Friday November 10, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 45 |
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Saturday, Aug 30, 2008
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After a 20-year wait, Seattle finally welcomes Pet Shop Boys with open arms |
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| After a 20-year wait, Seattle finally welcomes Pet Shop Boys with open arms | ||
| by Richard Kennedy -
SGN A&E Writer Pet Shop Boys November 4 @ Paramount Theatre "Thank you Seattle!" vocalist Neil Tennant shouted over the screams. "We've waited 21 years to say that!" And, Seattle concertgoers were more than thrilled to hear those words last week when the Pet Shop Boys made their first ever visit to our city. Tennant called it an evening of "electronic entertainment," as Chris Lowe engineered the digital instrumentation in front of neon lights, moving images, a constantly changing stage set and background dancers washed in black lights. PSB opened the show with "Psychological" from their newest album Fundamental. Tennant was clad in tuxedo tails, and Lowe wore a day-glow yellow hoodie and sunglasses. Each had 3 dancers behind them wearing the same. By the time they launched into "Left to My Own Devices", the crowd was losing their minds with excitement. Let me say that for thirtysomething Gay guys especially, the Pet Shop Boys hold a special place in our hearts. To say that the mostly Gay crowd was represented well at this concert is an understatement. We practically filled the theatre. Of course, there was some age diversity, and everyone looked super hot. Many audience members got dressed up. There were hipsters, preppies, and even one fan sporting the famous blue and orange dunce cap the Boys wore during the Very hey-day. And let's not forget the girls, lots of straight girls who you know spent years dancing to Pet Shop Boys music with their Gay pals. The energy was extremely high and the theatre sang along with every hit. Even new songs like "I'm With Stupid" created a choir of fans. Classic hits like "Shopping" had the crowd chanting "We're S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G!", and everyone knew every single word of "Rent," including "You buy me things&.I love it. I love you, you pay my rent." One highlight of the first half was the brilliant "Dreaming of the Queen," a moody Gay homage to the Royals with a clever twist on the Queen's English. During the song, which impressively finds a way to be campy and somber at the same time, images of Lady Diana's funeral played in the background. After this, the duo performed "Opportunities", keeping fans screaming and dancing. Then, strangely, Tennant announced a 20-minute intermission. It was a total mood killer, and seemed very inappropriate for the kind show they were performing. Everyone used this time to get in line for a drink refill and anxiously made it back 20 minutes later for the second half of the show, which began with the somber "Numb." Fortunately, the mood rose again when "Se A Vida E" returned the background dancers and got the theatre jumping again. Samples of "Discoteca" morphed into the song, and then giant flat cutouts of Tennant's and Lowe's heads were pushed out. Behind the heads, the dancers popped out with different kinds of hats, like sombreros, or caps with strange items like guitars sticking out from them. During "Flamboyant", it was obviously time to be just that, but it made the performance a bit "Vegas-y", and crossed the line into silliness. Tennant grounded the show again with the beautiful "Home and Dry." "Oh tonight I miss you, Oh tonight I wish you could be here with me, but I won't see you until you make it back again, home and dry." Of all the impressive elements of the concert, the most was how beautiful Tennant's voice was in-person. Pet Shop Boy tracks are certainly not known to have vocal range, but there is a melodic and calming sound to Tennant's vocalization. The show concluded with "West End Girls" and finally "Go West!" PSB and dancers were attired in glittery military garb, and strutted around, turning the number into a contemporary anthem for a whole new generation of Queer dance fans who missed the original version by The Village People. Again, the spectacle was reminiscent of an overdone cruise ship skit, but who am I to complain? The whole audience waved their hands back and forth in excitement. Now, let's hope we don't have to wait another 20 years to see our Boys on stage again. |
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