Gary Numan has confirmed that in December he is doing a small tour where he will be playing songs ONLY from the "Telekon" album, including b-sides.

The shows will be at:

Dec 5. NOTTINGHAM. Rock City
Dec 6. GLASGOW. QMU
Dec 7. MANCHESTER. Academy
Dec 9. LONDON. The Forum

Apparently he is planning to perform the songs exactly as he used, to, presumably with older gear - rather than updated versions as he has done recently.

Don't think I'll make it to any, but if I do it'll be Nottingham. It sounds like an interesting idea anyway - if it works out he'll consider doing other 'old album' shows.

I might just lift my ban on going to see Numan and get tickets for this...



Thanks Alex

He's written about it in more detail on his website. He seems slighly apprehensive about it due to his vast hatred of nostalgia – but I think it will have a much better turn out that he's expecting. It is a brave thing to do on the back of a new album, but I think and hope it'll be a huge success.

Regardless of whether people like his new stuff or not, you can't escape the fact that people want to see him playing the old stuff true to form.

I like all of Numan's stuff, but I've always thought it would be really good if he made a new album, but in the old style, in a modern sort of way! I know what I'm tryiing to say!

The idea is to do the entire telekon album, every track in order and the extra tracks from the cd.
As for the music, they did not want it to sound like a 'jagged tour of telekon' so there will be as many old synths as possible.
There was also thoughts for some type of lighting structure as opposed to just random spots as is used these days.
Also concidered is numans own clothes image for the shows, as this would help in the 'recreation' effect.

Its unsure how close these shows will come to the sound, lighting, and image of the original tour in '80, but it looks set to be hes best shows since the 'machine music era'.

There is the possibilty of the 'principl shows' and 'replicas shows' if this first one goes well.

(gossip alert) There as also been talk of an accoustic set for the 'tubeway army' album, but this has NOT been said by anyone 'high up' in the industry.

My only concern is much of it will be on tape like on his recent tours (why I stopped going).

Not bothered about carbon copies of the originals - as long as it sounds "analogue" and best of all "live", I'll be happy. I suspect tapes and samplers though - he's hardly likely to drag a bank of polymoogs out on the road, even for 4 gigs. From what I've read, much of his analog stuff that he kept and didn't sell was lying rotting in a garage for years... <img border="0" alt="[Shake head]" title="" src="graemlins/shakehead.gif" />

From what I know already, I don't think there is any chance of boiler suits with red stripes, red stripey dyed hair, robots, invalid carriage or big lightshow. This is pretty much about the album and the songs, not the stage show.

As always there's lots of rumours, but Numan has already said that he will not be wearing his old boiler suit!

I think it will just be a straightforward show, as he currently does in terms of lighting etc, just with old songs. What it does need is more of a 'live' feel.

Im thinking he may wear pretty much what he does these days, black leather jacket, that kind of thing.
Theres also no way to go back to how it was exactly, but that a good thing, because it just goes to show how different and important those early tours were in the history of music.

Absolutely. The idea isn't to recreate the Teletour - just a new show with the old songs to please the old fans!

I saw him on the Teletour so it would be great to see him do the album again. Hope he does 'on Broadway' with Billy, but unlikely

Get ya Numan right Tom - that was 1979, not 1980!

But it was on the Remember I Was Vapour free single inside Telekon - tenuous I know, but it would be fab

You're right, I'm wrong on that one.

I think you're also right when you say it'll never happen!

Hey Flip: You gonna dig out the old clothes? heehee

Cheeky so and so, I was so skinny in those days there'd be no chance! By the way, that Midge cd we talked about, I now have and can send on to you if you want.

Oh pretty please Mr Martian. I have been waiting expectantly. Thanks a miilion

I don't know what I can offer in return, though, as I am sure you have everything musically speaking, that you want.

Yup - I had everything you mentioned already, so... Aha - just send me a pic of your good self over. You can email it and it won't cost you anything. Then I can see whether you were telling the truth about those long brown curls you said you had.

<Flip 2: maryann 0>
ahem..........moving right along...

Gary Numan will be at Irving Plaza here on 8/7 with the opener New Skin (whoever that is) Sadly, I have no one to go with me so I think I will pass. I really do not like to go to shows alone, no fun at all.
Pity, really, since I lost sight of him for so long and now all I hear are you guys talking about how good he is now. I definitely will have to get some of his stuff though.

