PET SHOP BOYS: DREAM WORLD TOUR

Synth pop pioneers return to the touring circuit with a theatrical stage show backed by a talented group of musicians on stage and a pragmatic crew behind the scenes.

No stranger to a tour itinerary, Pet Shop Boys have been enthralling live audiences with their signature blend of genre-defining hits for the best part of 40 years. Fresh from their co-headlined Unity Tour with New Order, the Dreamworld Tour descended on Primavera Sound before arriving at OVO Arena Wembley for a sold-out show – fittingly in the same suburb as the duo’s first ever live show.

“Like I said the last time TPi visited us on 2017s Electric Tour [TPi #211] ‘You never say no to the Pet Shop Boys’ – we do everything in our power to figure out a way for a dynamic production like this to work to present a fantastic experience for audiences,” began Thomas Stone, now assuming the role of Tour Manager, following the retirement of Andy Crookston. “I’m filling some big boots, so I’ve brought on Gareth Russell to handle the bulk of production management duties.”

Vocalist, Neil Tennant and keyboardist, Chris Lowe teamed up with Production Designer, Tom Scutt; Stage Director, Lynne Page; Lighting Designers, Bruno Poet and Matt Daw; along with video content design outfit, Luke Halls Studio to develop the show.

Stone worked alongside the team to transform the production design from paper to the stage. Stone and Russell’s primary responsibilities involved ensuring the production was ‘show ready’ before doors opened to swathes of hardcore Pet Heads. “This is a show with high production values within budgetary constraints, so we eke out as much as we can to create a spectacle that fans will remember,” Stone underlined. “Importantly, this production design is scalable and tourable.”

Vendors included: CSE Crosscom; Flying Saucers Catering; Freight Minds; Neg Earth Lights for rigging, lighting, and automation; Phoenix Bussing; Really Creative Media (RCM) for video; Sarah Vallins Travel, Solotech for audio; Stagetruck; and TAIT for staging and set design. “We challenge suppliers to get the best show within the set parameters. Our relationship with account handlers allow us to ask those awkward questions and call-in favours where required,” Stone explained.

As well as staying true to longstanding relationships, Pet Shop Boys tours are renowned for providing a pathway for new talent to progress. In 2010, the duo presented the My Generation Award at TPi Awards. On this tour, the team provided Production Assistant, Georgia Keavey and Junior Set Carpenter, George Fenton an opportunity to hone their craft on the road. “As individuals in senior positions, we’re conscious of demonstrating a pathway for those looking to make their first steps in the industry and providing them with the tools to get started,” Russell stated.

“I was provided an opportunity at a young age, so we try to do the same where we can,” Stone added.

“I didn’t know this role existed until I started,” commented Keavey, who was affectionately referred to as ‘tour mum’ by the crew. “I see myself as the intermediary between production, tour management and the artist, handling logistics, hotels, travel and overseeing the day to day. I’m referred to as the ‘tour mum’ because my role and approach is maternal. I’ve spent the past few weeks straddling the varying demands of New Order and Pet Shop Boys, which has been a challenge. However, having toured with them for months, I’ve learned the nuances of how the camp operates and I’m enjoying every minute of this colourful, busy, and enjoyable tour.”

Head of Wardrobe, Frank Strachan oversaw the shopping, fittings and put the wardrobe together under the creative direction of the band and Scutt. “Neil and Chris have such a good idea of what they want and how they want the show to flow. The evolution of the costumes on both sides of the show are relatively simple – big, bold pieces that you notice, but not huge changes for us. Neil keeps the same jeans and top, most of the time and we change the top layer. He refers to this as ‘a show of coats’.”

Headwear, masks, and hats have been a mainstay of Pet Shop Boys’ live shows ever since the release of 1993s Very. “They always have amazing hats, and this show is no different. Tom [Scutt] created the iconic masks, which are genius and work nicely.”

St rachan added: “What I love about this show is every person I talk to is so excited about it. I enjoy seeing fans lose their inhibitions or turn up dressed head to toe like Neil or Chris.”

The show closes with an iconic Pet Shop Boys look from the beginning of their career with Neil draped in a long, black coat and Chris donning his signature ‘BOY’ cap, leather jacket and grey hoodie. “It’s simple but effective, and a beautiful way to end the show, despite being a thick heavy coat for Neil to wear,” he laughed. “It’s great to be back with the crew. The social aspect backstage is amazing; I feel at so ease in anyone’s company, which is a testament to the team built by Tom and Gareth.”

