Pet Shop Boys @ Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC - pics, setlist

photos by Ryan Muir

“The set is a wall of white boxes with Chris Lowe’s sound stage on stage left. The last time I saw the Boys was at the Tabernacle in Atlanta in 2006. Hammerstein is bigger and grander, and perfectly suited for this show. Frontman Neil Tennant and Chris finally emerge from two towers of boxes to “Heart.” If the PSBs are good at anything, it’s sticking to a concept! They entered wearing boxes on their head, as were their back-up singers and dancers. They quickly moved into their new material with “Did You See Me Coming,” and “Pandemonium,” and an oldie but goodie, “Left to My Own Devices.” Once “Building a Wall” got going, the stacks of boxes collapsed and stage hands in white reconfigured the boxes into a different set, a trend that occurred throughout the show. How cost efficient, simple and so visually effective? Pet Smart Boys.” [CenterOrch]

Pet Shop Boys kicked off their U.S. tour with their first of two shows at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC last night (9/1). They do it again at the same venue tonight. More pictures and the setlist from Tuesday, below…

“Their cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” was masterful. It, too, featured slivers of other songs within it. In this case starting the track as “Discoteca” (from the album, “Bilingual”), then injecting bits of “Domino Dancing” (from “Introspective”) before rolling into their rendition of Coldplay’s finest moment. Hopefully, a studio version of “Viva La Vida” has been lovingly produced for future release (minus the bits of other PSB songs). It is screaming to be a single.” [Vinny Vero]

Pet Shop Boys @ Hammerstein Ballroom – Sep 1, 2009 – setlist
1. More Than A Dream (instrumental)
2. Heart
3. Did You See Me Coming?
4. Pandemonium/Can You Forgive Her? (medley)
5. Love Etc.
6. Building A Wall (incorporating “Integral”)
7. Go West (incorporating “Paninaro” and “Opportunites (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)”)
8. Two Divided By Zero
9. Why Don’t We Live Together? (incorporating “Left To My Own Devices”)
10. Always On My Mind
11. New York City Boy
12. Closer To Heaven (truncated)
13. Left To My Own Devices
14. Do I Have To?
15. King’s Cross
16. The Way It Used To Be
17. Jealousy
18. Suburbia
19. All Over The World
20. Se A Vida É (That’s The Way Life Is)
21. Viva La Vida (incorporating “Discoteca” and “Domino Dancing”)
22. It’s A Sin
23. Being Boring
24. West End Girls