On April 22, the Pet Shop Boys musical Closer to Heaven is performed in London for the first time in fourteen years, in a sold-out month-long run at The Union Theatre. (It will return for a further five weeks beginning on October 21.). For this revival, at the Pet Shop Boys’ request, the musical’s original final number, “Positive role model”, is replaced by “Vocal”.
On August 15, the final date of the much-extended Electric tour – which began in March, 2013 – takes place at the Flow Festival in Helsinki. The tour has visited over forty countries.
On December 2, the Pet Shop Boys appear at MAMA – the Mnet Asian Music Awards – in Hong Kong. They are given the Worldwide Inspiration award and play a lengthy live medley, joined for their final two songs, “What have I done to deserve this?” and “Vocal”, by the K‑Pop artist f(x). At the organisers’ request, they wear the Electric tour straw jackets for, possibly, the final time.
The Pet Shop Boys appear at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of the European leg of their Performance tour.
While in Miami for their Release Tour, Chris and Neil attend a Rufus Wainwright performance.
The Boys perform in Riga, Latvia.
They post on their official website that they’ve ‘just finished listening through to the mastered version’ of their upcoming new studio album (Elysium, although the title isn’t yet revealed at this time), which they now consider ‘completed.’ Meanwhile, Chris begins work on a new mix of ‘Hold On,’ but which is never used.
Neil and Chris enjoy what they describe on their website as ‘a beautiful day’ in Murcia, Spain. That evening they perform the first show of the 2014 European leg of the Electric Tour at the SOS 4.8 Festival.
A special 132-page edition of Classic Pop magazine entirely devoted to the Pet Shop Boys begins distribution today.
Neil is interviewed onstage this evening by John Wilson at London’s Royal Academy of Arts Festival of Ideas.
‘Dancing Star’ is released on CD as the second single from Nonetheless.