ARCHIVE NEWS FROM
JANUARY - DECEMBER 2014

Some of the news items on this page have been reproduced from PetShopBoys.co.uk, with the kind permission of Bill 'Redman' Goodin.

29th December 2014 - Greatest Pop Song?

An online list of the 100 best pop songs of all time has the Pet Shop Boys at number one with 'Always On My Mind/In My House'. Read their review/breakdown of the song on the Freaky Trigger website.

25th December 2014 - Merry Christmas!

So Pet Shop Boys would like to wish everybody around the world a very merry Christmas.

10th December 2014 - 2014 Christmas Card

It's here, the Pet Shop Boys 2014 Christmas card. This years card was sent digitally via email this afternoon. To find out what this years Christmas card looks like see my Christmas 2014 page.

27th November 2014 - Pet Shop Boys Club

I received this letter with Literally Issue 41 yesterday:

After 25 years of the Pet Shop Boys Club and Literally magazine, we have decided it is time to close the Club. However Literally will continue to be published.
Following publication of Literally Issue 41, Literally is going to become an annual magazine available for purchase in either a printed or digital format. Since you are still due one more copy of Literally to complete your current fan club membership, you will also be sent the first of the new annual magazines when it's available next year.
Further details about how you can then purchase the new annual Literally will be announced next year at petshopboys.co.uk.
In the meantime we'd like to thank you for your loyalty and support and we hope you will continue to purchase and enjoy Literally in the years to come.

Best wishes,

Mike Hrano, Organiser, Pet Shop Boys Club.

26th November 2014 - Literally Issue 41

It's here, Literally Issue 41 came through my letterbox today. To find out what's in it see the Literally page for more details.

30th October 2014 - South Africa

The Pet Shop Boys will perform for the very first time to audiences in South Africa in December2014 . Their acclaimed 'Electric Tour' (which has visited 45 countries with 104 shows to date) will now come to Johannesburg and Cape Town to headline at both of their 2014 Sonar festivals. A third date will be a Pet Shop Boys plus support show in Durban. The dates and details for these three shows are as follows:
Friday 12th - A Taste of Sonar Festival, Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg
Monday 15th - Sonar Cape Town Festival, Good Hope Centre, Cape Town
Friday 19th - People's Park, Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
Tickets for each of the three South African shows (including VIP packages for Durban) are on sale now.

29th October 2014 - Best Ever Cover Version

The Pet Shop Boys' 1987 hit 'Always On My Mind' has just been voted the best cover version ever by BBC Music listeners. Earlier this month, BBC Music (which covers all BBC music radio channels) asked its listeners to choose their favourite song cover ever. A panel of radio presenters then cut down the list to 50 songs and invite the public to vote on their favourite. The results were announced this evening and the top five was as follows:

5. Jeff Buckley, 'Hallelujah'
4. Jimi Hendrix, 'All Along The Watchtower'
3. The Stranglers, 'Walk On By'
2. Johnny Cash, 'Hurt'
1. Pet Shop Boys, 'Always On My Mind'

Neil Tennant was interviewed live on The Simon Mayo Show on Radio 2 as the results were announced. Thanks to everyone who voted! The full top 50 and more information about the poll can be found on the BBC Music website.

16th October 2014 - Best Ever Cover Versions

BBC Music have decided to find out what is the greatest cover version of all time. BBC DJs have created a shortlist of 50 covers, which includes the Pet Shop Boys' cover of Elvis Presley's, 'Always On My Mind'. They have invited members of the public to choose their favourite. To cast your vote, visit the BBC Music website. Voting closes on Tuesday 21st October 2014.

15th October 2014 - An Extra Electric Tour Date

The Pet Shop Boys will play their first-ever concert in Uruguay on Saturday 22nd November 2014, when they will perform at the Conrad Resort and Casino in Punta Del Este. Tickets are on sale now.

4th October 2014 - Happy Birthday Chris!

So Pet Shop Boys and all the many fans online wish Chris a very warm and happy 55th birthday!

1st October 2014 - Electric Tour 2013-2014

The Pet Shop Boys' 'Electric Tour' ended in Taipei on Sunday evening. The tour, which began in Mexico in March last year, has visited 45 countries in total: Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brasil, Paraguay, Colombia, Russia, Denmark, France, Spain, England, Israel, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Lebanon, Greece, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Poland, USA, Canada, Scotland, Dubai, Turkey, Australia, Wales, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Latvia, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Although the tour has officially ended, occasional one-off dates may yet take place.

