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.
Although it’s not their first live appearance on the show, which won’t come for another week, the Pet Shop Boys receive their first mention on Top of the Pops as they enter the U.K. Top 40 for the first time: ‘West End Girls’ at position #40 on the nose during its gradual climb to #1.
The Pet Shop Boys appear on BBC2’s Rapido to talk about their latest album, Behaviour.
The Boys perform in Berlin, Germany.
They meet in Los Angeles with Dr. Dre’s programmer, Camara Korman, about possibly working with him.
BPI awards a U.K. gold record to PopArt.
Neil Tennant is among thirty celebrities (also including Tracey Ullman and Holly Johnson) who, in an open letter to the Evening Standard, protest the pending demolition of London’s Earls Court arena by real estate developers. They argue that the famed Art Deco structure should instead be preserved and restored. (Unfortunately, it’s nevertheless subsequently demolished.)
The Boys perform this evening at the ‘Poppodium’ in the Dutch city of Tilburg.
Neil and Chris reportedly attend this evening’s performance of American composer Nico Muhly’s new opera Marnie by the English National Opera in London.