Concert Review and Photo Attack - Pet Shop Boys 2009 Pandemonium Tour - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee (Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week)

Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week continues with a review and a massive photo array from the Pet Shop Boys concert on 9/15/2009 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee.

One thing you can always count on from a Pet Shop Boys concert is a rich visual spectacle to match the incredible music. It's never just two dudes standing there, expecting you to love them simply because they bothered to show up. Hell no! A Pet Shop Boys concert is always a big production. I don't mean the kind of joyless, self-serving, ego-burdened Big Production that is meaningful only to the band itself; quite the contrary.

With fabulous costumes, top-notch dancers, towering sets (movable and configurable, no less), a complex but seamlessly integrated light show, and the uniquely charismatic stage presence of Neil and Chris, every Pet Shop Boys show is a lush, high-energy celebration -- a treat for your eyes, ears, and booty (on account of all the shakin' it will be compelled to do). Comfortable shoes are a must, because you won't be sitting down at a Pet Shop Boys show.

The Pet Shop Boys' appearance on Tuesday, September 15 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee was all of those things and more. As a stop on their Fall 2009 Pandemonium tour, this was their first-ever concert appearance in Wisconsin, and as such, it was a special treat for local fans -- and for Chicago fans who wanted a chance to see them on back-to-back nights without having to drive 5 hours. The Boys' Milwaukee show got some nice local press coverage in advance, including a brief article in the September issue of Milwaukee Magazine (article available in print only - sorry!), and concert previews in Shepherd Express and The Onion.

While I heard a few people on Twitter complaining about the show being so early in the week, I actually enjoyed the novelty of dancing my ass off, screaming 'til I went hoarse, and sustaining mild hearing damage on a school night. Besides, not every stop on the tour can fall on a weekend -- the Boys would be touring nonstop for a year. Think about it, people. Think of how long that would delay their next album. Is that what you want? Just so you can avoid being tired at work on Wednesday morning? I didn't think so.

The Pet Shop Boys put on a phenomenally good show in Milwaukee -- one that spanned their 25-year catalogue with effortless mashups of songs new and old. I especially enjoyed their layering of "Two Divided by Zero" and "New York City Boy." And how can you not love a cape-and-crown-wearing Neil Tennant singing Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" in the encore? Longtime fans and the uninitiated alike were treated to what one Pabst Theater staffer described as "by far, the best concert I have ever seen at the Pabst."

Bottom line: This show affirms the Pet Shop Boys' status as brilliant musicians and performers of the highest caliber. They clearly love making music and putting on a show, and that pure-hearted energy permeated the theater from their first song to well after their last.

Without further ado, here are some of the photos I snapped at the concert. Enjoy! And let the music play forever...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PSB Milwaukee Pre-Concert Shenanigans (Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week)

Before the Pet Shop Boys took to the stage on September 15 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, we arrived at the venue with almost four hours to kill, so we got up to some pretty fun adventures.

Four hours? Oh, about that. Let me explain. It's not like we're some crazy fans who'd arrive hours before a show to stake out the joint, take hundreds of photos, sneak into sound check, get thrown out of sound check, attempt to make friends with the tour bus driver, and then get in line at 7:45 like the rest of the poor chumps who didn't have VIP passes. 

We totally had VIP passes, man.

And we didn't get thrown out of sound check, per se. We were just asked to "remain behind that line. Yes miss, that line right there."

The reason for our ultra-early arrival was the pre-show VIP Meet and Greet. All VIP pass holders were asked to arrive at 4:30PM to queue up for the Meet and Greet. We chatted with fellow fans while waiting until the 5:30PM start time. Our friends Jean and Dean arrived shortly before 5:30 (after a 3-hour drive from Dubuque!), and soon we were escorted into the Pabst to meet Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the Pet Shop Boys.

To say that we were excited is an understatement. After all, if my first Pet Shop Boys concert experience was "the culmination of a life-long dream," what did it mean to me to meet them? And how did I prepare myself for the experience?

First, I spent the previous ten days grinning like an idiot and trying to narrow down the possible topics of conversation. I'd eliminated politics and religion, because that just isn't done - not on a first meeting, in any case. I also tossed out all variations of "OMG, do you have any idea what a big fan of yours I am?!" because (A) of course they wouldn't...they've never heard of me; (B) I'm guessing a few other people might lead with that one; and (C) as much as I hate to admit it, I think these ladies might qualify as bigger fans.