17th September 2014 - Last Electric Dates

The Pet Shop Boys will be travelling to Singapore this week to start the last leg of the 'Electric Tour'. There are only four more dates in, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taipei.

8th September 2014 - Portmeirion Last Night

At the Festival No. 6 concert in Portmeirion, Wales last night the Pet Shop Boys were joined onstage by the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir. They provided epic vocals on 'Go West' which gave the 100th 'Electric Tour' show a stirring climax. A couple of months ago they recorded their own version of 'Go West' which you can watch on the Wales Online website.

6th September 2014 - 100 Not Out

Tomorrow's headlining performance at Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion, Wales will be the 100th performance of the Electric show. The first performance was in March 2013 and since then the 'Electric Tour' has visited over 40 countries. After Wales, there will only be four more dates in, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taipei.

The Pet Shop Boys are planning to start work on a new album in November 2014.

28th August 2014 - The Electric Tour Continues

The 'Electric Tour' will resume at the Electric Picnic Festival in Stradbally, Ireland tomorrow, and then continue with dates in the UK. Concerts in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taipei will follow in September 2014. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

22nd August 2014 - The Archers

The Pet Shop Boys will be appearing in the long-running BBC Radio series, 'The Archers', on Monday 25th August 2014, when they will "...save the day for the residents of Ambridge by stepping in at the last minute to headline the show's inaugural music spectacular, Loxfest."
In tonight's episode audiences were delighted to hear that the iconic pop duo would be taking to Loxfest's main stage and closing the fictional festival. Organiser Roy Tucker broke the exciting news backstage as village landlady, Jolene, with her band Midnight Walkers, belted out their version of Dolly Parton's song of the same name.
The Pet Shop Boys said, "It's a thrill for us to enter the world of 'The Archers', the UK's most famous radio drama." The special guest appearance, which was recorded at the illustrious Maida Vale Studios last month on the same day as their Late Night Prom, can be heard on Monday night in The Archers usual slot on BBC Radio 4 at 7pm.
Sean O’Connor, Editor of The Archers, said, "Loxfest is the first time The Archers has mounted a summer music festival on this scale, so we're completely thrilled to have secured an iconic British act - the Pet Shop Boys - to headline for us."
The episode of 'The Archers' featuring the Pet Shop Boys will be repeated in the omnibus edition at 10am on Sunday 31st August 2014 on BBC Radio 4. Meanwhile in the real world, the Pet Shop Boys will be one of the headlining acts at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland next Friday 29th August 2014.

18th August 2014 - Electric Holiday

The Pet Shop Boys are now taking a well deserved short holiday. The 'Electric Tour' will resume at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland on Friday 29th August 2014.

9th August 2014 - An Electric Week

The Pet Shop Boys will play five concerts over the next seven days before starting a short summer break. Tonight they'll be headlining the renowned Lokerse Feesten in Belgium before travelling to Utrecht, Netherlands, for two concerts at the TivoliVredenburg. Then they're off to Prague for a concert at the Forum Karlín on Wednesday before returning to Denmark where they will headline Smukfest ('Beautiful Festival') in Copenhagen on Friday. Last Thursday they played the Skanderborg Smukfest to great acclaim.
The 'Electric Tour' will then take a short break before resuming in Ireland at Electric Picnic on Friday 29th August 2014 followed by some UK dates. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

24th July 2014 - Last Night's Prom

The Pet Shop Boys performed the world premiere of 'A Man From The Future', their evocation of the life of computer pioneer Alan Turing, last night at the Royal Albert Hall in London before a sell-out audience. The work is in eight sections which were narrated by actress Juliet Stevenson:

Natural Wonders Every Child Should Know
He Dreamed Of Machines
The Enigma
Other Ranks
The Memory And The Control
The Trial
Only In His Death
A Man From The Future

