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.
New Order releases ‘Blue Monday.’ Neil has denied the rumor that he cried the first time he heard it, allegedly because it had stylistically ‘beat them to the punch.’
Still in Naples, Neil and Chris begin work on a new song, ‘The Sodom and Gomorrah Show.’
An interview with the Boys and their collaborator on the ballet The Most Incredible Thing, dancer and choreographer Javier De Frutos, airs this evening on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row program.
Neil writes on the official PSB website that he and Chris have been rehearsing all week in preparation for their upcoming ‘Electric’ tour, the first date of which will be later this month in Veracruz, Mexico.
The Pet Shop Boys’ remix of ‘Innocent Money’ by Primal Scream, with Neil’s support vocals, debuts online.