there was indeed no support. Making idle chit chat with the orderly queue of aging Numanoids, the curious and the faithful did make the clock tick that little bit faster however.
The Leadmill, a staple Sheffield venue with an impressive past, a PRS plaque attached to the wall outside informs us that the city’s own sons Pulp played their first gig here in August 1980. A surprisingly smaller venue for Numan tonight certainly explained its instantly sold-out status, along with many other dates on this tour. The pull here though was the two albums he was playing in full, The Pleasure Principle and the mighty Replicas.
The now familiar chants of Nooma-an, Nooma-an always raises a smile, even on the face of the once iceman, today’s iceman though has melted somewhat over the ensuing forty-five years since these records original minting.
Tonight, Numan entertains his audience with no less than twenty-Two period numbers, a nice touch was to mix the tracks rather than play them as their original sequencing suggested, as was expected, by some at least. The opening Replicas set the scene for an evening of game changing, genre
defining electronica. Numan is flanked by two elegant Nosferatu-esque ghouls resplendent in back shirts, ties and full-length skirts, switching instruments throughout this evening’s performance, at times Numan remained at the back of the stage leaving the ghouls to shine up front, a simple black mascara line drawn down the centre of their heads/faces made these guys absolutely mesmerising.
Alongside stellar performances of M.E., Films, Engineers, Conversation, Observer, Praying to the Aliens, Me! I Disconnect from You and an incredible Airlane was a deep dive into earlier territories, bringing out Only a Downstat and We Have a Technical fused with stunning period B sides in We Are
So Fragile and Do You Need the Service. Clearly the real big numbers though were to be savoured this evening, placing them toward the tail end of the set, not that Engineers, Tracks or Metal could be downsized, these groundbreaking albums are packed to the gills with high quality songs all delivered faithful to their original arrangements.
Throwing shapes with his trusty guitar hanging off him like a semidetached third limb Numan is in a class of his own, this is his arena.
The first of the big numbers is delivered fifteen songs in, the hauntingly beautiful Complex, its suggested status of “first electronic ballad” is open for debate, the power of this number though isn’t. Following Complex is an equally compelling Down in the Park. The aforementioned We Are So
Fragile ends this evenings set. The Nuuma-an, Nuuma-an mantra from the masses further entice the band back for the now customary encore. The Leadmill throbs as the timeless Cars fills the venue to be overshadowed somewhat by the magnificent Are Friends Electric?
Today’s technology allows an artist like Gary Numan to deliver his powerful songs with much less baggage now than was once required back in 1979, it should not be understated however that these two albums changed our musical landscape for good, standing as proud today as they did 45 years
ago. Gary Numan is a true pioneer.
Andrew J Brooksbank May 2024
TORCHED MAGAZINE 