On April 22, the Pet Shop Boys musical Closer to Heaven is performed in London for the first time in fourteen years, in a sold-out month-long run at The Union Theatre. (It will return for a further five weeks beginning on October 21.). For this revival, at the Pet Shop Boys’ request, the musical’s original final number, “Positive role model”, is replaced by “Vocal”.
On August 15, the final date of the much-extended Electric tour – which began in March, 2013 – takes place at the Flow Festival in Helsinki. The tour has visited over forty countries.
On December 2, the Pet Shop Boys appear at MAMA – the Mnet Asian Music Awards – in Hong Kong. They are given the Worldwide Inspiration award and play a lengthy live medley, joined for their final two songs, “What have I done to deserve this?” and “Vocal”, by the K‑Pop artist f(x). At the organisers’ request, they wear the Electric tour straw jackets for, possibly, the final time.
Liza Minnelli’s ‘So Sorry, I Said,’ written and produced by the Pet Shop Boys, is released as a single.
Critic J.D. Considine, writing in this date’s issue of Rolling Stone, gives Very a glowing review, stating that it has ‘depth that makes [it] worth hearing again and again.’
The Boys appear in concert in Bogota, Colombia.
Neil and Chris perform at the Sala Palatului (Palatine Hall) in Bucharest. By all reports, the show—their first ever in Romania, and postponed from an earlier date—proves a tremendous success. (The Boys refer to it as ‘the last Fundamental concert.’)
This afternoon Chris attends the first preview performance at London’s Young Vic Theatre of David Almond’s play My Dad’s a Birdman, which includes original music and songs composed by him and Neil.
In Leipzig, Germany, for the start of the European leg of their Super Tour the following night, Chris and Neil attend a performance this evening of The Hidden Cameras and their opening act, Evvol, both of which they thoroughly enjoy.