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History

March 2011

On March 14 a double-CD of the music from the ballet The Most Incredible Thing is released under the name Tennant/Lowe. It contains the full performance score of the ballet with orchestrations by Sven Helbig.

2011 March

On March 17 the ballet The Most Incredible Thing has its first public performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Its genesis can be traced back to a week in where, by chance, two initially unrelated events took place. Ivan Putrov, a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet whom the Pet Shop Boys had got to know through Sam Taylor-Wood, called Neil to ask whether they would write a piece for him to dance to. Two days later, before Neil had even had a chance to ask Chris, Chris called to say that he’d just read a story in a new translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales that he thought would make a great ballet: “The Most Incredible Thing”. This eventually led to the Sadler’s Wells production, choreographed by Javier de Frutos and starring Ivan Putrov, Clemmie Sveaas and Aaron Sillis. All ten performances sell out.

May 2011

On May 27 the Pet Shop Boys appear at the Sunderland Stadium of Light, joining Take That at their invitation as “special guests” on their first reunion concerts as a five-piece on what will be the biggest British tour ever – 29 British stadium shows – followed by a short European leg. “45 minutes of intensity,” says Chris.

December 2011

On December 31 the Pet Shop Boys appear at a New Year’s Eve concert on an island in Sydney Harbour.

On this day

1991

The Pet Shop Boys appear at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of the European leg of their Performance tour.

2002

While in Miami for their Release Tour, Chris and Neil attend a Rufus Wainwright performance.

2007

The Boys perform in Riga, Latvia.

2012

They post on their official website that they’ve ‘just finished listening through to the mastered version’ of their upcoming new studio album (Elysium, although the title isn’t yet revealed at this time), which they now consider ‘completed.’ Meanwhile, Chris begins work on a new mix of ‘Hold On,’ but which is never used.

2014

Neil and Chris enjoy what they describe on their website as ‘a beautiful day’ in Murcia, Spain. That evening they perform the first show of the 2014 European leg of the Electric Tour at the SOS 4.8 Festival.

2018

A special 132-page edition of Classic Pop magazine entirely devoted to the Pet Shop Boys begins distribution today.

2019

Neil is interviewed onstage this evening by John Wilson at London’s Royal Academy of Arts Festival of Ideas.

2024

‘Dancing Star’ is released on CD as the second single from Nonetheless.