Gary Numan

Photo courtesy of Austin 360

Last week, I got to see Gary Numan perform a full show; I had met and watched him a couple years ago through a SXSW showcase at Waterloo Records. Despite the cold rain, Gary played to a sold-out crowd at the Mohawk (which is partially outdoors). What a performance.

Most of you who read this are probably close to my age and recall Gary for “Cars” and “Down in the Park,” core New Wave pieces played via electronic instruments. Well, he has shifted to more of a guitar-driven sound which is in the vein of Nine Inch Nails and Filter. However, Gary Numan does it well since I felt his past sound in the Eighties could logically make the shift a thousand times better than David Bowie’s failed attempt via Outside and Earthling in the Nineties.

The whole band being dressed up in desert colors/”bandages” made them look like a cross between mummies and Tusken Raiders, a touch I liked. For me, the highlight of the show weren’t his early hits, it was when his daughter joined the band to sing backing vocals to “My Name is Ruin.” You could see how proud Gary was of her.

I also made a couple new friends who travelled all the way from San Antonio to see the concert. We plan to meet up again at John Waite in February.

Here’s the set list if you’re interested. It was posted by me! It’s a thrill whenever I get to provide and give back to the setlist site. A feeling right there whenever I get to fill in the blanks for Gracenote’s CD database.

Opening for Gary Numan was a really impressive quartet from Brooklyn called Me Not You. They only had an EP to buy and there are plans for another. Keep an eye out, I think they’ll be more household names in a couple years. They reminded me of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs yet more melodious out of the gate, something the Yeahs took a couple records to pin down like PJ Harvey.

Photo courtesy of Austin 360