We're The Pet Shop Boys no more?

Message

slurmjunkie · #1 Post by **slurmjunkie** » Wed 09 May 2007, 8:36 pm

Why have they suddenly dropped "We're The Pet Shop Boys" from the setlist in Germany? I was so happy when they introduced it to the set and was looking really forward to seeing it live in Hamburg. Since they released it I always thought it would make the pefect opening song at concerts. I hope they play it again in Hamburg.
If they dropped it because they added "Being Boring" - well, they should cancel "Numb" instead. Or come to think of it - If it had to be a choice between "We're The Pet Shop Boys" and "Being Boring", I'd rather have the former. Although "Being Boring" is one of the very best Pet Shop Boys songs, it was already played on the Nightlife and Release tours, but most people have never seen "We're The Pet Shop Boys" live before.

Joemoz · #2 Post by **Joemoz** » Wed 09 May 2007, 8:42 pm

Maybe they realised they had so many better songs they might as well perform?

Young Offender · #3 Post by **Young Offender** » Wed 09 May 2007, 8:53 pm

since it was the opening number after god willing, what song took its place?

Pet Shop Girl · #4 Post by **Pet Shop Girl** » Wed 09 May 2007, 9:22 pm

I guess they change it up which is good.

dVTB · #5 Post by **dVTB** » Wed 09 May 2007, 9:31 pm

I wish they would quit playing Where The Streets Have No Name, but I'm afraid they won't. Streets even ended *below* Seriously, when fans listed all PSB singles from good to bad in the 'rank the singles' topic. It's not extremely popular with fans, it makes them look like some comic act for general audience who attends their concerts. The song does more harm than good, I think.

To be honest: I'm wondering more and more why I decided to buy a ticket for their upcoming show in the Netherlands. It's basically the same show I saw in Bonn last year, and the number of unique songs I haven't heard in Bonn or at previous PSB concerts, is decreasing. Only Heart and Flamboyant, if I'm not mistaken...

glennjridge · #6 Post by **glennjridge** » Wed 09 May 2007, 9:54 pm

I like changing setlists. I wish they were more like groups like pearl jam where they radically change their set from one show to the next.

sometimes it kinda a bummer knowin generally what they will play before the show.

davenjulieuk · #7 Post by **davenjulieuk** » Wed 09 May 2007, 9:58 pm

oh no... hope they bring it back for the UK part of the tour... did Chris speak his part on the song ???

slurmjunkie · #8 Post by **slurmjunkie** » Wed 09 May 2007, 10:14 pm

Young Offender wrote:since it was the opening number after god willing, what song took its place?

No "new" song took its place, they continue with Left To My Own Devices.

slurmjunkie · #9 Post by **slurmjunkie** » Wed 09 May 2007, 10:42 pm

They played it again in Chemnitz - brilliant! So I can still hope for Hamburg.

kennym · #10 Post by **kennym** » Wed 09 May 2007, 11:18 pm

dVTB wrote:To be honest: I'm wondering more and more why I decided to buy a ticket for their upcoming show in the Netherlands.

Don't bother then..

baddijo · #11 Post by **baddijo** » Thu 10 May 2007, 3:04 am

I couldn't agree more with you who feel like having diffirent setlists from, maybe not each and every show to the next, but from time to time. I also acknowledge being boring as a great song but like you rightfully said, it has been played so often before but so many great songs havent!! How about the beloved b - sides? I wish our boys were more confident about playing those songs for us instead of always putting out the old, good, but overplayed stuff over and over again...... Don't misunderstand me, I like the PSB touring and I hopefully am going to see them in Copenhagen in June, but I wished they'd play songs for us hardcore fans amongst the more known songs - I think we deserve having a few of them don't you think?

Bjarni.

