Dr. Shades wrote:
It's good to see that he's still performing.
"Cars" is one of those songs that's timeless. It never sounds dated. It could be played on the radio even today. "I Ran" by A Flock of Seagulls is the same way, in my opinion.
He's really quite a performer. "Cars" is fun live, but it is nowhere near the best. The fan favorite, which has taken on anthemic qualities over time (in its live performance) is "Are Friends Electric?" his first #1 hit in England.
By the way, the concert was amazing. The venue was a little odd. Called Firestone Live, the stage is framed by what really looks like a fireplace. The light show was fantastic, however, especially given the relatively humble size of the venue, and the crowd was ecstatic. The sound was excellent, and the vocals cut through a thick mix of synthesizers.
Gary fed off the crowd. The last time I saw him perform live in Philadelphia, the crowd was smaller, their energy disappointing. It was a good show, but nothing to compare with last night, which marked the opening of the American leg of the tour. It helped, I believe, that the aging Numan fans were treated to a performance of
The Pleasure Principle, which includes "Cars," in the exact order of the track listing on the LP, plus b-sides framing the LP set. After that, he performed a mix of old favorites and newer stuff, which, although it is much less well known, really punches the crowd with its energy.
I was pretty close to the stage, and at one point, when there wasn't much noise, I shouted out "Gary" in a pretty distinctive way, managing to raise a smile on his face. Yeah, I behaved like a teenager that night. Since my wife was unable to come, I danced like a fool and shouted myself hoarse.
Unfortunately, Gary was unable to meet the fans to sign autographs and take pictures, because he is off to Atlanta today for another show tonight. Usually he is very good about meeting with the fans, being one of the more fan-friendly performers out there, but Atlanta is seven hours drive (minimum) from Orlando.
Maybe next time.