Pet Shop Boys & New Order Prove They Are Still The Influencers At Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena (SHOW REVIEW)

Pet Shop Boys – England’s best-selling musical duo – are back on the road, and they haven’t lost a beat. Formed in 1981, the Boys are at an age where they could easily kick back and enjoy the fruits of their 14 studio albums. Instead, they are on the global “Unity Tour,” coheadlining with the similarly-vintage New Order – not to mention arguably the most overqualified opener ever in the form of DJ Paul Oakenfold. The lineup was literally a name-check on electronic music history, three different acts of arguably similar god-like status, and this reviewer felt fortunate to be in the audience on October 14th at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

Seeing a band that was born decades ago provides a good foundation to ruminate on what keeps an artist going; how does one maintain not only creative drive but the agility to continue creating music that feels relevant? In the case of the Pet Shop Boys, as evinced on this tour, it would seem that at least in part, a key to success and longevity is simply: joy. This reviewer has had the good fortune to see the Pet Shop Boys numerous times. The format in many ways has been consistent throughout the shows: lead singer Neil Tennant walks, struts, and marches around the stage while Chris Lowe stands woodenly, famously unemotionally, behind his keyboards, hidden further by baseball-style hats and sunglasses.

However, something about this show felt… better than in the past. Tennant seemed exuberant, entirely happy to be on the stage, in Seattle, with a huge crowd. His voice sounded as it always does, whether recorded or live, and preternaturally young. Perhaps that is the magic of the Boys; their buoyant, ebulliently danceable disco-tinged electronica coupled with Tennant’s timeless sound allows the (aging) audience to live again if only for a moment, those years when anything was possible. 

“The set list delved deep into their back catalog, running heavily through tops hits from the 1980s – from the opener, “Suburbia,” through “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money),” their cover of U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “Rent,” “Love Comes Quickly,” and more, wrapping up their full set with the classic, “It’s a Sin” before closing out their portion of the night with “West End Girls” and, finally, “Being Boring.”

Many of the songs were incredibly true to their original form, with a trio of backing musicians providing the harmonies, additional drum tracks, amazing costumes, and exuberant dance energy required to pull off those disco-tinged stalwarts of early 80’s electronica. Some seemed to burn especially brightly; for example, “Love Comes Quickly” played out in a moldering fashion, Tennant’s languid vocals punctuated with visuals that conjured a mix of fire and the Northern Lights. Similarly, “It’s a Sin” burned as bright as ever, with lasers lighting up the three smoke-cloaked screens while Tennant held court, resplendent in a silver overcoat, at the center of the stage. 

If this reviewer had any complaints about their set, it was merely that they should’ve swapped out “Being Boring” with something more upbeat and anthemic, such as “Go West” or “Love Etc.”  

It would be remiss to end this review without a mention of Oakenfold or New Order. Oakenfold arguably helped create the role of globetrotting mega-DJ, playing to sold-out crowds from Ibiza to Las Vegas. A prolific producer, he spawned untold legions of other DJs and inarguably pushed house music to the global forefront. Opening this tour, he played a great mix to the seated Climate Pledge arena crowd – a crowd regrettably unable to dance freely and create the rave-like atmosphere that was so long his hallmark. Similarly, his second set – as more than 20 people worked to clear the Pet Shop Boys’ stage and prep for New Order – was difficult to engage with for the broadly distributed audience, despite dropping such old hits as “Right Here, Right Now” and the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This.)” Oakenfold remains atop his game; this reviewer hopes to again encounter him in a more suitable venue at some point in the future. 

Closing out the evening were New Order, who ran through a solid set including “Regret,” “Bizarre Love Triangle,” and “Blue Monday” before closing out with two Joy Division covers “Atmosphere” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” While musically solid, they felt less enthusiastic then the PSB. Lead singer Bernard Sumner’s voice sounded tired, and keyboardist Gillian Gilbert looked disengaged – though not atypically so. Drummer Stephen Morris was as amazingly energetic and machine-like as ever, his rhythmically precise percussive energy almost impossible to believe. 

The audience dove deep into New Order, singing along while dancing to the pulsing rhythm put down by Morris and bassist Tom Chapman. Their stage backdrops varied; some included fun, random-seeming visuals (including a list of “credits” listing the names of the band members early on). Others shifted to more futuristic abstract imagery; for instance, both “Bizarre Love Triangle” and “Blue Monday” both started with appropriately cold, blue-purple and white lasers and digital landscape-style screenplay. The crowd went wild – particularly on “Bizarre Love Triangle,” which opened with a longer drum-only intro and layered synths before the familiar keyboard run, and on show closers “Atmosphere” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” the latter of which featured an image of Ian Curtis (lead singer of Joy Division) followed by the words “Forever Joy Division.” The touching closing homage left this reviewer reflecting on the years passed, the roads traveled but also the sounds unheard (with the loss of Curtis), wondering what (else) might have been. Based on the crowd’s response to the images of Curtis and the words thereafter, it’s hard not to imagine many others were thinking the same. 

At the end of the day, New Order is worth seeing; they’re a huge piece of music history, and their musical catalog required listening. Oakenfold belongs in a club – and if he’s near you, go dance! But this tour belonged to the Pet Shop Boys, whose energy simply could not be matched.

New Order Setlist Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA, USA 2022, The Unity Tour

 

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One Response

  1. Great review, thank you for all the insight and detail. Looking forward to seeing PSB in the UK in June even more now.

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