No comment(s)

Sorry M, I forgot how shy you are really Email received. Will send the cd on.

Well according to Gazza's website the American shows next month are full of the modern stuff mainly so you wouldn't be getting much vintage Numan in those anyway more the heavy guitar/goth industrial/doodah stuff he does now.

Me feels they either went to quick into it without hanging on to try for the earlier sound, or found that theres just not enough old gear out there. :rolleyes:

Not sure I'm with you there...

So what type of boat are you in Flip, with the whole YTDS sound.
Are you going for numan covers still from old or new sounds?

Time will tell - but the intention is more new than vintage. Will be all live though so won't sound much like modern Numan - you can't do all that totally live.

Sounds good to me, the whole point to live means live to me. Hope numan thinks the same for hes future shows.

I'm in. <img border="0" alt="[The Finger]" title="" src="graemlins/thefinger.gif" />

As the Teletour was my very first gig I think it's a trip to Manchester is on the offing.

Don't suppose he kept the old stage set and electric car do you?

It was my first gig as well, Birmingham Odeon 1980. I hope he performs in the old style NOT the new style. Can't stand all that head banging nonsense................
P.S Where do I get some red hair dye...........

Me 2 <img border="0" alt="[The Finger]" title="" src="graemlins/thefinger.gif" /> (hopefully) To the numan and YTDS. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

Boots? From NuWorld it seems to be that it'll be old style "not reworked". Good news then.

So its as i said this morning, old as poss and not reworked to fit with the current jagged style.

I though i had it right, as the organising of its been going on for months.
So it is good news still, and still on track.
Maybe he will try to squeeze into the jumpsuit after all.

Yes, you were absolutely right. That old industry inside knowledge you rarely mention definitely served you well that time.

Yeh, i dont talk about it much do i.

Nope, you're very discreet.

Any idea whether The Forum in Kentish Town is a seated or all-standing type of venue?

Last time I went (probably about 8 years ago) it was standing downstairs, seated upstairs. I doubt they'll have added seats downstairs since then!

Saw Sparks there in February and it was still standing downstairs. The floor does not slope but is on two levels.

I went to that gig too. Saw loads of great gigs at the Odeon.

The Nuworld update says that he will play Telekon and the associated singles + B sides, so maybe there's a chance that On Broadway might happen, unless anyone knows any different?

Thomas

Just out of interest, why Telekon and why not The Pleasure Principle?

I think Telekon is generally seen as the favourite album of the "original fans", that's why. Not sure I could listen to a PP tour - at least the synth noises changed now and again on Telekon...

The idea for a 'one album mini tour' was numans idea about a year ago, maybe even longer.
The fans favourite albums tend to be 'replicas' and 'telekon', but the fans most popular image to copy was telekon.
It was also thought that the original teletour shows were a more complete package overall, as opposed to the touring principle, that was a slightly different stage image from the PP album itself.

A PP show would be interesting, simply for the fact there would be no guitars! Just Numan, a viola and keyboards....

Coincidence or what? My first ever gig was on the 4th of September, 1980 at The Birmingham Odeon - for the first night of Gary's Teletour. I've still got my ticket stub and programme somewhere...

Just over three months later I was back (again at The Birmingham Odeon) to see Ultravox on their Vienna tour. Happy days.

On one hand it seems like eons ago - and then it also seems like yesterday. How the years just fall away...

It's really strange to think back to those days, especially as I have become so involved with all aspects of Ultravox in the intervening years. Weird!

Rob

My first gig was on the same tour - but at Coventry. Don't remember much (certainly not the date) apart from the incredible spectacle (and noise) Nash The Slash put on as the support...and the huge amount of dry ice that flooded the Stalls when the curtains opened - couldn't see Gary at all for a while. Incredible sound and light spectacle.

Part of the impression I suppose is me being young and impressionable at the time - I doubt, while still impressive, it would have had the same lasting impression now.

Ah, lucky you. We had to content ourselves with The Quads at Birmingham who weren't particularly good...

Rob

I'm not missing this one, no way

my wife and I we travel to London 9.12.06.Tickets can orderd direct by nuworld.
Telekon was for me the perfect record in Grys career.

I have just bought a ticket for the Nottingham gig!