Creating Pandemonium.
The massively successful UK duo Pet Shop Boys have just released Pandemonium, their 2009 tour document, a nicely packaged CD/DVD doublepack. I was fortunate enough to see this show in Montreal, as well as meet Neil and Chris that night [but that's another post]. Simply put, this CD/DVD release is the best they’ve done in years, handily capturing their live magic much more effectively than on previous live efforts including 2001′s Montage and 2007′s Cubism. And somehow, their most recent live album, Concrete, didn’t quite do it for me. Medleys are highlighted on this release, such as the perfect blending of “Se A Vida E” / “Discoteca” / “Domino Dancing” / “Viva La Vida” [yes.. a Coldplay cover] as well as the title track nicely woven into their 1993 hit “Can You Forgive Her?” Credit these nice, hi-NRG blends to Stuart Price, who produced the tour audio. I love Stuart.. and as a side note.. I am THRILLED that he’s produced the as-yet-unreleased third Scissor Sisters album.
The DVD component clocks in at 1h 37min and is quite well captured, although the ‘peak’ excitement moments [such as when the 'wall' falls, looked better as a live spectator] fall a tad flat. They definitely could have benefitted from Depeche Mode‘s filmographer Anton Corbijn; but nonetheless, this is a worthy addition to any pop collection; At 55 and 50, respectively, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe put on a better show than most performers half their age. Here’s what you get:
CD TRACKLIST
01 More Than A Dream/ Heart
02 Did You See Me Coming?
03 Pandemonium/ Can You Forgive Her?
04 Love Etc.
05 Go West
06 Two Divided By Zero
07 Why Don’t We Live Together?
08 New York City Boy
09 Always On My Mind
10 Closer To Heaven/ Left To My Own Devices
11 Do I Have To?
12 King’s Cross
13 Suburbia
14 Se A Vida E/ Discoteca/ Domino Dancing/ Viva La Vida
15 It’s A Sin
16 Being Boring
17 West End Girls
DVD TRACKLIST
01 More Than A Dream/ Heart
02 Did You See Me Coming?
03 Pandemonium/ Can You Forgive Her?
04 Love Etc.
05 Building A Wall
06 Go West
07 Two Divided By Zero
08 Why Don’t We Live Together?
09 New York City Boy
10 Always On My Mind
11 Closer To Heaven/ Left To My Own Devices
12 Do I Have To?
13 King’s Cross
14 The Way It Used To Be
15 Jealousy
16 Suburbia
17 What Have I Done To Deserve This?
18 All Over The World
19 Se A Vida E/ Discoteca/ Domino Dancing/ Viva La Vida
20 It’s A Sin
21 Being Boring
22 West End Girls
There are tons of DVD Extras too 
welcome back! i want this!!! although i can see your point that this might not translate as well into a video recording as well as it’s a little minimal. you have to sorta be there capturing it all to have appreciated the details like the great wall of pet shop collapsing.
Will-W. - March 2, 2010 at 14:57 |