Being Boring - Performance'91 Bootleg

[Angel_Neo_A]

Hello everyone, I have a question for the collectors here on this forum regarding the Bootleg release of the Performance Tour at 7th june 1991, which, it seems that it has a live recording of Being Boring. I would like to know if, there is, actually, a live recording of Being Boring in the record, as a big fan of the boys, I'd love to hear it, searching online I couldn't find a digital copy of this press, some discogs user told me that, in fact, Being Boring does not appear in the release. Could you confirm it or clarify it please? Any help is really appreciated, thank you for your time and patience

[DopeFiend]

Well, let's unpack this.
You're asking specifically if the concert from Performance Tour on 7th June 1991 contained Being Boring, and whether it's included on a bootleg release.
So that date is one of the 3 Wembley gigs from said year.
7th of June supposedly contained Being Boring before the encore.
8th of June doesn't have it. 9th of June neither.
9th of June was broadcasted on the radio so it's been widely bootlegged, titled Live Wires.

The Birmingham concert from 1-3 of June was of course filmed professionally for the home release. Bootlegs exist of this which just use the commercial release. It has Being Boring taken from the credits of the tape/dvd so it's just the studio instrumental edit.

7th of June though? I don't think I've heard it to be honest.
Now I want to! I wonder if the backing vocalists had much of a role.
A comment on Discogs says:
"The sound quality on this bootleg is surprisingly decent! Awesome to hear a live rendition of Being Boring from this tour as well since it was not included/filmed for the official video release. Such a shame, it sounds fabulous."
It's a pity this bootleg has such a generic release name "Pet Shop Boys – Performance '91", it makes it harder to track down. I imagine it hasn't circulated as much, being overshadowed by comparable releases. Heaven is still one of my favourite concerts and bootlegs.

[TwizzleUK]

Setlist.fm seems to confirm Being Boring was only played at Wembley Arena on June 7th, although the accuracy of that website is sometimes questionable: https://www.setlist.fm/stats/average-se ... r=1bd6c9e4.

We know that they introduced it into the set at the end of the Performance tour (famously after Axl Rose told them he couldn't believe they didn't play it), but I don't know for sure which dates it was played at.

I've never heard any audio of this live version, but more importantly, I'd love to know what the staging of it was. It was such a dramatic, theatrical production, I wonder what was going on with props and dancers whilst the song was playing?

Was anyone at the show(s) when they played this and can remember?

[andmaste]

Yes, BB is included in the bootleg:

[TwizzleUK]

Couldn't find this on YouTube. Be great if someone had digitised the bootleg LP and put it on there.

[eastendboy]

It would be great if they released some live performances from recordings from the mixing desk so there’s a high quality archive from each tour. I know we’ve had dvd/cd releases of certain tours but it would be a nice archive and nice and loud. I’d love to hear high quality recordings from the one off gigs. Mayan Club, heaven, hacienda etc. I would be happy to pay if the fan club wanted to do a digital section and release different things each month. I’ve emailed Angela about various things in the past and I’ll drop her a few lines about this idea. What do you all think?

[Towa]

It would be great if they released some live performances from recordings from the mixing desk so there’s a high quality archive from each tour. I know we’ve had dvd/cd releases of certain tours but it would be a nice archive and nice and loud. I’d love to hear high quality recordings from the one off gigs. Mayan Club, heaven, hacienda etc. I would be happy to pay if the fan club wanted to do a digital section and release different things each month. I’ve emailed Angela about various things in the past and I’ll drop her a few lines about this idea. What do you all think?

The digital section thing would be nice! Peter Gabriel is doing something like that: https://petergabriel.bandcamp.com/

(He has also done something similar to the live recordings idea you mentioned)

[Paul]

They played it at Glasgow too (I was there and recorded it)
I'm pretty sure it was played last. I need to look out the old tapes and have a listen

[TwizzleUK]

They played it at Glasgow too (I was there and recorded it)
I'm pretty sure it was played last. I need to look out the old tapes and have a listen

Can you remember what was happening on stage when they played it? Any dancers, props, backing vocalists etc.?

[Paul]

Can you remember what was happening on stage when they played it? Any dancers, props, backing vocalists etc.?

From memory it was just them. No backing singers, dancers etc. I think it was after your funny uncle but I'd need to check.

[Euroboy70]

They played it at Glasgow too (I was there and recorded it)
I'm pretty sure it was played last. I need to look out the old tapes and have a listen

From memory, I was at Wembley. They did Being boring after the intro to Always on my mind, where Neil is playing guitar, then Being Boring, then Always on my mind with all the dancers.

[Boc Hi-Scores]

Hello! So, I own this bootleg on vinyl. Can confirm on this recording, that after the acoustic intro to Always on My Mind, Being Boring starts (the 'full' Always comes in after). In terms of performance, the backing vocals sound like its only during the chorus part.
In terms of quality, i would say this bootleg is 'ok'. I guess that its an in audience recording (Neil's vocals sound echo-y, and a bit muffled). Other thing to note with the vinyl, is that on playback, it sounds a little 'sped up', as though its running at 34/35 rpm (rather than 33 1/3 - and nope, its not my player as everything else sounds fine). If you have not heard this recording, then... i wouldnt say you are missing much, to be honest. Shame its not on the overall Performance recording, but, cant have everything!