The voice of former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was heard in the last section, recorded especially for this performance. Juliet Stevenson narrated from within a specially constructed booth to ensure vocal clarity over the music. The BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers were conducted by Dominic Wheeler. Neil Tennant sang alongside the BBC Singers while Chris Lowe played keyboards and electronics behind him and next to PSB programmer Pete Gleadall. The sound for the concert was mixed by PSB sound engineer, Holger Schwark. At the end of the performance the audience gave a standing ovation and Neil, Chris, Dominic Wheeler and Juliet Stevenson were joined onstage by Turing biographer and PSB collaborator, Andrew Hodges, and orchestrator Sven Helbig.
Before this, the audience heard the live premiere of the 'Overture To Performance', arranged by Richard Niles for the 1991 PSB tour, and then 'Four Songs In A Minor', arranged by Angelo Badalamenti and sung by Chrissie Hynde. The four songs were: 'Love Is A Catastrophe', 'Later Tonight', 'Vocal' and 'Rent'. The last song was performed as a duet with Neil Tennant.
The entire concert was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and introduced by Sara Mohr-Pietsch. In the transition between 'Four Songs In A Minor' and 'A Man From The Future', an interview with Andrew Hodges was broadcast. The entire programme can be heard for the next 30 days on the BBC iPlayer.

23th July 2014 - A Man From The Future

The Pet Shop Boys' Late Night Prom concert at the Royal Albert Hall will take place tonight at 10.15pm. Performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Dominic Wheeler, the programme will consist of:

Overture To Performance, arranged by Richard Niles.
Four Songs In A Minor, arranged by Angelo Badalamenti and sung by Chrissie Hynde.
A Man From The Future, an evocation of the life and work of Alan Turing written by Tennant and Lowe with biographer Andrew Hodges, with orchestrations by Sven Helbig. Performed by yhe Pet Shop Boys, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers and narrated by Juliet Stevenson.

The entire concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and heard thereafter on the BBC iPlayer.

19th July 2014 - Taiwan

The 'Electric Tour' has added a new date in Taiwan, on Sunday 28th September 2014. The Pet Shop Boys will perform at Linko Dome in the heart of Taipei, with a full show of new songs and classic hits. Tickets go on sale on Sunday 27t July 2014 at noon (local time).

11th July 2014 - Yesterday

Neil said, "Heartfelt thanks for all the birthday messages I received from yesterday. Very much appreciated! We ended my birthday by performing at the Exit Festival in Novi Sad, Serbia, which has such an incredible atmosphere. A pretty good start to my 60s! Love, Neil x".

10th July 2014 - Happy Birthday Neil!

So Pet Shop Boys and all the many fans online wish Neil a very warm and happy 60th birthday!

7th July 2014 - Malaysia

The Pet Shop Boys will play their first ever concert in Malaysia later this year, when they bring the 'Electric Tour' to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 24th September 2014. The concert will take place in Stadium Negara. Specially priced pre-sale tickets for the concert go on sale from Thursday 10th July 2014 onwards, followed by the general sale one week later on Thursday 17th July 2014.

2th July 2014 - The Sage, Gateshead, Second Show

Following their first sold-out show at The Sage on Tuesday 2nd September 2014, the Pet Shop Boys will now play a second 'UK Electric 2014 Tour' date at the Gateshead venue on Wednesday 3rd September 2014. Both concerts are part of a season of events that celebrate ten years of Sage Gateshead. Tickets for the second concert go on sale from 10am on Friday 4th July 2014.

24th June 2014 - Glastonbury

The Pet Shop Boys have just been declared the 38th best act ever to appear at the Glastonbury Festival. The full list of the 100 best acts can be read on the Daily Telegraph website.
38. Pet Shop Boys, 2000
For their first Glasto the Pet Shop Boys, squeezed between Ocean Colour Scene and Travis, feared the worst, but by the time they had reached a bombastically triumphant finale of 'Go West' the whole place was eating out of their hands.

23rd June 2014 - Italy, Traffic Festival

The Pet Shop Boys will travel to Italy on Friday 25th July 2014 to play at the Traffic Festival in Turin. This will be the first 'Electric Tour' concert in Italy and will take place as part of a free festival which has seen as many as 200,000 annual visitors enjoy its selection of live music, exhibitions and other events. Although free, the festival is ticketed and tickets can be obtained by visiting the official Traffic Festival website.

22nd June 2014 - Hong Kong

The Electric 2014 Tour' adds another date to the Asian leg. The Pet Shop Boys will perform at Asiaworld Expo, Hall 10 in Hong Kong on Friday 26th September 2014. Tickets for the concert go on sale at 10am local time from Monday 23rd June 2014.

