Gig review: Gary Numan at O2 Academy Leeds

Numan has created a discography arguably as good as David Bowie, creating characters and albums as diverse as Bowie has but never gaining the same respect from the music industry or media.

The crowd was made up of hardcore Numanoids, passive Cars fans and younger industrial metal fans, all set to witness Numan’s latest Savage tour.

The new album Savage sounds stronger in a live setting and sits confidently between his back catalogue. Lead single, My Name Is Ruin, powered through the venue as Numan commanded the stage, elfin and spider-like, contorting his body and dancing like a man half his years.

Numan has fans in contemporary industrial band Nine Inch Nails, whom Numan has not only influenced but being influenced by on recent studio albums. The industrial rock sound is a power house of grinding guitars, thumping, off-kilter beats and heavy synth that shook the venue to its knees.

Older favourites Are ‘Friends’ Electric?, Cars and Metal were combined and updated to suit the current Numan vision.

Ziggy may have played guitar, but Numan owns industrial synth rock.

Gary Numan’s influence can not be understated on modern music, and support act Jayce Lewis is certainly channelling the future sounds of Numan-esque synth. This band is certainly one to watch, a bright future ahead indeed. All the theatrical trappings of Numan with a strong leaning of industrial bands NIN and early Rammstein. Catch these where you can.