Perth Entertainment Center
PSB Experience Worth The Wait
I'm going to start this by being completely honest. I am a big fan of Pet Shop Boys. Have been since their inception. In the mid 80s I was often ridiculed by high school peers who couldn't understand why I spent my money on picture discs of the pair, let alone why I played their brand of Hi NRG Euro-pop melancholy all the time. So, the news they were finally touring almost set me foaming at the mouth.

A rather mellow, semi-acoustic version of Tonight Is Forever wafted from the PA as the Australian leg of the Discovery tour started on Tuesday night. An ideal choice, because for most fans - and there were thousands other than me - this night would be committed to memory for eternity.

Then it was straight into I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing, with G-string dancing girls and boys cavorting around the giant inflatable cubes that dominated the sides of the stage. Tennant cut an impressive figure in his black bowl cut wig and shiny vinyl jacket, though Lowe's blonde number looked like it was about to fall off.

The video clip played in the background, giving a slightly surreal feel, as though the performer had stepped off the giant screen - one of the biggest and best utilised I've seen in the center.

The Spanish vibe and dual percussion work on Domino Dancing was excellent, while One In A Million brought out a decidedly ravey feel, with Lowe maintaining his veneer of serious cool even when Tennant launched into Culture Beat's brain-numbing Mr. Vain.

With that fun over, Tennant ripped off the wig to reveal hit own "distinguished" hairdo, leaving Lowe on-stage to rap Paninaro, the Italian youth-cult inspired number from the Disco album of 1986. It was classic: Lowe in a shimmer silver hooded jacket, Sunnis and baseball cap, striding slowly, making the occasional puppet-like arm movement, having a whole song to himself when he usually never utters a word. So serious it was funny. When Tennant returned, resplendent in a gold lame jacket, he gave a superb acoustic version of Rent, and then was joined by a second guitarist for To Face The Truth. The virtual lack of accompaniment only served to show what a strong, emotive and unique voice Tennant has. Put it to a disco beat or a basic few chords and it still tugs at the heart strings.

The techno-edged So Hard drew new focus to the now caged and rather more raunchy dancers, then it was time for a mini techno and light show to allow the costume change for Absolutely Fabulous. It felt like Patsy and Edina were right there.

West End Girls sounded as good as it did all those years ago, the very melancholy Kings Cross was an odd but soothing inclusion, Can You Forgive Her had the same orchestral angst feel as on disc and Tennants version of the PSB mix of Blur's Boys and Girls was another example of how versatile his voice can be.

Heading for the home straight, It's A Sin was the most lavish song of the set, with flowing red robes, candles and Tennant looking like a cross between a pope and a king. The song's intense sense of drama was only heightened by it being segued start and finish with I Will Survive.

The encore served up giant inflated beach balls and the whole cast of 10 in shimmering silver jumpsuits and the now familiar pointed cone hats for a rousing Go West.

Tennant ended the show with his favorite song the emotive, reflective and almost tear-jerking AIDS song, Being Boring, some thing the Pet Shop Boys and their fans will never be.

This was the show I, and many others, waited years to see - almost a decade, Was it worth it? A resounding yes.

This was written by Sue Yeap and appeared in the 3rd November 1994 issue of The West Australian.

Special thanks to Roger Heath for sending me copies of these s