SharePet Shop Boys performing their Dreamworld The Greatest Hits Live Tour at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Thursday 6th June 2024.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
Three time Brit award and six time Grammy nominees, Pet Shop Boys brought their Dreamworld Tour to the Motorpoint Arena on Thursday night and they attacked the show with the energy and precision of a pair who were hell bent on reminding the crowd just how many great hits they have in their pocket.
The crowd roared as the duo appeared on stage with mesmerising laser lights behind them wearing chrome face masks and with Neil Tennant standing under a lamp post and Chris Lowe soon donning his trademark cap behind the keyboards, they opened with their 1986 hit Surburbia before going into Can You Forgive Her? and Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) which immediately had the crowd on their feet.
Having never been strangers to theatrics and showmanship they played hit after hit. There was an early mash up of U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name and Andy Williams’ Can’t Take My Eyes Off You which had the crowd singing along.
After a costume change the stage screen lifted and the lamp posts parted to reveal their three touring musicians, two percussionists Afrika Green and Simon Tellier who also played guitar and Clare Uchima on keyboards, who were arranged in a line either side of Lowe as Tennant attacked Left To My Own Devices, with other highlights being Domino Dancing, New York City Boys and Love Comes Quickly.
The easily recognisable opening beat of You Were Always On My Mind saw everyone still seated lift to their feet whilst the 2013 song Vocal saw the duo go full euro trance after it had capped an epic house inspired section.
Towards the end of the main set there was the brilliantly camp Go West before the ecstatic It’s A Sin, given new life because of its association with the landmark Channel 4 Aids drama of the same name saw Tennant swirling around in a silver coat and throughout it all his voice remained impeccable growing old with grace with seemingly zero wear and tear, whilst Lowe’s deadpan keyboard support was unwavering as ever.
For the encore the duo returned under the lamp posts as images of the pair flashed on the screens during West End Girls before Being Boring brought to an end a show that had been colourful, bombastic, hit packed and buckets of fun.
They had delivered a pure celebration of four decades of music and had dazzled with a show that was anything but boring and left the stage leaving the crowd wanting more.
