T in the Park review: Pet Shop Boys, King Tut's tent, Sunday, 7.50pm

Published on Monday 13 July 2009 00:38

IT WAS Pet Shop Boys' debut appearance at T, and they went down a storm.

Kicking off with Heart, the pair ran through a comprehensive selection from new album Yes, interpersed with older hits such as Go West, Left To My Own Devices and You Are Always on My Mind.

Neil Tennant looked dapper and self-assured with a voice that hasn't aged in 20 years.

Chris Lowe, inscrutable in mirrored shades and a series of outlandish jackets (including a Gaga-esque mirrored suit) he kept stashed in his booth for quick changes, was both surreal and solemn as he hammered away on the drum machine.

The reticent northerner even came out from behind his keyboards to do a quick twirl.

Their set of flashing movable cubes was blown apart, during I'm Building A Wall - fitting, considering they interrupted a string of gigs in Berlin to be in Balado.

And you had to admire the dancers, who moved admirably bearing in mind their increasingly outlandish costumes - they probably couldn't even see, wearing giant boxes on their heads.

The lilting skip of Love, Etc sounded awesome live, and with its repeated refrain of 'You need more, you need more, you need more...' - it was clear by the ecstatic reception that the crowd certainly did.