Expectation can make or break an experience. But when a show exceeds those expectations you can’t help but want to share that feeling. Gary Numan, who rolled into Charm City Saturday night, certainly did that, putting on an incredibly fun and energetic performance that had me wondering why I’d not seen him perform before that night. 

Gary Numan is a legend. The 68 year old pioneer of industrial music has been creating engaging music for over 50 years. From his work with Tubeway Army in the 1970’s to his more recent releases – Savage (Songs from a Broken World) and Intruder – there are strong themes of alienation, climate change, and, presciently, artificial intelligence. Numan continues to be a man ahead of the times. 

I have to admit, though I tend to be relatively averse to large crowds (at least when out and about) there’s something about a sold-out show, when the line stretches around the block that brings about this mixture of excitement and anxiety. As fans streamed into the Baltimore Soundstage I was pleasantly surprised at the how Numan had fans from across the age spectrum. Concert goers who had been following him for decades stood side-to-side with younger fans.

Tremours, a young LA-based duo, started off the show with a dreamy, pulsing set. It was hard not to be swept away by the melancholy fuzz that streamed from the speakers.

Now, like I mentioned I had not witnessed Gary Numan and his band live until this night, so when they took the stage and immediately went into “Halo” from Jagged Edge I was blown away. Numan skirted across the stage, dragging his microphone stand while guitarist Steve Harris and bassist Tim Slade, sporting identical appearance, engaged the crowd with their twin thrash and groove.

The entire stage bubbled with with an incredible energy that feels rare, let alone from someone who has been performing for decades. In one moment Numan was twirling about and the next he was crouched ready to spring. As the band went from older songs like “Metal” from Numan’s classic The Pleasure Principle to newer songs like “Everything Comes Down to This” from Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind) I was impressed at how things flowed so seamlessly.

The industrially heavy sound driven by both Numan and David Brooks on synthesizers was glued together by that thrumming percussion by Jimmy von Boom. Like I said before, Gary Numan was ahead of his time when it came to the subject matter of his music, but I think he was ahead of the curve when it came to the production and feel of his music. Case in point, “Films,” a song that was released almost 50 years ago sounded just as fresh and interesting as anything playing on the radio (or Tik Tok for that matter) now.

Gary Numan ended up playing some of his most popular songs – “Down In the Park,” “M.E.,” and “Cars” – in between newer songs. Numan even invited his daughter Raven up on the stage to cover one of her, as of unreleased songs, a pounding, dark song with the refrain “This is all part of the plan” as he took over guitar duties.

The band ended the regular set with Tubeway Army’s most popular song, “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” as the crowd loved every minute.

Check out “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” Live at the Brixton Academy by Gary Numan:

In what was an already incredible set, Gary Numan and his band returned to the stage to wrap up the evening with an encore of two more recent works, “The Chosen” and “Ghost Nation.”

Although this was my first time seeing Gary Numan perform it certainly won’t be my last. He put together an impressive performance that gave this crowd everything they could have hoped for.

Gary Numan and his band continue their US tour through April and then stops throughout the UK.

The setlist included:

Halo
Metal
Haunted
Everything Comes Down to This
Films
The Gift
Down in the Park (Tubeway Army song)
M.E.
Nothing’s What It Seems (with Raven Numan)
Is This World Not Enough
Love Hurt Bleed
Cars
Here in the Black
My Name Is Ruin
A Prayer for the Unborn
Are ‘Friends’ Electric? (Tubeway Army song)

Encore:
The Chosen
Ghost Nation

Here at more photos of Gary Numan rocking a sold-out Baltimore Soundstage on March 14. All photos copyright David LaMason:

Enjoy photos of Tremours opening the evening at the Baltimore Soundstage: