Gary Numan / Raven Numan – Telekon 45th Anniversary Tour – live gallery and review from 3Olympia Dublin 02.12.2025

There are few artists whose influence spans decades with the consistency and charisma of Gary Numan, so the announcement of the Telekon 45th Anniversary Tour felt like a gift to long-time fans and newcomers alike. Pair that with an opening set from his daughter Raven, who has been quietly, and steadily, carving out her own artistic space and the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin was set for a night that blended legacy, reinvention, and a distinctly Numan-esque sense of theatricality.

Raven opened the night with a confidence that’s been building through her run of recent singles. Onstage with her band, she delivered a performance that felt refreshingly unforced moody, melodic, and touched with the same chilly electronic undertones that naturally echo her father’s world, but without ever sounding like imitation. Her voice some times a tad drowned out, but carried well in the room at other times and was controlled but emotional, especially on the darker, more atmospheric tracks. The band behind her played tight and committed, though one element did stand out, the bass player. While clearly skilled, he leaned so heavily into the visual and stylistic cues of Numan’s longtime bassist that it bordered on distracting. More than one person in the crowd mentioned it, and it’s a minor but noticeable point, because Raven’s band is good enough, and original enough, not to need echoes of someone else’s aesthetic. With just a little more individuality from him, the group could lock into a visual identity that fully matches their emerging sound.

By the time the house lights dropped for Gary Numan’s set, the room had filled with the familiar electricity that only long-time devotees can generate. Numan fans aren’t casual listeners they’re lifers, and you could feel that devotion humming through the venue. Still, when I walked in earlier and saw the staging, raised steps on an already tall platform. I wasn’t convinced. It felt like it might create too much distance. But as soon as the show kicked into gear, it became clear: the structure was intentional, and it worked beautifully.

Numan’s production for this tour is nothing short of spectacular. With lights coming from every imaginable direction, the stage became a shifting, breathing landscape of sharp silhouettes, pulsing reds, icy blues, and stark whites. The elevated design gave him space to move, stalk, and loom, a perfect fit for an album as visually and sonically iconic as Telekon. What could have been cumbersome staging instead became one of the show’s strengths, allowing the lighting design to wrap around and above him, creating dramatic tableaus throughout the 19-song set.

Numan himself was in powerful form, vocally strong, physically dynamic, and clearly energized by the crowd. For an artist celebrating the 45th anniversary of one of his most beloved albums, he performed with the intensity of someone still hungry, still experimenting, still determined to push his sound forward. The classics landed with full force, sending waves of recognition and nostalgia through the crowd.

And that crowd enthusiastic doesn’t even begin to cover it. Many were there to see the man who shaped their musical landscape decades ago, and their energy fed the performance from start to finish. It wasn’t just admiration, it was gratitude, excitement, and a deep sense of connection that pulsed through the room.

By the end of the night, any doubts about staging or structure had long since evaporated. What remained was the memory of a meticulously crafted, visually stunning show that honored a landmark album without feeling trapped by nostalgia. Gary Numan continues to reinvent and refine, and with Raven rising in her own direction, this tour felt like both a celebration of legacy and a glimpse into the future.

Raven Numan photos:

Gary Numan photos & set-list:

Set-list:
This Wreckage
Remind Me to Smile
Remember I Was Vapour
I Dream of Wires
Telekon
Sleep by Windows
A Game Called ‘Echo’
Photograph
Please Push No More
Like a B-Film
The Aircrash Bureau
I’m an Agent
The Joy Circuit
I Die: You Die
We Are Glass
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My Shadow in Vain (Tubeway Army song)
Friends (Tubeway Army song)
Listen to the Sirens (Tubeway Army song)
Down in the Park (Tubeway Army song)

Photos & words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic