Pet Shop Boys Community

This post is the original short report. For extended report, see my 08/18 post lower on this page.

To see almost 200 photos from the concert (many of of them from professionals), visit http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pictures.php
To download wallpapers made from the professional photos, visit http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/ta ... papers.php
To see four short amateurish videosamples I made with my photo camera, visit http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/e_audio_video.php

It went down quite well. Chris had probably some problem with the keyboard at the very beginning, chatting briefly with Pete Gleadall. Apparently something was wrong, but they fixed it quickly (the performance was not interrupted).

They played the shorter version (no HAD or Before/Numb).

The sound in the first row was somewhat distorted, and the crowd was screeeeeeeeeaaaming. Thanks to Tanja who kept a place for me in the first row. I took about 80 photos (see below).

I also met some Czech (hi Maj ) and Russian (hi Elena ) fans I knew only via net before.

Afterwards, we tried to catch PSB, but without luck. Unlike some others, who succeeded and got autographs.

It was nice. Neil was enjoying the show. Seeing the live performance, I appreciated the simple, but impressive beauty of Rent. I mean, of course I'd known the song for ages, and I'd known it's nice, but now it was like (re)discovering it again.

T-shirts / caps 700 CZK = approx. 17,5 UKP

A few hours before the concert, Czech Television finally made the interview with me about PSB (also see viewtopic.php?t=12765& / previously it was postponed and then cancelled).

So it was kind of a big day, really. Only to get a photograph of me with them and it would be perfect.

I also took some videos, but as it was only thru a (photo) camera, the quality is poor. Just a little example - not a song, but Neil intorducing Chris and himself and mentioning Prague (by the way, does anyone understand the last two sentences?):

http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pr ... ue2006.wmv

Almost 200 pictures (both professional and fan quality) from the concert can be found here:
http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pictures.php

anything good on TV tonite chris?

anything good on TV tonite chris?

Tom, Tanja and everyone else... glad you all enjoyed the show!

I just love the Blue Jeans Chris is wearing.

Are these Y3, too?

Couldnt find them in online stores.

How can you tell?
All I can see is Chris wearing something blue!

i saw him wearing this jeans live in bonn.
you can have a closer look here:

http://www.martinbaeumler.com/bonn/3.jpg


maybe its C&A, you never know

Thx. for the report and the photos!

Thaaaaanks.

So finally I got to write down in detail what interesting happened in my PSB world a week ago.

(ALERT - possible spoilers; if you are interested only in concert, proceed to point III)

More than 180 professional and amateurish photographs from the recent PSB concert in Prague (as well as from earlier shows) available at:
http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pictures.php

===

My Friday 08/11/2006

I.
After various preparations during the day (I had day off) I left - dressed in a t-shirt with "I'm With Stupid" text, an arrow and "Pet Shop Boys" text on the sleeve - our village after 17:00 direction Prague, Love Planet festival, PSB performance. The trip almost ended right behind the corner though, as I kind of out with my thoughts and I forgot to give precedence on the crossroad, where there goes about one car in an hour, but it came right. The remaining part of my journey was without any problems, only the dark sky on the west was scaring me a bit.

After 18:30 I arrived close to the festival area and parked the car. The first thing to do there was to meet staff working for Czech Television (CT) to make an interview with me about PSB (see viewtopic.php?t=12765). Later they also talked briefly with PSB and shoot a part of their performance, all this to be used for a reportage about PSB, to be broadcast on CT in September.

It took us a while to find a sutiable place where to shoot the interview (Ministry were really loud) and then it started. I got a mic into hand, the team prepared and I was already asked the first questions (I had no idea in advance what exactly will they ask). If I recall correctly, there were four questions - what I like about PSB, what namely about their songs, previous concerts in Prague and fans in the Czech Republic.

So I blahblah-ed something, it went down quite well in my opinion, only I was asked to reply with completely whole sentence (not only "I like...", but "About PSB I like..."), and I was not watching the interviewer that much, too, rather roved with eyes here and there. Anyway, hopefully it will be of use (I also gave them photos of some news cuttings etc., to illustrate the interview).

===

II.
After I entered the festival area (nobody cared about what I have in my 30l bag), I bought two t-shirts and moved to the stage no. 1, where the PSB concert was scheduled for 21:30. I went to see the meeting point of PSB fans and met Tanja and other fans from Russia, who were already waiting in the first row in front of the stage, even if there was one other band (J. A. R.) to play before PSB.

Then I met some other Czech fans around; there was five of us on "our" meeting point (but in the crowd, there were many other fans I know). Paul (always talking how he won't stay beside me when I have that t-shirt, elegant Fantastic Voyage, Flyer (whose mother also attended the show), me and as the last one, Andynka arrived - and if we were not in hurry to take a good position, we could almost organize Miss PSB fan competition.

So we went into the crowd. Luckily many people left after J. A. R. concert, so it was not that difficult to reach the front row, especially when there were our allies. So I ended up in the first row next to Tanja and other Russian fans - I stood opposite to Chris' keyboard, a bit to the center of the stage - Andynka and FantasticVoyage were almost behind me. There was also one talkative and let's say strange girl-fan, who was providing us with various (rather less) interesting PSB-related stories.