20th June 2014 - Free Download

Go to the Soundcloud website to listen to and download the previously unreleased 'Love Is A Bourgeois Construct - Claptone Vocal Mix'.

19th June 2014 - Czech Republic

The 'Electric 2014 Tour' will now visit the Czech Republic on Wednesday 13th August 2014. The Pet Shop Boys will perform at Prague's Karlin Hall, a former factory lavishly transformed into a music and theatre auditorium. Tickets are on sale now.

15th June 2014 - Exit Festival

The Pet Shop Boys will headline the opening night of the Exit Festival in Serbia, on Thursday 10th July 2014. Held in Novi Sad, Exit recently won the Best Major European Festival award. Queens of the Stone Age, Rudimental, Gloria Gaynor, Damon Albarn and many more artists will also perform during the festival. Tickets are on sale now.

13th June 2014 - Back In The UK

The Pet Shop Boys have returned from Australia after their three-day run of concerts in Sydney and today recommence the UK tour. They'll be in Birmingham tonight, Cardiff on Sunday and Blackpool on Monday.

9th June 2014 - The Sage, Gateshead

The Pet Shop Boys have now expanded their 'UK Electric 2014 Tour' to include a new date at The Sage, Gateshead, on Tuesday 2nd September 2014. The show will be part of a season of events celebrating Sage Gateshead's tenth Anniversary.
Neil, who grew up in nearby Newcastle, said: "It always feels special to come home and perform a show and the Sage has established itself in the last ten years as one of Europe's very best venues for all genres of music."
Tickets for the Gateshead show go on sale on Wednesday 11th June 2014 from 10am (GMT).

8th June 2014 - Prom Performers

The special guests who will perform alongside thte Pet Shop Boys, the BBC Singers and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Dominic Wheeler at the Late Night Prom concert on 23rd July 2014 at the Royal Albert Hall in London have just been announced.
Chrissie Hynde (of The Pretenders) will sing 'Four Songs In A Minor', performing new orchestral arrangements by the film composer Angelo Badalamenti of some of Tennant and Lowe's most personal songs. She said: "What a thrill to get a chance to sing some Pet Shop Boys songs and release the drama queen within. I'm posing in front of the mirror already."
Juliet Stevenson, one of Britain’s leading actors, will narrate 'A Man From The Future', a brand-new piece by Tennant and Lowe evoking the life and work of computer pioneer and code-breaker, Alan Turing, with text based on 'Alan Turing: The Enigma' written by Andrew Hodges.
As previously announced, the concert will also feature the live premiere of Richard Niles' 1991 'Overture To Performance', an orchestral medley of the Pet Shop Boys songs originally commissioned and recorded for their first world tour in 1991.
The Pet Shop Boys said: "We are thrilled and honoured that such a classic singer as Chrissie and such a wonderful actress as Juliet are taking part in our night at the Proms."

28th May 2014 - Happy Birthday So Pet Shop Boys!

So Pet Shop Boys is 14 years old today!

27th May 2014 - UK Electric Tour

Last year the 'Electric Tour' visited only two cities in the UK, London and Manchester. This week the Pet Shop Boys perform in Brighton, the first of a series of UK summer dates which will take the 'Electric Tour' all over the UK. The UK dates are:
Thursday 29th May 2014 - The Brighton Centre, Brighton, England
Friday 13th June 2014 - LG Arena, Birmingham, England
Sunday 15th June 2014 - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales
Monday 16th June 2014 - Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
Sunday 31st August 2014 - Bingley Music Live Festival, Myrtle Park, Bingley, England
Friday 5th September 2014 - Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Scotland
Sunday 7th September 2014 - Festival No. 6, Portmeirion, Wales
Tickets for all concerts are on sale now. Buy tickets at Ticketmaster. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

22nd May 2014 - Glasgow

Another UK date has been added to the 'Electric Tour', with the Pet Shop Boys now coming to Glasgow on Friday 5th September 2014. They will play at Scotland's famed concert venue, Clyde Auditorium (also nicknamed The Armadillo). Tickets for the show will go on sale May 23rd at 9am (GMT) from the link provided below.

21st May 2014 - Lokerse Festival

The Pet Shop Boys will come to Belgium this summer, bringing their acclaimed 'Electric Tour' to Lokerse Festival on Saturday 9th August 2014. As the festival celebrates its 40th edition, the Pet Shop Boys will join the already announced line up of Jessie J, Blink-182, Sean Paul, Motorhead, Patti Smith, Within Temptation and many more. Tickets for Lokerse Festival are on sale now.

