Pet Shop Boys Community

Hello Petheads...

Just got back from a week-long trip where my friend Corey and I followed the Pet Shop Boys down the east coast of the USA. We started in NYC, then worked our way down to Miami, up to Orlando, and then Atlanta.

Sorry if this post comes out too long, but I just wanted to point out some observations now that I have returned and have been able to take it all in!

• I posted a "review" of the NYC show already. The good: amazing venue, great sound, 7th row seats, the Virgin in-store signing, and Neil confirming that "if" there is a 4th single from Fundamental, it will be 'Integral'. The bad: weird energy levels, seated concert-goers, and an initial reaction that the set list was in an odd order.

• Miami was better than NYC. Massive amounts of energy and plenty of standing even though it was a seated venue.

• Orlando and Atlanta were better than NYC and Miami combined! BOTH shows were general admission and primarily standing room only. I STRONGLY urge all Petheads to buy GENERAL ADMISSION tickets to the shows that they can because the concert demands dancing and energy!!! Corey and I had friends (even non-hardcore fans) saying that the Orlando show was the best concert they had ever been too! (wow!)

• Orlando honestly was the best show though because of the size of the venue and the fact that Hard Rock Live is at Universal Studios and at least 1/3 of the crowd were European tourists! I remember walking up to the venue and hearing the Brits leaving the theme park getting very excited when they saw "TONIGHT: PET SHOP BOYS" in lights at Hard Rock Live! Neil was particularly "blown away" by Orlando--he kept saying we were an "outrageous" crowd and even said WE deserved applause!

• Corey and I did not get backstage any night (which is sad, because we got backstage for 3 shows during the Nightlife tour). To my knowledge there was no meet and greet in NYC or Orlando. I did not try to get backstage at Miami or Atlanta. Dainton did not appear to be with them.

• I heard consistent rumblings that Neil and particularly Chris are growing more paranoid about being photographed. Chris literally looked like he was having a nervous breakdown at the NYC signing when the flashes went off!

• Here are some close calls for me almost meeting them: In Miami, a friend of mine had the pleasure of helping Neil at the Apple Store, Lincoln Road. In Atlanta, I just missed Neil on the street (about an hour and a half before the show) walking to the venue from somewhere. In Texas, my ex called me to tell me he was sitting right next to Neil and Chris at a gay bar on the Friday before they played in Austin! (I didn't go to the Austin show).

• The stage set is one of the best I have seen. It is simple yet so effective and completely PSB. Projection highlights include Minimal/Shopping; Rent (Neil sitting in the box and putting his hand up when he says "I'm your puppet/I love it"; Opportunities; Where the streets have no name (by FAR the BEST projection/sequence ever--I recorded a snippet of this on my digital camera!). The overall set looks best from a distance (I was about 20th row in Miami, and it had the most visual effect).

• Neil "experiments" with his vocal during Rent and it is highly effective. When he sings "when you're lying next to me" he sings an octave/chord lower versus going up high like the song. And he literally moans "I love you" at the end. It's *VERY* cool and so great to hear!

• The songs were unfortunately all "original" versions--even Heart was the one off Actually! I was highly annoyed with that. The Nightlife tour was amazing because of its reinterpretations of West End girls, It's a sin, etc. These versions were very PopArt...

• ...However the "blending" of the songs was clever at points. Minimal/Shopping was awesome (along with the projections). Se a vida e into Domino dancing was powerful too (with the "hay una discoteca por acqui" sample in between). So hard/It's a sin is not effective though--So hard is actually the Red Zone mix with the backup singers (primarily Sylvia) singing.

• They could have played for another 30 minutes (easily) with the energy they build up at the end. The show literally "climaxes" during It's a sin and Go West. I felt like I was leaving a rave in Orlando and Atlanta when the show was over.

• T-shirt selection is larger at these shows than it was during the European mini-tour. Unfortunately all the men's shirt sizes start at MEDIUM! What the hell?

• Psychological is NOT A GOOD OPENER!

• The two dancers need just a little bit of choreography work. Some nights (Orlando, NYC) they were very "on it", some nights (Miami, Atlanta), they were very "NOT on it". The backup singers were good, but I think they should have used Sylvia more (hearing her sing Rent in Performance still gives me chills!)

• I've never heard Chris actually play the keyboard as much as he does in this show. He definitely is playing some major parts (synth during Domino Dancing, extra pianos in Numb and West End girls, and the "ah ah / ah ah ah" Neil sample during Heart (in Miami his keyboard wasn't working at that moment and we didn't hear that at all!). Home and dry was particularly moving--Chris playing just the piano/keyboard and Neil strumming his guitar--it was awesome! I even called my own voicemail to record it!

• The tour book is amazing, as usual. Not too many pics of the Boys, but lots of GREAT artistic pics of concert "stuff".

• I'm still shocked they didn't play anything off Nightlife. At the very least they could have done You only tell me you love me when you're drunk acoustic after Home and dry.

ALRIGHT! I think that's it for my crazy review. I'll post pics soon when I sort through the good from the bad! I've been dying to post my experience on here so thank you for reading through it all if you chose to do so!

