Ryan M.
Yelp
Crowds make me anxious and prolonged heat makes me nauseous. Why, then, did I brave the elements and attend a concert at an outdoor venue on a sweltering summer night in San Antonio? Because post-punk/electronic/new wave/cold wave/goth/industrial (pick your label) pioneer Gary Numan (yes, the "Cars" guy) made a once-in-a-lifetime stop in my hometown, a city of aesthetically challenged metal head dingbats. My favorite musicians rarely perform here, so I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. I swallowed my Prozac (okay, okay, my organic chamomile-lavender tea) and headed out to Paper Tiger, a tiny little venue in a sketchy part of town.
Everything about the Paper Tiger (the Latin-inspired graffiti art, the neckbearded hipster bartenders, the tiny outdoor stage) felt wrong for a Numan gig. After all, I'm talking about the nihilistic, eternally truculent synth futurist whose lavish multi-million-dollar productions (swirling pyramids, miniature cars, Moog synths galore) once attracted an audience big enough to fill Wembley Stadium. I wouldn't expect him to play the Alamodome, but a modest venue like Paper Tiger is better suited to a local act, not someone of Numan's stature.
The concert was a hit despite the poor choice of venue. The acoustics were mixed well (excellent electronic bass on "My Name Is Ruin"), the attendees seemed *somewhat* familiar with his material, and the energy felt right throughout the 90-minute set. Always the consummate professional, Gary withstood the heat* and tore through his set with the energy of a man half his age. The new material (most of it from his most recent album, "Savage") sat comfortably beside industrialized, heavier versions of past glories, including "Down in the Park," "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars."
I realize this review has less to do with the Paper Tiger than it does with Gary Numan and my neurotic hangups, but I know almost nothing about the venue. I just know that I didn't care for the atmosphere and will likely never return. Maybe Thomas Dolby will play S.A. and secure a gig in the handicapped bathroom stall at Griff's Burgers.
The setlist:
Everything Comes Down to This
Metal
Halo
Films
Bed of Thorns
Down in the Park
Pray for the Pain You Serve
My Name Is Ruin
Here in the Black
Cars
Mercy
Love Hurt Bleed
Me! I Disconnect From You
When the World Comes Apart
Are 'Friends' Electric?
The Fall
A Prayer for the Unborn
*From his Twitter: "Truly awesome crowd in San Antonio tonight. Thank you all so much for coming to see us, we really do appreciate it. It was unbelievably hot though, far worse than last night (& that was horrendous). Thanks for staying & putting up with the heat. It very nearly beat me tonight :("