This was my third 'Telekon' tour outing (2006, 2015 and 2025). Sadly, I cannot add 1980 to that list. Other than music-wise, I did not know how the evening would turn out, what with the sad passing of John Webb just a week or so before. Without doubt it was a very emotional show for Numan in parts, but it was a fantastic show, perhaps in part because what had happened, in the spirit of 'the show must go on'.
This was the first time that I had seen a full set from Raven Numan, as I remember I caught a few songs at the Electric Ballroom, but no more than that. I have to say that I was impressed with what I heard. She has a good voice, and the material, whilst unsurprisingly derivative of her Dad's stuff, was sufficiently different to stand it apart.
Dead on nine and Numan came on. Right back to my earliest airings of 'Living Ornaments '80', the live intro to 'This Wreckage' has been able to send shivers down my spine. It still can and did on this night. It is an immense sonic thrill when the song fully kicks in. For me it is the culmination of Numan's revelation back in '78 in Spaceward Studios that a synthesizer could blow guitars off stage. All in all a good start then! Into 'Remind Me To Smile' and as Numan delivered the line 'Keep your revivals, keep your conventions' he was close by and allowed himself a brief, wry smile! I don't intend to go through the set song by song, just some highlights will surfice as I am sure you all have your own distinct take on the gig/gigs on the tour. 'I Dream of Wires' though has to get a special mention. Always my favourite track from the album, it was played very well in Cambridge tonight.
I loved the fact that tonight, as previously, he made room in the set for non-album associated tracks, 'Photograph' and 'A Game Called 'Echo' were most welcome. The former, along with the piano version of 'DITP', will also always resonate with me, for one, my Dad liked these instrumentals and so when playing these I would not routinely be instructed to 'Turn the music down!'. 'DITP (piano version)' was also played at my Father-in-law's funeral so has a certain importance within the family for that reason too.
'Please Push No More' was a difficult one, never a favourite of mine, but clearly a very emotive song for Numan, especially so at this time. He struggled with the emotional overload of it all but clearly, and quite rightly, had the full support of the crowd who were with him one hundred percent. I hope that now that the tour is over he can begin to come to terms with what has happened. It must be a terrible thing to have to go out and perform with such fresh and raw emotional baggage, knowing there is an opinion all around you, both spoken and unspoken, that 'It's what John would have wanted you to do'. I felt for the man.
The solemnity of 'Please Push No More' was lifted with a humorous introduction to 'Like a B-Film', a song/demo inexplicably consigned to the cutting room floor back in 1980. Whilst declaring no recall at all of having recorded this song, he conceeded that it sounded like him and the track was positioned between 'We Are Glass' and something else from the album. That being the case the odds were in favour of it being a bona fide lost Numan song. I have said it in an earlier post that in my opinion the song, if finished and/or finessed was certainly good enough to be included on 'Telekon'. Whatever, it is in the collection now and a welcome addition.
As the band worked their way through the remainder of the album I took the opportunity to study the band a bit more closely than I would normally.... I was a bit closer to the stage than usual which helped. I noticed that someone on Facebook recently commented on Steve Harris's hand and eye gestures and whether they were an irritation/distration or not. I thought that they were quite an amusing visual addition to the demonic monk or whatever stage personna and I was very impressed with Tim Slade's bass playing as well. If Numan continues with the image and album tie-ins then hey, go for it frocks and all. Pesonally, I always found the image changing thing perhaps a little unnecessary, a bit '80s and dare I say it rather Bowie-esque. But hey, that's an opinion. I follow The Stranglers and they have been wearing the same stuff for 46 years now! My own wardrobe speaks volumes... I am not one for change myself!
I did think that tonight's show was performed with an edge that had been lacking on other 'Telekon' tours. Maybe it was the circumstances under which these dates were played, but I am not so sure that that is the case. The angry edge I thought suited the songs very well and added to their visual impact more so than previously.
And so 'Telekon' came to an end, but almost the best was yet to come... for me at any rate! Three early Tubeway Army tracks..... I would have preferred a dozen but three is a start. Who needs 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' and 'Cars' when you can have 'My Shadow In Vain', 'Friends' and 'Listen To The Sirens'. Happy days indeed, topped off with the definative Numan tune, 'Down In The Park'. As a show I can confidently say that this was more impressive than any of the retro shows that he has done to date. Are there plans for a final airing of 'Replicas' and 'The Pleasure Principle' in similar manner I wonder?