~remark in atlanta~

awesome review and info. I was at the NYC show and actually would have rather been at the miami show(of course,who wouldnt rather be in miami?) but I was actually there a couple months before and orlando and going back to florida so soon just wasn't on my list. although typhoon lagoon water park in disney world rocked.

I also LOVE when they redo songs and hate when they do stock versions! they need to get on that.I would love to hear heart in a new arrangement.

anyways thanks again!

Great reviews on the shows.

I did a small west coast trip with the nightlife tour starting with san diego, irvine, las vegas, l.a. and then the tower records signing, got to meet them at san diego, las vegas and backstage at l.a., also did for release las vegas, san diego and l.a..

It's a lot of fun but exhausting.

So no Dainton?

Do you know what time the sound checks started, I want to try to be at the sound checks in l.a.

Thanks for the lengthy review!
Personally, I like the original versions better. I remember seeing both Performance and Nightlife and thinking it was a shame they had set all their fantastic tunes to anonymous housebeats in the latter concert. It didn't work for me. I must add, I saw Nightlife in The Hague and where I sat the sound was a bit crap, so maybe this has something to do with it.

Not sure if I got this correctly, so all gigs had the (very) same setlist???

So no Dainton?

Do you know what time the sound checks started, I want to try to be at the sound checks in l.a.

No Dainton. Which is weird--I thought he was still with them. It was Dainton who helped my friend and me get backstage in '99! I do not know what time the sound checks started. I'd say afternoon sometime.

Not sure if I got this correctly, so all gigs had the (very) same setlist???

YES, and this is very unfortunate. I thought at least they would mix up or add encores here and there. Corey and I were shocked they didn't do New York city boy in NYC! We thought that definitely would have gotten people roused up! It's a shame that the PSB's set is so pre-programmed that they have no flexibility in their set list or encores.

Remark wrote:Hello Petheads...

• Orlando and Atlanta were better than NYC and Miami combined! BOTH shows were general admission and primarily standing room only. I STRONGLY urge all Petheads to buy GENERAL ADMISSION tickets to the shows that they can because the concert demands dancing and energy!!! Corey and I had friends (even non-hardcore fans) saying that the Orlando show was the best concert they had ever been too! (wow!)

~remark in atlanta~

Atlanta was incredible, as it was for Nightlife (that dive they were in for the Release tour is best left forgotten). The Tabernacle is an awesome structure, and despite the fact that PSB shows are more theatrical in nature, they lend themselves well to this venue.

They did an interview on CNN Friday morning and remarked the crowd was very good for Atlanta...IIRC, they even may have said it was the "best so far."

Did you feel the floor bouncing during Always On My Mind?!?

Morgan

Thanks for the reviews. I was very lucky to 'meet' them twice in Boston, briefly before their soundcheck (just said Hi) and after the show outside when they signed my ticket and both smiled Then of course I saw them in New York at the Catalogue signing, when I again got a 'smile' There does seem to be a lot more 'no camera' calls. I agree the Minimal/shopping combination is FAB!! It was all a memorable experience.

I was at the Orlando show and hoping to run into you. It was, by far, the best PSB show I've seen to date, and your review is spot on.

billy

Thanks for the insightful mini review..
quote by Trixiemix "There does seem to be a lot more 'no camera' calls".
Could this not be an age thing abit like we're "Not thin and gorgeous like we used to be and my double chin from the side does not look good" ..

Hmmm wrote:"There does seem to be a lot more 'no camera' calls".
Could this not be an age thing abit like we're "Not thin and gorgeous like we used to be and my double chin from the side does not look good" ..

I think this is definitely the case. When I was trying to get backstage at Hard Rock in Orlando, the General Manager told me that there were to be no photographs if I was to get backstage. He said that he had never experienced such paranoid behavior from any artists! Ultimately they ended up not doing the meet and greet at all.

Neil looks good, but Chris is looking particular old.

Remark wrote:It's a shame that the PSB's set is so pre-programmed that they have no flexibility in their set list or encores.

that always was common on the past tourings, althrough I think they have one or two more songs in the setlist! The question is where and when they will perform them! And thats why I always ask, if there is some difference in the setlists of every concert they do!

i bought two shirts in XL at the radio city show. i hope they will all be available on the website - i would have bought the numb shirt if i had more cash.

in the past they have done many different arrangements on the songs, i think i read somewhere they decided to do more traditional arrangements on this tour. i hope someday thye do the full orchestra thing again. im continually blown away by concrete

check my pics on the fotolog link below

Hmmm wrote:Thanks for the insightful mini review..
quote by Trixiemix "There does seem to be a lot more 'no camera' calls".
Could this not be an age thing abit like we're "Not thin and gorgeous like we used to be and my double chin from the side does not look good" ..

UP CLOSE they still look good in my opinion. I would take a very good photo of Chris (or both of them), if only they'd let me and what about that great birthday pic they had of Chris on the official site recently....now that was good!!

Wow great pictures, thanks. I agree, I thought that especially Neil looked stunning at the signing in New York.