Gary Numan returns to the Brighton Centre

GARY NUMAN + RAVEN NUMAN – BRIGHTON CENTRE 22.11.25

So, having been one of the privileged few who saw Gary Numan earlier in the year during his Glastonbury warm up shows at Brighton Concorde 2, (Reviews HERE, HERE and HERE). I was really looking forward to another look this year with this evening’s run through of his UK No.1 ‘Telekon’ album. 

I dusted down my ‘Telekon’ tour poster from the 21st September show at Brighton Centre from 1980,…popped it on the wall, and had multiple complete runs through the album, and singles, as was…to get be primed and ready to machine rock n, roll…it also reminded me of what what an age ago it was back in 1980…frightening!

But background, first, kicking off things in Glasgow at the 02 Academy on 11th November, Gary is on a run of 15 dates across the country, and of course ‘replicating’ as part of the tour, the aforementioned September 1981 show at Brighton. The tour finishes at Liverpool on 30th November.

‘Telekon’ was released way back in 1980, and swiftly became Gary’s third consecutive No1 album. After the synths being heavy in the mix for ‘Replicas’ and ‘Pleasure Principle’, this record featured a slightly stronger use of guitars. 

The album was cited by many as being highly influential, for example, one of which, Trent Reznor, claimed to have listened to it daily, during the recording of Nine Inch Nails ‘Pretty Hate Machine’.

Numan though still remains a force in music and his live shows are still recognised for their power and raw emotion…emotion being particularly poignant during tonight’s performance…The band, Steve Harris (guitar), Tim Slade (bass), David Brooks (keyboards) and Jimmy Lucido (drums), were well rehearsed and tight!…but I’m getting ahead of myself…the support act…

The support act was Gary’s eldest daughter Raven Numan who is on vocals and her band comprises Ade Fenton (keyboards and laptop), Ben Simon (guitar), John Azopardi (drums) and Jack Coxill (bass). They have previously supported Gary Numan, most famously being Gary’s 1000th concert, which took place at the Electric Ballroom in London on 15th April 2023 (Review HERE).  

Raven began releasing singles last year at some rate of knots and offloaded no less than 6 of them, these being  ‘My Reflection’, ‘Here For Me’, ‘Going Down’, ‘Overwhelming’, ‘Just A Number’ and ‘In Your Head’. Her latest single is a cover of the aforementioned Nine Inch Nails, this track being ‘In This Twilight’.

This evening, together they offload 9 powerful goth/industrial compositions, with 4 of these, I believe, being her singles and the other 5, I think, are unreleased! Unfortunately, for the uninitiated, one of whom was me, none of this evening’s compositions were introduced by Raven or her band, nor was there any communication between songs…(or movement around the stage). So in all honesty I can’t be 100% sure that I got the correct songs, which sadly I feel is a missed opportunity in order to get further converts. On the tour thus far, I believe that there has only been one change in the running order with her ‘Just A Number’ single being played on the earlier dates, but then being replaced by the yet to be released ‘Killing Me Slowly’ as track three. See assumed setlist below. 

Raven Numan band:
Raven Numan – vocals
Ade Fenton – keyboards and laptop
Ben Simon – guitar
John Azopardi – drums
Jack Coxill – bass

Raven Numan setlist:
‘Children Of The Bad Revolution’ (unreleased)
‘Magnolia’ (unreleased)
‘Killing Me Slowly’ (unreleased)
‘Inside Of You’ (unreleased)
‘My Reflection’ (a 2024 single)
‘Going Down’ (a 2024 single)
‘Pretty When I’m Hurt’ (unreleased)
‘In This Twilight’ (Nine Inch Nails cover) (a 2025 single)
‘Here For Me’ (a 2024 single)

raven.lnk.to/bio

After Raven had finished her set, there was a flurry of action with the roadies busying themselves across the stage ready for the main act…

With very little time between bands, it was time for Gary Numan and his band comprised of Steve Harris (electric guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Tim Slade (bass, backing vocals), David Brooks (keyboards and programming) and Jimmy Lucido (drums) to get to action! 

The gang…blasted off with a cracking ‘This Wreckage’, which set the tone perfectly! They then romped through ,‘Remind Me To Smile’, ‘Remember I Was A Vapour’, ‘I Dream Of Wires’ and ‘Telekon’. The mix and sound was excellent-particularly for the Brighton Centre, with both band and singer tight and in unison.

