Absolutely Pet Shop Boys Unoffical web site - Interviews

On October 15th the Pet Shop boy, played a one-off concert at London club, Heaven as a party after the premiere of Derek Jarman S latest film, Edward II (an adaptation of the play of the same name by 16th century dramatist Christopher Marlowe). Derek Jarman (who, of course. Directed the Pet Shop Boys 1989 tour as well as (The videos for "It's A Sin" and "Rent") phoned Neil at home towards the end of August to ask them whether they'd appear. Chris had been suggesting for a while that they should set up a one off show in a club anyway. So they happily agreed.

They decided to play for about forty minutes and just play recent songs. "Good dance tracks, so people could jump around a bit." (They were going to play "Opportunities" but eventually chose not to.) The full set was "Music For Boys'. "Where the Streets Have No Name'. "Domino Dancing" (the original version. Not the 1989 tour version), "DJ Culture", "So Hard 'Was It Worth lt.? "It's Alright' and, as an encore. "Being Boring (introduced by Neil as "our favorite Pet Shop Boys song"). Cicero supported them. Singing and playing keyboards on five songs against a DAT backing tape.

The Pet Shop Boys on-stage cast featured Pam, Sylvia and Derek on backing vocals, JJ Relic on guitar and, the only new addition, Lawrence Cedar as program keyboard player. They also brought in lasers and asked Simon Tutchner, who also worked on the tour, to operate the lighting. Behind them they showed the video loop made last year for performing in the Los Angeles Mayan Theater and on The Arsenio Hall Show.
They rehearsed two days the previous week, and then again on the day before, but felt a little bit unrehearsed as both Sylvia and J,J. had missed some rehearsals, They did a run through at Heaven on Tuesday afternoon to which Derek Jarman brought the boy who plays the Prince in Edward ~l (he was too young to attend at night) with his little brother "who danced around chasing spotlights".

Neil and Chris didn't attend the film premiere itself (they'd seen the film a couple of weeks early at a private screening and liked it very much). Instead they went out to dinner with Jill Wall then went to Heaven. "I was 40, nervous Neil remembers, "it was unbelievable. I thought I was going to he sick beforehand, because it was all so really" In the event they both enjoyed it. Despite one accident. At the beginning of "It's Alright" Chris forgot to play the opening chords and then the computer failed and only the drums and has line begun. "Do you know," Neil told the audience, "I think we've played live about 70 times, and the computer. Has never screwed up? Well, they have now." Eventually. After much worried fumbling. Everything worked.

Afterwards they were joined backstage by Chris's family, Stephen and Gillian from New order, James and Ian from ENif, the drummer from Nitre Ebb and Derek Jarman, At about three o'clock they headed for a club in Earl's Court being hosted by Di Pat Tony which was supposed open "till late", hut when they arrived it was shut. So they went home. -rickets were £30 a head, and all the proceeds from the concert (approximately £23,000) went towards an Aids research unit at St. Mary's Hospital in London.