I learned from Tanja that PSB should be accommodated in hotel Expo nearby (Tanja's mother saw them there in the lift), so we agreed we will run there immediately after the concert ends and will try to obtain autographs or a photo with PSB.

===

III.
Atmosphere deepened, crowd grew and after 21:30 it started. First a motive from Psycho original movie soundtrack as an introduction, then God Willing and then finally a "normal" song, Psychological. In the beginning, it seemed Chris has a problem with the keyboard or with sound, as he discussed something wit programmer Pete Gleadall. But if something was not in good order, it obvioulsy got into it soon.

The show was excellent. In the middle of the stage, there was a construction in form of some cube covered with a screen. This cube served for various purposes. It was possible to go through it, screen projections on it, open and divide it and so on. During the crossing between Minimal and Shopping, blinking "Minimal" changed into blinking "Shopping" there, during Where The Streets... or Dreaming Of The Queen, the audience could see shoots of Neil in the former case and from princess Diana funeral in the latter.

During Rent, Neil sat inside the cube, hidden behind the screen. During Always On My Mind, huge cartoon heads of Neil and Chris "arrived" on the stage. From behind, there get up funnily dressed dancers (chequered jacket, once with flowers on their heads, next time with guitar dummy...).

Sound in the first row was not perfect, the crowd during breaks was often louder, but to see PSB closely worth it. Chris as usual in his almost static role (but he touched the keyboard, I swear!), it was possible to see on Neil that he is enjoying the concert, that it's not just some unpleasant duty.

Among the most interesting moments of the concert belonged song Dreaming Of The Queen. Before I thought whether it won't be somewhat strange or kitschy, when
there are shoots from funeral screened during it, but it was not. On the contrary, this projection amplified the lyrics "And there were no more lovers left alive / No one had survived" in a special way. Another interesting moment was visually minimalistic-ally presented Rent. Even though it has quite simple lyrics, I felt like rediscovering its magic again. As if the saying "beauty is in simplicity" was valid even here.

But there was something happening on the stage virtually all the time, dancers danced, did somersaults, vocalists headed by Sylvia Mason-James sung (Sylvia "offered" her microphone to the audience in the end), simply the whole concert was fine (as fine as it could be given sound possibilities of the first row).

===

IV.
As agreed with Tanja, me, a few Russians and Andynka left immediately after Go West, heading to hotel Expo. Some other fans called me several times, but I had no time to stop (my mobile was in my bag) nor breath to talk. And even if I could, I couldn't say where I am (I was asked so by Tanja, and surely PSB could hesitate if meeting a "crowd" of fans), which I thought was the main reason of this demand.

After a while we reached the hotel, nobody there. So we waited outside. Then we moved inside and waited next to a reception. Around that time I've noticed about an hour old SMS from Alis, another Czech fan. She wrote they got autographs (as I found out during next day, they met them around midnight at the exit for performers - I didn't expect at all they would be there so long after the concert). So I called another fan if they didn't meet them, too. They didn't. Around 1:30 I left home.

During the next day it turned out that PSB probably really were in hotel Expo, but only to give interviews (as there was too much noise directly in festival area). They reportedly stayed in Four Seasons. So a photo with them maybe at some next time. In every case it was a big day, surely the interview for TV, fans meeting and PSB concert (and then also a while of hopeful waiting), this combination doesn't happen just so.

So the excellent general impression was - aside from pointless waiting in the hotel (but one has to count with that) - spoiled only by some lack of understanding (or more precisely the way - to some extent strange - this misunderstanding was shown) of some fans, who imagined I will be reachable via phone after the concert, even if this was not agreed in advance and there was no bad intention in it from my side.

But except these two drawbacks, the Friday evening was great. Hopefully I will remember it for a while.

END

Pictures: http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pictures.php
I'd also put up a few video snippets (bad sound quality - taken with photo camera) during the weekend.

By the way, there is going to be a PSB party in Prague in October. Details are yet to be finalized, those interested please e-mail me or keep an eye on my site.

Tomas wrote:Among the most interesting moments of the concert belonged song Dreaming Of The Queen. Before I thought whether it won't be somewhat strange or kitschy, when there are shoots from funeral screened during it, but it was not. On the contrary, this projection amplified the lyrics "And there were no more lovers left alive / No one had survived" in a special way.

Was the music/arrangement for 'Dreaming of the Queen' very similar to the album version or have they changed it a bit? I hope they keep this song for the North American tour.

lucienchardon wrote:Was the music/arrangement for 'Dreaming of the Queen' very similar to the album version or have they changed it a bit?

To me, it sounded similar or the same, but as I wrote, sound in the first row was (of course) not perfect, so I may not be the best source on this.

Tomas wrote:Pictures: http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/obrazky/pictures.php
I'd also put up a few video snippets (bad sound quality - taken with photo camera) during the weekend.

Thanks. Great pictures!

yeah awesome also description also

The promised video snippets (four in total, bad sound quality, but at least it gives some idea how the show looked like) are here:
http://psb-atdeadofnight.net/e_audio_video.php

They used music from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho at the beginning of the concert? Which song from the soundtrack is it?