19th May 2014 - Singapore

The Pet Shop Boys will bring the 'Electric Tour' production to Singapore this September. They will perform prior to the races at Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday 20th September 2014. A ticket grants you entry to the Pet Shop Boys concert as well as three day access to the other scheduled artists and events. Tickets are now on sale. You can also visit the Formula 1 Singapore website for the latest updates to the entertainment schedule.

18th May 2014 - Prom Sold Out

Tickets for the PSB Late Night Prom concert on Monday 23rd July 2014 featuring the premiere of 'A Man From The Future' are now sold out. If you haven't been able to get a ticket and would like to go, please note that 1000 standing tickets, priced at only £5.00 each, will go on sale on the day of the concert (as they do for all BBC Prom concerts). For more information, visit the How to Prom website. The concert will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

17th May 2014 - Proms Tickets On Sale

Tickets go on sale today for the PSB Late Night Prom at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Monday 23rd July 2014 Buy tickets on the BBC Proms website, or by phoning 0845 401 5040.

15th May 2014 - Festival No. 6

The UK leg of the 'Electric Tour' has added a new date. The Pet Shop Boys will perform at Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion, Wales on Sunday 7th September 2014, joining the already-announced headliners Beck and London Grammar. Neneh Cherry, Bonobo, Jon Hopkins and many other artists are also scheduled to play across the three day event. Tickets for Festival No. 6 are now on sale.

8th May 2014 - Utrecht, Holland

Following their first sold out show in Holland, the Pet Shop Boys have added another date in Utrecht. They will now return to TivoliVredenburg for a second 'Electric Tour' concert on Monday 11th August 2014. Tickets will go on sale this Saturday 10th May 2014, from 9.00am (GMT).

7th May 2014 - Budapest, Hungary

The Pet Shop Boys have announced a brand new 'Electric Tour' date in Budapest, Hungary on Monday 7th July 2014, playing in the heart of the city at Budapest Park. Tickets for the concert are on sale now.

24th April 2014 - BBC Proms: A Man From The Future

The opening night of the Late Night Proms will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 23rd July 2014, as part of the BBC Proms series, and will consist of music by the Pet Shop Boys (Prom 8) performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Dominic Wheeler at 10.15pm.
The concert will be in three parts. Firstly Richard Niles' 1991 'Overture to Performance'. Then a guest vocalist and the orchestra will perform new arrangements by the film composer Angelo Badalamenti of some of Neil and Chris's most personal songs.
Finally the orchestra will be joined by the Pet Shop Boys and the BBC Singers for the world premiere of a brand-new work by Tennant and Lowe, 'A Man From The Future'. This is an evocation of the life and work of the computer pioneer and code-breaker, Alan Turing and is written for orchestra, choir, electronics and a narrator with a text based on 'Alan Turing: The Enigma' by Andrew Hodges who has collaborated with Neil and Chris. The orchestrations are by Sven Helbig. The narrator is still to be confirmed.
Neil and Chris said: "It is an honour for us to be invited to present some new music at The Proms and to celebrate Alan Turing 60 years after his death." Andrew Hodges said: "It's just been wonderful working with Neil and Chris on this project."
Tickets go on sale at 9.00am on Saturday 17th May 2014 on the BBC Proms website, or by phoning 0845 401 5040. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Royal Albert Hall.
The BBC Proms is the world's biggest classical music festival, offering eight weeks of world-class music-making from a vast array of leading orchestras, conductors and soloists from the UK and around the world.

23rd April 2014 - Jazz Fest Wien, Austria

The Pet Shop Boys will appear at Austria's Jazz Fest Wien on Friday 4th July 2014, when they will perform the full 'Electric Tour' production at the Vienna State Opera House. Tickets are now on sale.

19th April 2014 - Record Store Day

The Pet Shop Boys release a special limited edition special limited edition 12" vinyl single of 'Fluorescent' on their x2 label for Record Store Day, today. Available only from UK independent record stores, the single features two exclusive remixes by Pet Shop Boys of 'Fluorescent', 'Fluorescent - Indio Mix' and 'Fluorescent - Cali Mix'. The track has been re-recorded by Chris and Neil with additional lyrics. The track listing is as follows:

12" (X20006VL1):
Fluorescent - Indio Mix
Fluorescent - Cali Mix

A list of participating UK stores can be found on the Record Store Day website.

