Are Friends Electric?
It’s unfortunate but when it comes to the career and music of Gary Numan, all that most people know of the man is the sporadic hits he had in the late 70′s and early 80′s. Granted that these hits were absolute classic tunes that helped define a fledgling genre and inspire many ‘Electronic’ and ‘Industrial’ artists. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails proudly wears the Numan influence on his sleeve and has covered the Numan classic ‘Metal’ in the past.
So at tonight’s Forum gig of which I had eagerly been awaiting its arrival since last November when the tickets went on sale – the band hit the stage looking awfully like NIN in their halcyon ‘Downward Spiral’ era. Kind of a case of the master now learning from the apprentice.
Tonight, Numan and his brilliant backing band delivered in spades. Visually, the band had the look down pat and sonically, Numan poured through a lot of his amazing recent catalogue drawing cuts from ‘Exile’ and the masterful, dark, brooding masterpiece that is the ‘Jagged’ album. Seriously kiddies, this album is a phenomenal piece of work, and I for one, was pleased as punch to hear these tracks translated to the live environment.
Numan stomped and strutted across the stage with purpose and poise. Bathed in pure colour and lapping up the frenetic adulation from a very, very receptive packed Forum crowd. The hits were met with high energy from the crowd which was highly diverse in its collective. Punks, Goths, Metalheads all mixed in and enjoying themselves to no-end.
Melbourne’s Forum is an incredible music venue. It is such a joy to photograph there. I had secured a photo-pass several months ago and I was keenly waiting for the opportunity to shoot someone of Numan’s ilk. The lighting was absolutely breathtaking and atmospheric and a perfect accompaniment to Numan’s post-apocalyptic sounds. Photographically speaking, looking at it all through the camera’s viewfinder left me speechless as I knew I was gonna capture some great moments tonight. The obligatory 3 song limit stretched to about half the set and I took the opportunity to take as many pics as I could.
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