RCM has toured with and supplied Pet Shop Boys video requirements for over a decade, with a headline Glastonbury appearance last year marking the 10th anniversary of their partnership. representing a radical departure from convention, the production design moved into an LED-based show from 2022, with the Dreamworld Tour including IMAG and an automated wall featuring over 200 sq m of blow-through ROE Visual V8T LED panels and 5,500 nits-emitting FantaLED PixelBrick LED products on Chris’s keyboard riser.

“W hen a show goes out for a reasonable time, we end up with custom racks and systems for them and they come back in for pit stops and refinements. After the US leg last year, we streamlined the control package,” commented RCM’s Nick Dew.

“T his show is very theatrical, which is fun – I feel right at home,” Media Server Engineer/ Video Technician, Roberto Esquenazi Alkabes said – flanked by Video Crew Chief, Jake Stebbings; Racks Engineer, Bjorn Parry; LED Technicians, Dylan Marsh and Chris Williams.

“M y day typically starts at 8am, where we gauge what the power situation is, set up our video racks and build the upstage wall. Once that’s up and going, we build the mid-stage wall, IMAG screens and 16 rotating screen arrays created by TAIT [to reflect 16 beats in a bar], which we need to power and cable individually, as well as the PixelBricks in front of Chris’ riser and cameras, so it’s a busy day.”

The pre-rendered video content featured few live elements with dynamic content and effects, which was laid on top of the IMAG feed. Video processing was achieved by Brompton Technology processors for the PixelBricks, Colorlight processors for the arrays and ROE Visual Evision processors for the IMAG, midstage and upstage screens. Two video matrixes and three disguise solos, two with SDI card inputs, the others with 4K Displayport outputs powered visuals.

“T he visual content and see-through screen is engaging and there is a cohesive storyboard from start to finish, which makes for an eyecatching show,” Dew remarked.

Two primary cameras were situated at FOH for the IMAG feed with four Mark Roberts Motion Control robotic cameras on stage capturing the action.

“I ’m trying to make the look of the show less formulaic and make the cameras breathe and sing more, rather than it being a static show. It’s a fun night out, so I want to reflect that in the type of shots we’re getting,” said Video Director, Jamie Cowlin, who was linking up with the band for the first time since assuming Camera Operator responsibilities on 2009s Pandemonium Tour. “Automation helps punctuate some of the looks we strive for and breaks up the canvas of the show. This is a ‘greatest hits’ show with massive anthems, which I grew up listening to, so it’s a good night out for all of us involved on and off stage.”

‘SYMMETRY AND CHOREOGRAPHY’

“It’s always a pleasure operating the lighting for Pet Shop Boys,” Lighting Director, Jon Barker said, undertaking his third tour under the creative direction of Poet and Daw. “The blending of video and lighting is visually appealing on this tour. There’s lots of depth and interaction between the visual departments to reflect a very theatrical design.”

According to Barker, the show breaks into four acts. First, the band is in front of the screen with teases of light through the translucent screen. In act two, there is a reveal where the video rises on Kinesys. Act three sees the return of the screen with Neil traversing the length of the stage, backlit by video with no light, before the screen rises for a big on-stage moment. During the encore, the screen lowers

THE GREATEST HITS LIVE TOUR again for the final two songs. Barker operated the show on MA Lighting grandMA2 hardware and software with two full size consoles and two NPUs. “This tour was put together prepandemic, so we specified a universal system we’re all literate in,” he explained.

GOING THAT EXTRA MILE ...

He identified Martin Professional MAC Aura XB wash lights and Ayrton Khamsin spot fixtures as the ‘workhorses’ of the rig, split across two trusses. Left and right ‘lighting ladders’ (three per side) comprised Ayrton Ghiblis with GLP JDC1s and Line 500s providing additional ‘punchy and strobey’ looks. Each custom TAIT array was lined with VDO Sceptron 10s and boasted Wahlberg Design DMX winches and built-in GLP JDC Line and Astera Helios units.

Spotlights came in the shape of GLP JCD1 Strobes. TMB Solaris Flare Jr panels fit in perfectly within the head of the on-stage lampposts to recreate streetlight effects.