18th April 2014 - Diamond Version

Last year Neil sang on a track by the Berlin electronic duo, Diamond Version (Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai). It will appear on their debut album, 'CI', to be released by Mute on Monday 2nd June 2014 (Friday 30th May 2014 in Germany/Australia/Benelux, Saturday 3rd June 2014 in the USA). The track is called 'Were You There?' and is a collaborative version of an old gospel hymn. 'Were You There?' will be the first single released from the album.

17th April 2014 - Babylon Soundgarden, Turkey

The Pet Shop Boys will visit Turkey on Saturday 24th May 2014 to perform their acclaimed 'Electric Tour' production at the Babylon Soundgarden Festival in Istanbul. Other acts also appearing include Sky Ferreira, Seun Kuti & Eygpt 80, Mount Kimbie and John Talabot.

16th April 2014 - Sandance Festival, Dubai

The 'Electric Tour' will come to the United Arab Emirates on Friday 9th May 2014, with the Pet Shop Boys headlining Dubai's Sandance Festival. Other acts performing include Fat Boy Slim, Scouting For Girls, Arrested Development and Goldfish. Tickets are on sale now.

15th April 2014 - Plaza La Laboral, Spain

The Pet Shop Boys have added a new Spanish date to their 2014 'Electric Tour'. They will play at Plaza La Laboral in Gijon on Friday 1st August 2014. This concert will be their forth in the country this year, with tthe Pet Shop Boys scheduled to perform at Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 next month, plus Starlite and Cap Roig Festival later in the summer. Tickets for the Gijon show go on sale today from 11am (GMT).

8th April 2014 - 2014 Tour Begins

The Pet Shop Boys are back in the USA and will kick off a run of live dates tonight at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California, as they begin the 2014 leg of their 'Electric Tour'. Returning after last year's sell-out shows across the United States, these dates will feature songs from the duo's most recent album, 'Electric', as well as classic hits. This Saturday 12th April 2014 and the following Saturday 19th April 2014, they will be at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, performing both weekends in the Mojave Tent at 11.35pm. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

7th April 2014 - LMT Summer Sound, Latvia

The Pet Shop Boys have added another date on their European tour, headlining the LMT Summer Sound festival in Liepaja, Latvia, on Saturday 12th July 2014. Running since 2010, the festival brings the best musicians and bands from across Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania to perform alongside international artists.

28th March 2014 - Literally Issue 40

It's here, Literally Issue 40 came through my letterbox today. To find out what's in it see the Literally page for more details.

27th March 2014 - Record Store Day

The Pet Shop Boys will release a special limited edition 12" vinyl single of 'Fluorescent' on their x2 label on Record Store Day, Saturday 19th April 2014. Available only from UK independent record stores, the single features two exclusive remixes by Pet Shop Boys of 'Fluorescent', 'Fluorescent - Indio Mix' and 'Fluorescent - Cali Mix'. The track has been re-recorded by Chris and Neil with additional lyrics. The track listing is as follows:

12" (X20006VL1):
Fluorescent - Indio Mix
Fluorescent - Cali Mix

A list of participating UK stores can be found on the Record Store Day website.

24th March 2014 - Utrecht

The Pet Shop Boys will bring the 'Electric Tour' production to the Holland this August as part of their 2014 world tour, performing at the TivoliVredenburg venue in Utrecht, Sunday 10th August 2014. Tickets for the concert will go on sale from Wednesday 26th March 2014 at 10am (CET).

20th March 2014 - Literally Issue 40

Issue 40 of Literally, the Pet Shop Boys official magazine, will be dispatched in the next few days to all members of the Pet Shop Boys Club.

19th March 2014 - Electric Picnic, Ireland

It has been announced today that the Pet Shop Boys will be among the headliners of the Electric Picnic Festival in Stradbally, Ireland. The annual arts-and-music festival has been described as "Ireland's version of Glastonbury" and the Pet Shop Boys last performed there to great acclaim in 2006. They'll be performing on Friday 29th August 2014, and tickets are on sale now.

