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.
The Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to the British, who rename it New York. If it weren’t for this historical event, the Pet Shop Boys might have had to write and record the more awkward ‘New Amsterdam City Boy.’ 😉
Chris and Neil work on ‘Psychological’ at the Sarm West recording studio.
Having flown down ahead of time for their concert the following evening, the Boys enjoy a day off in Miami.
The first day of roughly three weeks of work in an L.A. studio with producer Stuart Price on the album Super.
The Pet Shop Boys perform at ‘Radio 2 in the Park’ in Preston, U.K.