Gary Numan at Hammersmith Apollo
2025 has been a victory lap for electronic music pioneer Gary Numan, finally making his Glastonbury debut, releasing a live album recorded at his 1,000th show, and celebrating the Telekon 45th anniversary with a UK tour, returning tonight to the city he was born in to play the venue once called the Hammersmith Odeon.
And yet… his brother passed away very recently. Writing on Facebook last weekend, Numan said: “He loved Telekon. He was only 15 when I made it. So this tour is no longer a celebration of an album, it’s a tribute to John, my brother, the best brother a man could ever have.”
And so, the night begins with Telekon’s opening track This Wreckage, with the crowd clapping along to pulsing synths and warmly cheering when Numan walks out.
Rather than a track-by-track playback, the setlist is crafted for a show – The Aircrash Bureau’s wonky layered soundscape (track two on the album) appears later in the set and Remember I Was Vapour plays earlier on, its eerie nature seemingly better suited here.
Numan is a captivating performer, fluidly moving to every nuance he crafted in 1980 and singing with everything he’s got, contradicting his 67 years as he glides with the skill of a much younger man. His unique style takes in every inch of the stage, set across two levels with underfloor lighting – it’s an effective addition to the music’s dramatic extravagance, as is the meticulously-timed lighting (a performance in itself).
During the quiet intensity of Please Push No More however, Numan visibly breaks down. It’s hard to watch, but the Apollo cheers him on, and he makes it through, gesturing his thanks as extended applause rings out. It’s a beautifully human moment, a stark contrast to the striking electronics.
After this, he finally addresses the audience for the first time, explaining the next song – Like a B-Film – is something of a deep cut: “I think it didn’t make the album ‘cause it’s happy.” Indeed, it’s still brooding synth music, but it’s absolutely the least heavy song thus far.
The main set ends with the chugging beat and overdriven guitar solo of The Joy Circuit, the anthemic and joyfully received I Die: You Die, and one last clap-along to We Are Glass. But then, Telekon over, the encore is a different beast.
This is now noisy new wave, as four Tubeway Army songs close the show. Given we’ve just had over an hour of off-kilter electronica, it’s intriguing to hear the seeds being sown before Numan went solo – in the end, it’s a satisfying finish.
The Hammersmith Apollo was gladly in the hands of a veteran, one who embodies the phrase “the show must go on”; Numan’s choice to continue touring despite a great loss is the mark of a born performer. Some sound issues during the gig could have thrown everything off, but was he fazed by this? Absolutely not.
Gary Numan is a true original – we’re better off for having him around.
Gem Hurley
Photos: Guifre de Peray
For further information and future events, visit Gary Numan’s website here.
Watch the video for I Die You Die here:
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