Music & Concerts
Pet Shop Boys revisit recent albums with three-disc deluxe reissues
‘Nightlife,’ ‘Release’ & ‘Fundamental’ are first three in a series that will eventually include their entire oeuvre
The Pet Shop Boys’ underappreciated 2006 album ‘Fundamental’ is one of three being re-released in a deluxe expanded edition. (Photo courtesy the Karpel Group)
Reservoir wells for popular acts vary greatly in quality and quantity. There are almost always some little gems nestled in the outtakes, B-sides and deep album cuts the casual fans miss out on, but longtime fans know that Pet Shop Boys’ B-sides are often as essential as their singles and album cuts.
Sixteen years after a 2001 series of double-disc expanded editions, the veteran synthpop duo is once again mining their back catalog and this time they’re presenting fans with even more ear candy than before.
The first batch in a series that will eventually include all of their albums up through 2009’s “Yes” covers arguably the Pet Shop Boys’ three most underappreciated albums: “Nightlife” (1999), “Release” (2002) and “Fundamental” (2006). Once again Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe put the time and effort into carefully curated collections that other artists should emulate with their own archival releases. The first two are presented as three-CD sets including two full discs of “Further Listening” material, while “Fundamental” is two discs.
“Nightlife” (1999) is a glossy collection of well-crafted electronic dance pop, atmospheric and vast in sound but instilled with heart and genuine emotion. First single “I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore” is one of their greatest studio triumphs, a true pop masterpiece of repressed rage simmering below an icy sheen of detachment as Tennant delivers barbed swipes at a cheating lover over Chris Lowe’s slow-building, immaculately arranged layers of string synths.
Other singles include “New York City Boy” and “You Only Tell Me You Love Me When I’m Drunk,” and there is a wealth of high quality bonus material like the excellent B-sides “Lies” and “The Ghost of Myself.” Studio outtakes like the tight disco-funk “Nightlife,” a track left off the album despite providing its title, are finally dusted off and getting a must-deserved moment in the sun.
Even more undervalued is the band’s next album, “Release” (2002). Johnny Marr of the Smiths’ fame contributes on guitar on an album that has a mellower vibe than typical for the duo, but the songwriting and arrangements are superb throughout. First single “Home and Dry” exudes the same kind of effusive love that flowed out of the speakers in palpable waves on their buoyant 1993 single “Liberation.”
The haunting allegory “Birthday Boy” is among the very finest recordings the duo has ever produced. Several highly commercial pop-oriented songs were dropped from the album to preserve its singular atmosphere, so the “Further Listening” discs will be sure to please fans who prefer the Pet Shop Boys higher-energy material. Highlights among the extras include “Sexy Northerner” and “I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today,” a song that easily could have been a Top 10 single (in the U.K., that is — pop radio in the U.S. has basically ignored the duo since their last Top 40 hit “Domino Dancing” in 1988) if given the opportunity.
The third in the first batch of reissues is “Fundamental” (2006), produced by the great Trevor Horn. The duo returns to a more electronic sound but the album is still diverse, ranging from dance-floor bangers to poignant ballads. “Minimal” is the absolute highlight, a gleaming masterpiece of pop songcraft. The sharply political “Integral” could not have been more suited for our times today than if it had been specifically written about the last six months in America.
The album’s biggest hit, “I’m With Stupid,” is an artifact of the George W. Bush years, although the duo (and anyone else, for that matter) surely would have scoffed if told that a decade later a president would be elected that makes George W. Bush seem like a towering intellect. There are again plenty of extras to explore on the “Further Listening” discs, highlighted by outstanding non-album cuts like “The Resurrectionist” and “After the Event.”
The new Pet Shop Boys reissues should be cause for celebration among die-hard and casual fans alike, as they allow those who missed these great albums the first time around to discover them now, and the expanded “Further Listening” discs offer enough extra material to keep listeners well occupied until the next batch of arrives. They are a reminder of the seemingly limitless reservoir of amazing pop songs the Pet Shop Boys have relentlessly churned out over their remarkable 30-plus year career, with even more to come. Time to build that ultimate Pet Shop Boys playlist; one could hardly ask for a better soundtrack for summer.
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Music & Concerts
Busy season for live music in D.C.
Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring
One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.
In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.
MARCH
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.
The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.
If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.
APRIL
Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.
Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.
The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.
Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.
DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”
The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.
MAY
Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.
Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.
Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.
The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.
JUNE
Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.
Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.
Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.
Music & Concerts
Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation
International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue
The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.
Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.
The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”
The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.
“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”
WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.
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