The 2008 Replicas Tour in 10 Riveting Chapters:
One man's mission to see the last 10 shows of the UK Replicas Tour
Chapter 8
Oxford
Steve and his family kindly let me sleep in. This was much appreciated! Nearly half of the sleep I'd gotten on this tour was on trains and buses en route to the next town.
It was nearly 1 pm before my brain led the rest of me into the shower to start the day. My brain knew there was still some cool sightseeing to do in Hastings before the train left for the Numan show in Oxford.
Steve presented me with an incredibly cool CD of mp3s he had burned while I slumbered, a mix of covers and recent radio shows Gary appeared on to promote the Replicas Tour.
I declined breakfast so we could begin the adventure. I'd been looking forward to seeing Hastings for awhile, mainly to see the seaside carnival where Scritti Politti filmed a portion of their Word Girl video.
Helene was at work, but Steve and his daughter Alice showed me my first daytime views of Hastings. Pretty well-kept rows of houses lined streets that often snaked around themselves. The city was very hilly and it began to remind me of my own hometown, which is also near a large body of water. On the way, Steve played a live CD from Gary's Glasgow show earlier in the month.
After driving up a long twisty hill, we got out at a park and began to walk. The scenery from up here was incredible. If we had more time we could have explored more of the town, but at least from up here I was seeing it all. We climbed up even further uphill near the remains of Hastings Castle. On one side I could see the entire city. On the other was what looked like a vast sea ending at France. By the sea was the site of the carnival which no longer exists. But the fishing port thrives and nearby are a series of caves once populated by pirates and their loot.
All too soon it was time to leave town. Luckily it would be a short train ride to Oxford. Steve drove me to the train station and walked in to make sure I was off okay. I thanked him and Alice for the hospitality and Steve gave me a parting gift in the form of the Glasgow Numan show we'd been listening to on the way.
It was sooo cool hanging with Steve once again and I look forward to stopping by again when we have more time to do Hastings right. But alas for now I could only watch as Alice and Steve waved goodbye as my train departed Hastings.
When I was 14 years old and alone in my room, I wore out my first copy of The Pleasure Principle LP. There was no NAGNFC, no US media coverage for Numan, no friends who shared the affinity for the soul-searching music and layers within Numan's lyrics and themes. But today I had woken up at a house of a fellow Numanoid who armed me with Numan cover songs and live shows I was listening to on the train. And tonight I'd see Gary Numan at the Carling Academy in Oxford, meeting him after the show. Could heaven be any better?
One radio show I was listening to was from the last week and featured Gary introducing cool mixes of his own stuff as well as other songs he enjoyed from Nine Inch Nails, etc. This was interspersed with interviews about the tour and his career so far.
On the way to London, the train had stopped to pick up passengers, then began to travel in the opposite direction! I started to panic a little and decided to get off at the next stop and get my bearings. I pulled my luggage off at the next stop, a platform in a very tiny village. I reckoned I should have stayed aboard after all and the train was merely being switched on another track to London. Well now I had a half hour to kill before the next train arrived. LOL! Nice going Machman!
I walked across the tracks to a nearby fruit stand and picked up a newspaper and snacks for the trip. As I waited for another train to continue my sojourn, a couple others showed up to catch the same train. Once aboard the terrain became more populated as we rolled closer to London.
Once at Charing Cross station, I grabbed the London Underground subway to Paddington Station from which there were 2 trips to Oxford an hour. Seriously, if you ever do something similar to this, get yourself a Britrail train pass. They couldn't be easier to use. No queuing. Just hop on and go!
On the way to Oxford I was getting even more excited about seeing the place. But it was getting late. It was past 4 pm and the doors opened at 7 pm. There was no preshow party planned though and the hostel was right next to the train station. I'd never stayed in a hostel and I was a little nervous about it. Was it just for traveling youth? Is it safe?
As an American you hear so much about the prestigious town that is Oxford. As the train pulled into Oxford Station I got my first views of this famous place. This part of town was a shopping district and looked very inviting but if I was going to get ready and walk to the show, I'd have no time for sightseeing this evening.
In the front of the station was a map of the city which I used to find the HI Hostel. It was nearby but I had to snake around the front of the station and underneath an overpass to find it. I was apprehensive but put on a brave face as I walked to the front counter with my luggage and asked for a bed for the night. The girl must have noticed I was a first timer, and helpfully explained about the free breakfast, dorm beds and what to do if I get back in late. This allayed my fears as did the impressive cleanliness of the place.
With door key in hand I walked up a couple flights of steps to the room. Each room had 3 bunk beds, and on one of them was to be one of my roommates. We introduced ourselves but he was more interested in his iPod. Just as well, I had to start getting ready! I stuffed my stuff in a locker and left the hostel very satisfied with the money I was saving by staying here. For Oxford, 20 pounds a night is a steal, especially with the free and giant breakfast buffet the next morning!
Eagerly, I began to walk to the train station to get a look at the outdoor map, a larger representation of the city than what was in my guide book. It had started to rain and I felt bad for the busker that had appeared nearby.
I didn't see the address of the Carling Academy on the map. I'd have to spring for a taxi. Luckily I was at the train station where cabs were in abundance. On the way to the show, I asked something a tourist should never ask in a cab. It was getting ever later and I asked if it was far to the destination. It was still a quick ride but the cab driver said was unfortunate I didn't have more time to look around Oxford. We passed universities and shops that called out to me to explore but luckily my priorities were in order. Gary Numan was throwing down jams at the Carling tonight!
