The best way to describe a Pet Shop Boys show is, as always, over the top. Great stupid opera type show, with wigs, five backing vocalists, a fat percussionist and even the obligatory hidden techno boffin on keyboards. Great set, but ruined by two rather niggling things. 

1. NEC's terrible all seated policy that meant it had NO atmosphere. So British and repressed.

2. PSB's dreadful sequencing ie. getting a great classic and surrounding it by loads of mid-paced undanceble tosh in a sterile arena. IE. fast/slow/fast/slow.. just kills the atmosphere.

For Your Own Good was a dreadful opener, as they played the entire song behind a screen with video projections on it. In an all-seated arena, you just can't tell when the shows starts - there's no excitement. No matter how good the song is (and FYOG is awesome on record). The remix of West End Girls (sounds like the Sasha mix to the untrained ear) was excellent though. Ruined some songs by the same treatment - especially when they remixed Being Boring with some stuttering 'contemporary' rhythm behind it. Completely ruined the song. Discoteca was weak as hell as well. The drums sounded wiped out of the mix... it was a shadow of its former self.

This show really was a wasted opportunity - if the PSB's go out next time they ought to go and do a full blown club all-standing tour and play a set of their hi-NRG club classics that would be euphoric and not theatric.

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