The set was trimmed low, around 9m from the stage to account for the automation looks. Lighting fixtures were colour matched with the video, with colour presets programmed into the console by Daw.

“T here’s a lot of symmetry and choreography built into this production design, which is a convention of Pet Shop Boys live shows. This show grows over time and is very dynamic. There are some nice reveal moments, I like the cut through of the lighting fixtures through the LED screen.” Two MDG theONE units, smoke dollies and Viper foggers provided a base layer of atmospherics for the visuals. Ideally, the untraditional hot weather in the UK aided the strength of haze despite the improvement to AC systems in venues post-pandemic. “Too much haze reduces the brightness of the screen, so I find more machines at lower intensity is the perfect balance. It’s A Sin is a particularly smokey track, which looks great,” Barker noted.

He went to to praise Neg Earth Project Manager, Lindsey Markham; Crew Chief, William ‘Frosty’ Frostman; Dimmer Technician, Jake Saunders; and Lighting Technicians, Matty Barnes and Holly Brightman, who oversaw two Robe Forte followspots.

‘THE BACKBONE OF THE SHOW’

FOH Engineer, Holger Schwark has mixed and designed the sound of Pet Shop Boys live shows since 2006. “We first moved onto DiGiCo consoles in 2009 and haven’t looked back. For this tour, we used DiGiCo Quantum 338s. I love the ergonomic nature of the console, its surface, lighting, the accessibility, and readability of the new OLED displays. I enjoy mixing the show on this console –particularly the custom fader layers, which ensure I get the things I need at my fingertips.”

When Schwark began mixing Pet Shop Boys, there were fewer musicians on stage, which meant there was more on track. “This show has always been on multitrack, with single instrument tracks or stems. It could feasibly be vocal to track, but it wouldn’t sound as good, due to factors like the acoustics of arena venues. Depending on how much low-mid a venue can take – I can create more excitement in the mid-range and upper mid-range with the vocals sitting on top.”

Pet Shop Boys live shows have always had different layers of keyboards on separate tracks, as Schwark points out. “The addition of the band on stage from 2016 onwards has been great fun for us as an audio team. A lot of what Neil and Chris play is very similar to the original releases – they sample themselves from the original multitrack records, so we hear audio that sometimes has been programmed and put together 20 to 30 years ago. There’s a lot of audio history on this show with a blend of old and new material,” Schwark added.

“In preparation for this show, we match the sound stems. Two percussionists play a combination of drum sounds like snares and hi-hats, and trigger loops on electric drum kits. Although that could be created using multitrack, it has a different energy when it’s performed live – it’s more fun and the micro timing of live instrumentation adds another layer of energy to the show. Keyboard sounds are split between Chris, Clare Uchima and multitrack, with playback providing most kickdrums from track – which I appreciate as a mixer because it provides a fundamental base to work from.”

Schwark harnessed snapshots for everything that is consistent such as tracks and electronic signals for percussion. “I use snapshots as a starting point per song, while everything Neil sings is mixed by riding the faders manually,” he commented. “I often use EQ to sweeten some of the tracks, which date back decades.”

Although the show is crammed with hits, some of the songs are not performed in their original tempo and are constantly updated and modernised, while staying true to the used audio elements and artistic preference within and AVID MADI interfaces to run AAX-DSP plug-ins with minimal latency in Pro Tools, along with recording the shows for virtual soundchecks. I get everything I need with these systems.”

Wembley marked t he crew’s first show with a d&b audiotechnik GSL system. The PA featured 18 GSL8 and GSL12 loudspeakers per side on the main hangs, 14 KSL8 on the side hangs, eight KSL-SUB as flown subwoofers, a sub array of 15 SL-SUBs, a centre cluster of two V8 and V12 per side with eight Y10P loudspeakers as f ront fills, powered by D80 amplifiers w ith A rrayProcessing.

“T he rear rejection is sent from heaven and provides me w ith flexibility to t ailor t he mix to

I have heard in this room, which can be acoustically challenging.”

While the industry has endeavoured to make the stage a controlled space for monitor levels by removing guitar amps and replacing them with Kempers and shields around drum kits, Schwark theorised that by cutting all the sound on stage, there is a radical departure of visceral feeling for performing artists, which is why he decided to incorporate four Meyer Sound Ultra-X40 speakers on stage to create directional audio and the feeling of hitting a traditional drum kit, despite the musicians on stage using an electric one.