Konstantin · #12 Post by **Konstantin** » Thu 10 May 2007, 9:10 am

dVTB wrote:I'm wondering more and more why I decided to buy a ticket for their upcoming show in the Netherlands. It's basically the same show I saw in Bonn last year, and the number of unique songs I haven't heard in Bonn or at previous PSB concerts, is decreasing.

I've been to the show in Ludwigslust last Summer and last monday I saw the show in Berlin - and even if the setlists were quite simular, it was a completely different show for me! So I think for a PSB-fan it IS worth seing both shows...

TheGardner · #13 Post by **TheGardner** » Fri 11 May 2007, 1:30 am

agree now, althrough I had a different meaning until last Monday! I really thought it would be very similar, but it wasn't!

spike · #14 Post by **spike** » Sat 12 May 2007, 7:03 am

I don't really have an opinion on the songs they play at their concerts, though i do like "We're The Pet Shop Boys", it seemed to be a really good beginning to the show, I will just be glad to see another concert without having to wait another 23 years for them to come back to New Zealand. And when they do, to do more than one concert!!

I have only seen one concert and I thought it was fantastic

and I would love to attend another before I pass on, or get too old to travel to the other end of the country to see it.
I think you need to think yourselves lucky to be able to go to PSB concerts regually.

dVTB · #15 Post by **dVTB** » Mon 13 Aug 2007, 6:03 pm

dVTB wrote:I wish they would quit playing Where The Streets Have No Name, but I'm afraid they won't. Streets even ended *below* Seriously, when fans listed all PSB singles from good to bad in the 'rank the singles' topic. It's not extremely popular with fans, it makes them look like some comic act for general audience who attends their concerts. The song does more harm than good, I think.

In good forum fashion, I will simply quote myself to raise a subject. The inclusion of Streets during PSB tours. The following review (translated) of the Lokerse Feesten (in Belgium) is taken from OOR, the biggest Dutch music magazine:

... the organizers present bigger artists every year. Suitable for a wide target audience. How else to explain names as diverse as The Game, Pink, Suzanne Vega, Snoop Dogg, World Stage and Clouseau on the poster?

Besides a pack of new world starts, the festival also characterizes itself by bringing back some veterans. Preferably with a string of hits. What to think of the PET SHOP BOYS? For years they can't be found in any possible way in the Pop Encyclopedia*. But this English duo, completed with three vocalists and a couple of exuberant dancers, manages to get a full square. That's easily 10.000 attendants.

Singer Neil Tennant is dressed in a stately back dress, with dito high hat. Singing roguishly, he presents one synthpop hit after another. Chris Lowe, behind the connected or unconnected keyboard, stands a bit mum/useless. You don't get the impression he's doing much behind the fragile keyboard stand. Doesn't matter: this is noble kitch of the highest level. And the automatic pilot will spit out the songs anyway. All attention is being claimed by big projections and the male dancers.

Laughing, Tennant sings 'let's make lots of money' and 'you pay my rent.' That must be right, because the organizers certainly must have paid his rent a year in advance. If you notice the enthusiasm and many laughing faces, they're even worth it. Even if the show often breaks the borders of good taste, with a ridiculous dressing-up party, looking like carnival.

We can just live with West End Girls and - god forbid - Always On My Mind (also known from Brenda Lee, Elvis, Willie Nelson and many others). But the Gay Top 100 version of Where The Streets Have No Name (from U2), in the mix with Can't Take My Eyes Off You (from Boys Town Gang, among others) goes too far. "Go West" (cover from The Village People), the crowd sings even long after the performance. Is that back to England?

Apart from the never stopping negativity and cynism, I just can't disagree with the comment about Streets. I said it before and this review confirms it: it labels PSB as a kitch, gay band. They should really rely more on their own material and play a MAXIMUM of 2 covers during their concerts.

* Oh, the Encyclopedia the reviewer is reffering to, is the OOR Popencyclopedie. They simply ignore PSB in their latest issue. But they will be back in the next issue, thanks to their #2 hit with Robbie Williams. They cannot not mention that.