Next, hair and wardrobe. I booked an appointment with the inimitable Jody Fischer at Samson and Delilah Salon in Wauwatosa. She did my hair for my wedding, and she is FABULOUS! (And so are her mannequin heads, clearly!) I needed a haircut anyway, but the Pet Shop Boys concert was an excellent excuse to get my hair done by a professional.

As for wardrobe, I knew I'd be on my feet all evening (not to mention dancing my ass off for a few hours) so the shoes would need to be comfortable and the clothes breathable. Then again, Neil and Chris are style icons; I couldn't very well show up to meet them in yoga pants and tennies. For all they've given to me over the years, the least I could do for the Pet Shop Boys is wear fabulous yet non-breathable fabrics for the night. (The knee-high boots were surprisingly comfortable!)

Finally, coiffed and dressed and somewhat mentally prepared, I was escorted, along with Jean and Dean and the mister, into an alcove in the theater, where Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe were standing, waiting to greet us.

All of my thoughtful questions went out the window as we shook hands with my all-time favorite band. All my meditations on the nature of genius and musical talent, on the interplay between music and art and fashion and design (and, while we're at it, "passion, love, sex, money, violence, religion, justice, and death")...out the window.

HOLY CRAP! WE WERE MEETING THE FREAKING PET SHOP BOYS!!!

While we chatted, Neil and Chris signed our VIP badges (at right) and the CDs we'd brought. We talked about this being their first-ever visit to Milwaukee (and their disappointment at not having time to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum), the best curry in London (The Red Fort), the reasons behind the preponderance of beer and sausage in Milwaukee, and a number of other topics which I'll detail in a future post.

In our brief time with Pet Shop Boys, I found them to be an absolute delight -- they were cordial, courteous, funny, and kind. They were utterly professional, but at the same time, warm.

And, apparently, hungry. For after our time with Neil and Chris was up and we ducked out of the Pabst for a quick dinner on the riverfront before the show, we saw Chris walk by with their tour manager (who also ran Pope John Paul II's tour, back in the day - seriously!). Here's a photo of them from behind (Chris is on the right); we weren't quick enough with our cameras to catch them walking towards us. So off they went, destination unknown.

We finished our dinner as dusk settled over Milwaukee. We walked back to the Pabst Theater as the pre-show DJ set was wrapping up. The place was packed! Soon the show started and the entire audience was on their feet, dancing and singing and cheering and generally having a crazy good time!

Stay tuned for concert pics and more details on what we talked to Neil and Chris about (and what I meant to ask about!) in a future post.

Pet Shop ROCK! (Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week)

Just because the concert is over doesn't mean Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week is! In fact, seeing them (and meeting them!) last night at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee only deepened my respect, affinity, and pure affection for them.

In short, it was a fantastic show, and a truly memorable evening. I'm not the only one who thought so. I spoke with one of the Pabst Theater staffers afterward; she told me she hadn't followed the Pet Shop Boys career over the years, so she wasn't particularly familiar with much of their music beyond the big radio hits. After the show, she said:

"I work here, so I see every single show. Pet Shop Boys was, by far, the best show I have ever seen at the Pabst."

I couldn't agree more, although I'd add that PSB was also the best show I've ever seen at the Riviera and the Chicago Theatre!

After I come down a bit from cloud nine (and catch up on my sleep) I will spend more time writing a proper story about meeting Neil and Chris. Highlights will include:

• Things I said to the Boys (preview: "That's lip gloss. You don't need to sign that."*)
  
• Things the Boys said back (preview: "I've read your blog!"**)
  
• Things I would have said to the Boys if I'd had more time (preview: "Thank you for not wearing sweatpants in public."***)

*I said "preview" not "highlight"...
**Okay, this one was definitely a highlight.
***This one may require a bit more explanation. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Pet Shop Boys, if you're reading this, THANK YOU for an amazing night, and also for the not wearing sweatpants thing.

What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week)

Tomorrow I am meeting Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, a.k.a. Pet Shop Boys! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to thank them in person for the 25 years of fabulosity they have given the world.

The Meet and Greet is part of a VIP ticket package that I stumbled upon via the band's website, a few days before the Pabst Theater's own presale. It was pure chance! I visited the Pet Shop Boys website that day to see if the rest of the Fall 2009 North American tour schedule had been posted (the Pandemonium Tour), and I saw an announcement that VIP packages would be sold starting that very day (!). I followed the link they provided, waited the required few hours until the VIP presale started (while continually refreshing my browser, of course), and soon was the proud owner of second row center seats and backstage passes to meet the Boys.