“It creates more depth for the front few rows of the audience – it sounds bigger, powerful and 3D. For this tour, we switched to Shure Axient Digital to lessen the latency for the realtime feel of monitoring. All this digital gear can stack up latency, and the more real-time it feels – the better the performance is,” he concluded.

“A lthough I’ve inherited this setup, it is one that I would have chosen myself. DiGiCo is my console of choice because I can personalise the desk to my workflow,” Monitor Engineer, Lewe Redlin said, who was also mixing on a Quantum 338 console. “Each IEM mix is individual with the band using a mixture of JH Audio Roxanne, 64 Audio and Ultimate Ears in-ear monitors. There are also four ambient microphones, which I bring into focus when the audience responds.”

Redlin described Pet Shop Boys as “a huge part” of his formative years. “It’s a fun show to mix and it’s a cool, tight-knit camp, which is very relaxed. Solotech is also a great supplier and source of comfort. I like working with [Project Manager] Martin Connolly and they provide a great service and support on the road,” he said, praising the on-site support of System Engineer, Joseph Pearce and Audio Technicians, Jonny Buck, and Jackson Akers.

Playback and Keyboard Technician, Alan Pollard walked TPi through the raft of band- owned gear, including Logic Pro X playback software and two systems with DirectOut Technologies MADI redundancy switchers, which allowed him to distribute timecode to FOH and displayed a musical score for Chris and instrumental changes for the musicians on stage. Dubbed by the crew as the ‘backbone’ of the show, everything that made a sound came from Pollard’s rig, aside from vocal microphones and Neil’s acoustic guitar, which was switched in and out by Backline Technician, Sara Ferrero.

The rig featured Roland plug-ins, remote screens, keyboards, and mice for programming during rehearsals with 80 lines of MADI to cover the whole band, minus vocals. “I grew up listening to Pet Shop Boys, so it’s an honour to be working with them,” Pollard remarked.

‘CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS’ Stage Manager, Ross Burkin, helped orchestrate truck movement as well as navigating the load-in and -out.

“Every gig is different, especially when you’re turning up at festivals with four trucks worth of sensitive kit which isn’t meant to be left outside. We regularly battle the weather and problem solve as we go along. This venue is tight in the wings, but we have the luxury of space for the load-in and -out, which is ideal.”

In regular contact with all department heads, Burkin found the tight-knit nature of the camp as a key component to the success of the tour. “Gareth and I have worked together for the past five years, so we understand each other’s workflows. There’s a good working and friendship dynamic within this camp, which is important as you spend a lot of time together.”

Having been kept busy amid the pandemic with Amazon and supermarket deliveries, 17-year Stagetruck veteran Lead Truck Driver, Neil Wilson Gray, supervised the movement of six trucks worth of equipment driven by Andy Rackham, Dougie Miller, Jon Pridmore, Neringa

Nark and Lukas Derblich. Fresh from three festivals in Europe with a UK show every other day, including one overnight from Liverpool to Leeds, Gray admired the lengths production had gone to ensure that routing was as pain free as possible.

“B rexit has had an undoubted effect on touring. We had to stop at either side of customs in Calais and Dover to do the carnets, following a show in Paris, so the days overnighting from London to Europe are long gone. After London, we’re off to Dublin, which requires another carnet, so there’s lots of paperwork involved, but it’s good to be back, seeing old and new faces. There’s a nice family dynamic on this tour,” Wilson Gray commented.

Looking out from FOH as the band wrap up another successful show, it’s clear that the duo’s latest touring campaign is not only an homage to Pet Shop Boys’ back catalogue as a pioneer and omnipresent component of electronic music, as culturally significant hits like It’s A Sin and Being Boring have also garnered a newfound importance among a younger and socially conscious audience amid an era of streaming.

This was something that was picked up on by Stone, who believes the show is not only reflective of the duo’s 40-year career but a testament to their “continued investment in the arts,” he concluded: “The Pet Shop Boys appreciate the hard work that the crew put in, and every single member of this camp goes above and beyond.” www.petshopboys.co.uk www.csecrosscom.co.uk www.flyingsaucerscatering.com www.freightminds.com www.negearth.co.uk www.phoenix-bussing.co.uk www.rcm.tv www.solotech.com www.stagetruck.com www.taittowers.com