17th March 2014 - Smukfest Copenhagen, Denmark

It has just been announced that the Pet Shop Boys will play Smukfest Copenhagen on Friday 15th August 2014, bringing their acclaimed 'Electric Tour' production to the Amager Strandpark. Tickets are on sale now.

15th March 2014 - Zurich

The Pet Shop Boys will be performing an 'Electric Tour' concert in Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday 14th July 2014, as part of the Live At Sunset festival. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday March 18th 2014. Live At Sunset each year presents "12 open-air concerts in the relaxing and charming environment of the Dolder ice-rink in Zurich, one of the most beautiful recreation areas close to town. The diverse programme includes international and national stars and attracts thousands of visitors each year."

14th March 2014 - New Music

At the beginning of February, activist Rory O'Neill, also known as drag queen Panti Bliss, took the stage after a performance of James Plunkett's 1913 Lockout drama 'The Risen People' in the national theatre, and gave an impassioned speech on homophobia that took the internet by storm.
Last week, the Pet Shop Boys released 'Oppressive (The Best Gay Possible) - Dance Mix', an activist anthem for the new age featuring Panti's speech. This week comes 'Oppressive (The Best Gay Possible) - Slow Mix'. To watch the videos, visit You Tube.

13th March 2014 - Pori Jazz Festival, Finland

Finland's Pori Jazz Festival welcomes the Pet Shop Boys to their event this summer as they bring the 'Electric Tour' production to the festival on Friday 18th July 2014. Held in Pori, it is one of the oldest and best known jazz festivals in Europe, having been arranged every year since 1966. Since its foundation, Pori Jazz Festival has expanded to feature pop, soul and hip hop with appearances from artists such as Kanye West, Sting, Mary J Blige and Tori Amos. Tickets are on sale now.

12th March 2014 - Starlite Festival, Spain

The Pet Shop Boys will play the Starlite Festival in Marbella, Spain, on Wednesday 30th July 2014. They will bring the 'Electric Tour' to the month long festival which has already announced performances from Tom Jones, The Beach Boys, Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor and Julio Iglesias, with more artists to be revealed. Tickets for Starlite Festival are now on sale.

11th March 2014 - New UK Electric Tour Dates

The Pet Shop Boys will play four more 'Electric Tour' shows across the UK this year, visiting Brighton, Birmingham, Cardiff and Blackpool across May and June. Following last year's arena shows, these 2014 dates will now allow other areas of the UK to experience the production which features songs from the critically acclaimed 'Electric' album produced by Stuart Price as well as many PSB classics. Later in the summer, PSB will also bring the production to the Bingley Music Live Festival in August. The UK dates are:
Thursday 29th May 2014 - The Brighton Centre, Brighton, England
Friday 13th June 2014 - LG Arena, Birmingham, England
Sunday 15th June 2014 - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales
Monday 16th June 2014 - Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
Sunday 31st August 2014 - Bingley Music Live Festival, Myrtle Park, Bingley, England
Buy tickets at Ticketmaster. Pre-sale tickets for the May and June shows will go on sale on Thursday 13th March 2014 at 9am (UK time), followed by the general sale the very next day on Friday 14th March 2014. Tickets for the festival are on sale now. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

10th March 2014 - Vivid Sydney Festival

The Pet Shop Boys will be bringing the 'Electric Tour'to Australia in June. They will be appearing as part of the Vivid Sydney Festival for three concerts in the Carriageworks venue on Friday 6th, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June 2014. According to the organisers, "A new event has been created for Vivid Sydney this year - Modulations at Carriageworks. Modulations brings together the best talent across music, light installations, design and food. It will be headlined by multi-award winning electronic pop legends the Pet Shop Boys - their performance a rare opportunity to experience a spectacular multi-media concert in an intimate and immersive environment."

8th March 2014 - Cap Roig Festival

The Pet Shop Boys will play Spain's Cap Roig 2014 Festival, bringing the 'Electric Tour' production to Girona on Sunday 3rd August 2014. Cap Roig has been hailed by The 'Independent' as one of the Top 10 summer music festivals and seen performances in the past from the likes of Keane, Bob Dylan and Elton John. Tickets for the festival go on sale Monday 10th March 2014.