Yes!

Thinking back to my first Pet Shop Boys concert in 1999, I remember being so grateful just for the chance to see them perform live. Keep in mind, I'd been a fan from the time I was 10 years old, back in the mid-1980s. I'd waited so long to see them in concert. I was a very happy girl when they played the Riviera in Chicago in '99.

Three more PSB concerts and ten years later, I get the chance to meet them! Happy?

Indeed.

What's In a Name? (Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week)

Pet Shop Boys Appreciation Week - Milwaukee Edition - continues today with a look at the band's album and song titles of the last 25 years. This is by no means an exhaustive guide; it is not even a catalogue of my favorite PSB songs. Rather, it is a look at what I believe to be some of the cleverest titles in pop, compliments of Pet Shop Boys Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

We start with their first album, Please, released in 1986 (and the subject of the traumatic 11th birthday gift debacle). The band famously remarked that they chose that title "so people can go into the record shop and say 'Can I have the Pet Shop Boys album, Please?'."

I love the politeness built into that title. It was the first in a series of album titles that I imagine to be a conversation between patron and shop clerk, or between fans, or amongst critics.

* * *

In 1987 came Actually, which was apparently a word Neil and Chris were using a lot at the time. Again, we have a polite exchange between record store clerk and customer:

Clerk: "Is there anything in particular can I help you find?"

Customer: "The new Pet Shop Boys album, Actually."

* * *

In 1993, Pet Shop Boys released Very, which not only has the greatest CD case design ever sold (opaque orange plastic with raised lettering and dots), but could inspire conversations like this between fans:

Fan #1: "What do you think of the new album?"

Fan #2: "It's very Pet Shop Boys."

* * *

In 1997, they released a fantastic cover of Somewhere from West Side Story. The conversation would go like this:

Customer: "Do you have any new singles this week?"

Clerk: "I think we have one more copy of Pet Shop Boys Somewhere..."

* * *

In 2002 came Release, which again recalls the record store dialogue of their first two albums:

Customer: "I'm looking for the new Pet Shop Boys, Release."

Clerk: "Right this way..."

* * *

In 2006 they released an album named Fundamental, which in my imagination yields the following conversational exchange between two critics:

Critic #1: "What are you reviewing this week?"

Critic #2: "The Pet Shop Boys Fundamental album."

Critic #1: "Oh? Which one?"

* * *

This year, Pet Shop Boys released Yes, an album produced by Euro pop darlings Xenomania. It's a fantastic album that must lead to some "Who's on first?"-type conversations in music stores.

Customer: "Do you have that new Pet Shop Boys album?"

Clerk: "Yes."

Customer: "What's it called? I forget the title."

Clerk: "Yes."

Customer: "So, will you tell me the name?"

Clerk: "Yes."

* * *

And now for some of my favorite PSB song titles, in no particular order. I love the balance of the one-word album titles against the often extremely long song titles...

• This Used To Be the Future (featuring guest vocals from Phil Oakey from Human League!)
• The Sodom & Gomorrah Show ("for your complete entertainment, and instruction")
  
• I'm With Stupid (looks especially good on a t-shirt with an arrow pointing upwards)
• Sexy Northerner (also looks great on a t-shirt worn by a Wisconsinite)
• A Man Could Get Arrested
• Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend
• What Have I Done To Deserve This?
• I Want a Dog ("when I get back to my small flat I want to hear somebody bark")
• Always On My Mind / Always In My House
• This Must Be the Place I Waited Years To Leave
• How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?
• Yesterday, When I Was Mad
• You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
• The Truck-Driver and His Mate
  
•  How I Learned to Hate Rock 'n' Roll
• The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On
• It's Just My Little Tribute To Caligula, Darling
• For Your Own Good (Call Me Tonight)
• We All Feel Better in the Dark
• Discoteca (Trouser Enthusiasts Adventure Beyond The Stellar Empire mix)
• I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing

What are some of the most clever, long, or otherwise interesting song titles you've heard? Share your favorites in the comments.

* * *

Just two more days until Pet Shop Boys play the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. The show starts at 8PM on Tuesday, September 15. Tickets are still available, as of this writing. As someone fortunate enough to have seen Pet Shop Boys in concert a few times already, I can say with confidence they put on a great show. Reviews of their 2009 fall tour have been excellent. I hope to see you at the Pabst!