Coming up for air, ‘Sleep By Windows’ fitted in next perfectly, then it was back into the groove for ‘A Game Called ‘Echo’’.

The emotionally charged ‘Photograph’ and ‘Please Push No More’, were a change of mood, and thought provoking would be an understatement, with the crowd visibly and noisily supporting Gary.

The newly discovered ‘Like A B-Film’ followed, which held a nice groove, and then it was charging into the home straight of the initial set, resuming with ‘The Aircrash Bureau’, then into ‘I’m An Agent’, ‘The Joy Circuit’, and then the triumph of the singles ‘I Die: You Die’ and ‘We Are Glass’, concluding the initial set.

Follow that we said…and of course they did!

And what a start…a totally cracking ‘My Shadow In Vain’. I have to admit an interest here as it’s my favourite Numan song, so after the concert I was bouncing all the way back up West Street and on my way home. How do you follow ‘My Shadow In Vain’? Why with ‘Listen To The Sirens’, which was another tight gallop through a rip roaring blast from the past. The following ‘Friends’ and ‘Down In The Park’ just concluded a great night of machine and emotional music!

Numan, doubtless will be back! 

Gary Numan:
Gary Numan – lead vocals, keyboard, guitar
Steve Harris – electric guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Tim Slade – bass, backing vocals
David Brooks – keyboards and programming
Jimmy Lucido – drums

Gary Numan setlist:
‘This Wreckage’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)
‘Remind Me To Smile’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Remember I Was Vapour’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘I Dream Of Wires’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Telekon’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Sleep By Windows’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘A Game Called ‘Echo’’ (from 1985 ‘1978 / 1979 Volume Three – (A Collection Of Unreleased Recordings)’ mini album)
‘Photograph’ (from 1980 ‘This Wreckage’ single)
‘Please Push No More’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Like A B-Film’ (from forthcoming ‘Telekon (45th Anniversary Expanded Edition)’ album out 12.12.25)
‘The Aircrash Bureau’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘I’m An Agent’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘The Joy Circuit’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘I Die: You Die’ (from 1980 cassette version of ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)
‘We Are Glass’ (from 1980 cassette version of ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)
(encore)
‘My Shadow In Vain’ (from 1978 ‘Tubeway Army’ album)
‘Friends’ (from 1978 ‘Tubeway Army’ album)
‘Listen To The Sirens’ (from 1978 ‘Tubeway Army’ album)
‘Down In The Park’ (from 1979 ‘Replicas’ album & 1979 single)

garynuman.com

Additional information:

Statistics relating to Gary Numan’s original ‘Telekon’ tour appearance at the Brighton Centre:

21st September 1980 ‘Telekon’ tour setlist:
‘This Wreckage’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)
‘Remind Me To Smile’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Complex’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album & 1979 single)
‘Telekon’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
Me! I Disconnect From You’ (from 1979 ‘Replicas’ album)
‘Cars’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album & 1979 single)
‘Conversation’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album)
‘Airlane’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album)
‘M.E.’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album)
‘Everyday I Die’ (from 1978 ‘Tubeway Army’ album)
‘Remember I Was Vapour’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Stories’ (from forthcoming 1981 ‘Dance’ album)
‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ (from 1979 ‘Replicas’ album & 1979 single)
‘The Joy Circuit’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘I Die: You Die’ (from 1980 cassette version of ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)
‘I Dream Of Wires’ (from 1980 ‘Telekon’ album)
‘Down In The Park’ (from 1979 ‘Replicas’ album & 1979 single)
‘Tracks’ (from 1979 ‘The Pleasure Principle’ album)
‘We Are Glass’ (from 1980 cassette version of ‘Telekon’ album & 1980 single)

Concert personnel:
Gary Numan – vocals, keyboards, guitar
Paul Gardiner (RIP) – bass
Chris Payne – keyboards, viola
Rrussell Bell – guitar, keyboards, percussion
Roger Mason – keyboards
Cedric Sharpley (RIP) – drums

 The support act for this 1980 concert was multi-instrumentalist Nash The Slash, who was born James Jeffrey “Jeff” Plewman in Toronto, Canada on 26th March 1948, and sadly died from a suspected heart attack on 10th May 2014. Nash The Slash played one other concert in Brighton on 1st March 1981 at Jenkinsons and it was very loud. He also appeared at Gary Numan’s trio of farewell concerts on 26th, 27th and 28th April 1981 at Wembley Arena.