Gary Numan Delivers a Stunning Performance at Hackney Church!

Gary Numan Delivers a Stunning Performance at Hackney Church!

Hackney Church proved to be a breathtaking backdrop to an unforgettable night of Gary Numan’s most loved hits! Numan and his band played a captivating acoustic set which spanned his long career, a stark contrast to the industrial synth-pop and electronic rock for which he is so well known! He played many of the much loved tracks from his earlier albums which was an absolute delight for many of his die-hard fans. As he took to the stage, the shouts of “Numan” were deafening and the venue was packed, surely a sign of his popularity and solid fan base.

In place of a support band Numan showed a film of his iconic performance of his sell out Wembley show where he performed his own brand of industrial electronic rock on which he has built his 40 year career.

Numan was joined on the stage by a 5 piece band, a diverse group of stella musicians who worked together seamlessly. One of the best things about the show was how Numan introduced every song and talked about what they were about and what inspired them. At times it was almost as if he was talking to a friend. He spoke about how nervous he was prior to the tour and that he feared that his songs would not work when played acoustic, but he needn’t have worried as they sounded better than ever!

What was impressive to say the least was how despite this being very much an acoustic gig, Numan and his band seamlessly blended many of his tracks with a clever industrial sound, surely no small feat without the synths that are usually the consistent backbone of this distinctive sound.

Opening his set with ‘When the World Comes Apart’, Numan commanded the stage, his voice was floorless and the audience where transfixed.

The whole show felt like a very intimate experience. There was a heartwarming moment where prior to playing the beautiful, ‘Lost’, Numan talked about his wife Gemma and how they’d spent some time apart when he battled his own demons, Numan was overcome with emotion and even shed a tear, showing his sensitive side.

There were real stand out tracks  in his set, but one of the best had to be ‘Love Hurt Bleed’, which was absolutely magnificent and had the audience captivated.

Despite Numan showing his gentler side, his fans didn’t need to fear that the usual theatrical laser show would be forgotten as when he launched into his final two tracks of the night, the spectacular ‘Cars’ and ‘Are Friends Electric’, the entire venue was lit up by a dramatic laser show much to the joy of an already ecstatic crowd!

So feeling like they’d been a part of something amazing, the fans left the venue after a night that can only be described as stunning! Before this tour Numan talked opening about how this was a bit of an experiment, something that he wasn’t even sure would work, but if tonights performance is anything to go by, it didn’t just work, it was perfect. Could this new softer side to Numan replace his industrial stadium tours? Only time will tell!!

Words and Photos by Louise Phillips

Setlist:

When the World Comes Apart
You Are in My Vision
Stories
For the Rest of My Life
The Life Machine
Metal
I Am Screaming
The Machman
Lost
Mercy
Ghost Nation
Everyday I Die
Down in the Park
Crime of Passion
Love Hurt Bleed
And It All Began With You
Jo the Water

Encore:

Cars
Are Friends Electric