I was dropped off at the venue at 6:30 pm to see 30 Numanoids already queued. Some like Jeanette and friends said hello as I stood and waited. It was about the time that I saw a Subway sandwich shop across the street that I remembered I hadn't eaten all day and was utterly famished. I was armed with a stack of Subway coupons from my friend Steve in Manchester. Making friends with the Numanoids was easy as I gave away the 2 for 1 coupon deals meant for 2 people.
I made my way over with all speed and waited my turn to order a phat meal for a weary traveler. I noticed a sign saying that Scottish and Irish notes would no longer be accepted. Also, an option we don't get at home is to include corn on your sub. American cheese also wasn't on the menu.
I ordered my dinner and made my way to the drink machine to fill my cup with Coke, nectar of the gods. It was then this semi-drunk but friendly chap came up to me to say hello and ask questions. It was when he pointed at the Carling and asked when my show began that I realized this dude thought I was Gary Numan! He was confused either because of my black clothes laden with buckles and zippers, or he wasn't a very huge fan.
Rather than enjoy the impersonation, I politely corrected him and went to rejoin the queue. As I ate my 12" tuna, the crowd was amused when someone said it looked like I joined the Subway Army!
Gordon appeared as he had at every other show to pass out his Beggars Banquet Replicas Redux and Telekon DVD flyers. We'd become good friends by now. He knew of my connections and made sure to give me about 50 each night to help give out to folks.
The doors opened right on time but we were only allowed into the long hallway inside. A guy behind me was telling his girlfriend how badly he had to use the facilities. I told him I sympathized as I had shared his experience back at the Nottingham show. He was funny and we had a good laugh. I offered him my Subway cup but he opted to wait it out.
Once inside I noticed how small it seemed for a place called the Carling Academy. A friendly guy named Mike came up to say hello. I didn't know him that well except that I'd seem him at Wolverhampton. He was quiet and always came alone but always made sure to say hello.
As we stood and waited for the show, a latecomer pushed his way up to where we were and behind Mike. Mike's quiet demeanor did a 180 as he shouted at the latecomer to back off. Hoping there wouldn't be a fight, others came to Mike's rescue telling the guy to back off. Mike asked me to join him out the door after the show to help him fight in case the guy was waiting for us. As luck would have it, there would be no such altercation.
The crowd was amped for a great show and they got one from Gary Numan and friends. The band were in top form. The crowd didn't seem as enthusiastic as at other shows. They were pretty quiet actually, clapping politely after every song. A bit sad, I thought, as Gary was playing for us the very songs that sparked a genre, much as Kurt Cobain started grunge.
One change was during We Are So Fragile. Instead of "we are still so young" he sang "we are not so young".
See Gary perform Down In The Park (Oxford March 13, 2008)
The tour bus was smack outside the front door after the show. No need to hunt it down this time! The Big G and the band eventually made their way through the waiting crowd as they waited for Gary. Guitarist Chris was hit on by a guy asking for change. Chris kindly gave him a fiver. Drummer Richard came over to our group and I scored a couple of pictures with some band members.
Knowing Gary, it would still be an hour before he came out, so I headed back across the street for yet another sub. What a piggy, eh? It was there that I got the crowd roused in a chorus of "We're the Subway Army!".
Back in the crowd, I hung with Gordon's group. It was in that circle where I met Wingman, the guy who is always front and center at the Numan shows. If you've seen a recent Numan live DVD, it's hard to miss him and his unique hair. Also in the circle was a catwoman clad girl who must have been drummer Richard's girlfriend the way they were connecting.
Appearing from the din was my good friend Martin Purvis, Jo and his posse. Sadly this would be their last show of the tour. Their flight back to Oz left the next day. Fellow Aussie Bridgette wasn't with them in Oxford, but she would pick up the tour again in London. As Jo made her way around the crowd kissing and hugging Numanoids goodbye, I told Martin that it was great seeing him at the shows and to keep up the great work on his website Outland. I hugged Jo goodbye and waved a bittersweet goodbye as they drove away.
Gary came out to hop on the tour bus. I made sure to let him know that the tour had been incredible so far, and about the others who'd come so far to meet him. He thanked me and we got off a quick snapshot before he spoke with other fans.
Soon after the crowd dissipated quickly and the street became very lonely. I had absolutely no idea where I was. My brilliant plan was to use my internal homing device to walk toward the distant hostel until I came across a taxi. At every show, those taxis are always around in abundance until I need one. Weird that! LOL.
I'd walked about six blocks on this quiet city thoroughfare at 1:30 in the morning constantly looking behind me to see if a taxi was coming my way. The ones I saw were already filled. Finally one drove past with its roof light on. I wasn't sure if he knew where the HI hostel was of all the hostels in town, so instead I told him to take me to the train station so I could walk the rest of the way.
After a couple miles I saw the train station up ahead and paid him at a traffic light. It was an eerily quiet walk to the hostel. The front door was locked, but as instructed I rang the doorbell. A voice asked me my room number before I was buzzed inside the dark, quiet lobby. Upstairs I quietly unlocked the door and took my upper bunk making as little noise as possible for my roommates, one of whom snored. But it still wasn't hard to fall asleep after all this day's excitement.
Tomorrow would see me in Southampton where the Titanic was built, still another city I'd never seen. Once there I would get hopelessly lost walking to the show, be recruited to help the Numan cause and have an impromptu interview with Gary after the show.