From New Wave to Nuclear: Gary Numan’s Toronto Set Hits Hard
- jaybroderick
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
By: Jay Broderick
Toronto, Canada - The 1980s were a strange and special time... synthesizers ruled the airwaves, new wave reshaped pop culture, and Gary Numan’s “Cars” became one of the decade’s most unmistakable hits. Now, some 45 years later, Numan’s legacy still pulls a huge crowd. On March 24, The Concert Hall was sold out, and even 30 minutes before doors, a lineup of Gen X new wave/electronic rockers stretched north along Yonge Street, buzzing with anticipation. And full transparency, I was quite amazed
Tremours
Opening the night was Tremours, an alternative/indie duo from Los Angeles, California featuring guitarist/vocalist Lauren Andino and drummer Glenn Fryatt. Their set unfolded in near-darkness... deep shadows, moody washes of colour, and enough haze to make any photographer mutter under their breath. But for atmosphere? Perfect.
The Concert Hall was already packed to the rafters as Tremours eased into their melancholic sound. Fans stared in quiet wonder, heads bobbing gently while smoke curled around the stage lights. After the band's fourth track, Andino softly thanked the crowd and mentioned they were from Los Angeles, though with earplugs in, her voice was barely decipherable before the band slipped into their next song.
By the time they reached their final track, announced with a simple “Thank you! This is our last song”, the room was fully immersed. Tremours didn’t need flash or theatrics. Their moody, introspective set held the audience captive from start to finish.
Gary Numan
Just before Numan’s set, a fan at the barricade asked if I’d ever photographed him before. When I said "no", he grinned and promised I was in for a treat. “He’s super animated, headbanging and everything! And watch the guitarist and bassist… they do some weird shit.” He wasn’t lying. If anything, he undersold it.
As the band emerged, guitarist Steve Harris and bassist Tim Slade draped in priestly robes, they launched into “Halo”, and the stage exploded with movement. Numan was a blur of energy, constantly shifting, posing for a split second before darting away again. The guitarist and bassist stalked the stage like possessed monks, twisting their bodies and gesturing eerily toward the crowd.
By the second track “Metal,” it was clear this wasn’t the synth-pop nostalgia many might expect. This was heavy!! Industrial, pounding, and relentless!! The band attacked. After the third song, I left the photo pit electrified, yelling back to the fan, “THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!” And just like his warning to me, my reaction was wildly understated.
Throughout the set, the stage was swallowed in blue fog, with red flashes cracking like lightning. The two “stringed crusaders” wandered the stage, staring down the audience with unsettling intensity. Odd hand motions, and ritualistic pacing gave strange, theatrical visuals. For once, the lighting during the first three songs was actually decent, at least compared to the rest of the show where the band leaned fully into the moody aesthetic. Numan, who turned 68 on March 8, sounded phenomenal! His voice was clean, and powerful. The band behind him was tight, driving, and locked into every beat.
Midway through the show, in fact, ahead of the band's 9th track, Numan paused to speak for the first time. “Thank you,” he said, before opening up about a difficult year, wanting to write new material but being consumed by fear and worry for his ill wife, who he speaks to every day while on tour. The crowd called back with support. He then shared a story about hearing music at home before tour rehearsals, only to discover it was his daughter Raven’s song, “Nothing’s What It Seems.” Raven Numan joined the band onstage to perform it, delivering a heavy, ominous, pounding track that fit seamlessly into the night’s atmosphere.
Then came “Cars.” Instantly, at least 59% of the phones in the venue shot into the air. Not with flashlights, but recording. And honestly? Completely fair! Whether you grew up on Sabbath, AC/DC, Motörhead, Blondie, or Bowie, you know this song. Numan and the band brought the packed house (myself included) back to their teenage years. The track sounded amazing, and while the band had a long set of amazing, much heavier sounding tracks, this was one that many fans were waiting for.
During “The Fall,” a guy walked by, shook my hand, and said, “Hey man, how’s it going? It’s been a long time! Sean Cramer from London, Ontario back in the day!” Then he disappeared into the crowd before I could tell him I wasn’t who he thought I was. I chuckled to myself, and thought 'Man! I get that a lot!!' Everybody has a doppleganger, but it seems as though I might have 6 or 7.
As the main set closed, Numan bowed deeply while fans raised their arms high, white lights blasting out into the crowd. The band exited to relentless cheers before returning for a final encore. Completing their set with their 2021 track "The Gift", and closing it out with "My Name if Ruin" from their 2017 album Savage (Songs from a Broken World).
Set List
Halo
Metal
Haunted
Everything Comes Down to This
Films
Is This World Not Enough
Down in the Park (Tubeway Army song)
M.E.
Nothing's What It Seems (Raven Numan cover with Raven Numan)
Dead Sun Rising
Love Hurt Bleed
Cars
The Fall
The Chosen
A Prayer for the Unborn
Are 'Friends' Electric? (Tubeway Army song)
Encore:
The Gift
My Name Is Ruin
As I stepped out onto Yonge Street, fans were still cheering, buzzing, and reliving the moment. I’ll be honest, I’m not deeply familiar with Gary Numan’s full catalogue. But this show? Absolutely fantastic! Listen, this isn't death metal by any stretch of the imagination, but man, it was far heavier than I expected, sonically massive, visually wild, and powered by a vocalist who refuses to slow down.
This one is going down as one of my best live experiences of 2026.
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Jay Broderick)
Gary Numan Online
Show Date: March 24, 2026