7th March 2014 - World Club Dome, Frankfurt

To mark the opening of World Club Dome (reputedly the biggest "club" in the World) in Frankfurt on Saturday 31st May 2014, the Pet Shop Boys will perform the full 'Electric Tour' production. Attendees will not only see Neil and Chris live in concert but also hear DJ sets from David Guetta and Tiësto afterwards, plus 150 other DJ's playing across the 12-floored, 500,000 m² space. Tickets to World Club Dome (which includes access to the Pet Shop Boys concert) are on sale now.

6th March 2014 - SOS 4.8 Festival

The Pet Shop Boys have been confirmed to appear at the Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 Festival in Murcia, Spain, on Saturday 3rd May 2014. Neil and Chris will bring the 'Electric Tour' production to the festival which also has The Prodigy, Damon Albarn and Phoenix scheduled to perform. Tickets are on sale now.

30th January 2014 - Moogfest 2014

The Pet Shop Boys will be performing at Moogfest 2014 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Moogfest, described as "the synthesis of technology, art and music", aims each year to celebrate the legacy and creative vision of Robert Moog, the legendary inventor of the Moog Synthesiser, and the list of artists performing is a who's who of electronic music including this year Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, Chic/Nile Rogers and M.I.A.
The festival takes place from Wednesday 23rd April 2014 to Sunday 27th April 2014 and the Pet Shop Boys will be headlining the opening night, Wednesday 23rd April 2014. Tickets are on sale now. For all the Pet Shop Boys' tour dates see the Tour Dates page.

29th January 2014 - Electric 2014 USA Tour

The Pet Shop Boys have announce some new 'Electric Tour' dates in America. Returning after last year's sell-out shows across the United States, the shows will feature the full 'Electric Tour' production with its playlist including songs from the critically acclaimed 'Electric' album and Pet Shop Boys classics from the last three decades. The dates are as follows:

Tuesday 8th April 2014 - Fox Theater, Oakland, California, USA
Friday 11th April 2014 - Majestic Ventura Theater, Ventura, California, USA
Saturday 12th April 2014 - Coachella Festival, Indio, California, USA
Tuesday 15th April 2014 - The Majestic Theatre, Dallas, Texas, USA
Wednesday 16th April 2014 - ACL live at the Moody Theater, Austin, Texas, USA
Friday 18th April 2014 - Comerica Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Saturday 19th April 2014 - Coachella Festival, Indio, Coachella, USA
Friday 25th April 2014 - Revel Casino Hotel, Ovation Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Saturday 26th April 2014 - Terminal 5, New York, USA
Tickets go on sale today,with VIP meet-and-greet packages (which also include premium seating) available from 10am local venue time. Other seating will go on sale from Friday 31st January 2014. Further 2014 concert dates in other countries will be announced at a later date.

20th January 2014 - Smukfest, Denmark

The Pet Shop Boys will be headlining the main stage at the Danish festival, Smukfest, in Skandeborg which will take place on the 6th-10th August 2014. Skrillex, Simple Minds and The 1975 are also on the bill. Tickets are on sale now.

9th January 2014 - Coachella Festival

It has just been announced that the Pet Shop Boys will be headlining the dance stage at the Coachella Festival in Indio, California, USA on Saturday 12th April 2014 and on Saturday 19th April 2104. The festival takes place over two weekends and tickets go on sale on Friday 10th January 2014 at 10am (Pacific Standard Time).
Other artists on the bill include, Fatboy Slim, Ellie Goulding, Outkast, Muse, Disclosure, Pharrell Williams, Calvin Harris and Queens of the Stone Age.

1st January 2014 - Hogmanay

The Pet Shop Boys Hogmanay show in Edinburgh was performed in two halves - on either side of midnight when there was a spectacular firework display above Edinburgh Castle. Neil and Chris were joined on stage by 'Electric' dancers, Merry Holden and Tom Herron, and 'Pandemonium' dancers, Polly and Sophie Duniam. The full playlist was:

Part One:
Axis/It's A Sin
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)
Rent
Love Etc
(Sample of 'The Rite of Spring' by Igor Stravinsky)
I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
Suburbia
Se A Vida É (That's The Way Life Is)/Discoteca/Viva La Vida
Left To My Own Devices

Part Two:
Go West
What Have I Done To Deserve This?
New York City Boy
Thursday
Domino Dancing
Heart
Always On My Mind

Encores:
Being Boring
West End Girls
Vocal

1st January 2014 - Happy New Year!

What will the Pet Shop Boys be up to in 2014? Keep up to date by regularly checking back here.
All the best for 2014.