Electro pop pioneers Pet Shop Boys dazzle at Dubai’s Sandance festival with their stagecraft and catchy tunes – old and new – on a night that might have ended a bit too early for some.
Updated: May 10, 2014, 12:00 AM
In pictures: Sandance concert in Dubai
As always, the keyboard player Chris Lowe remained stock-still on stage, his face inscrutable behind dark glasses, every so often pressing a button or changing absurd headgear (from an entire glitter ball to huge metallic moose horns), leaving Tennant to sing, strut and occasionally interact with the crowd.
Friday marked the first trip to Dubai for the British Indie pop band Scouting for Girls, prompting frontman Roy Stride to pronounce Sandance “within the top five of Scouting For Girls’ all time gigs” within a few songs.
Running rapidly through a list of the catchy tunes that have placed the band at the top of the UK singles charts since their 2007 debut album went platinum, it was impossible not to sing along to the likes of She’s So Lovely, Millionaire, Everybody Wants To Be On TV, I Wish I Was James Bond and 2010 hit Posh Girls.
Sandance, May 2014, Dubai, UAE.
“Raise you hands if you first listened to Arrested Development on cassette tape,” rapper Speech called to the crowd and a forrest of arms appeared.
Hollaphonic at Sandance.
Hollaphonic.
Arrested Development’s songs were better known to a broader demographic of the Dubai audience and classic crowd pleasers such as People Everyday, Mr Wendal and Tennessee retained an edginess and raw power.
Arrested Development are Dubai favourites.