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History

March 2011

On March 14 a double-CD of the music from the ballet The Most Incredible Thing is released under the name Tennant/Lowe. It contains the full performance score of the ballet with orchestrations by Sven Helbig.

2011 March

On March 17 the ballet The Most Incredible Thing has its first public performance at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Its genesis can be traced back to a week in where, by chance, two initially unrelated events took place. Ivan Putrov, a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet whom the Pet Shop Boys had got to know through Sam Taylor-Wood, called Neil to ask whether they would write a piece for him to dance to. Two days later, before Neil had even had a chance to ask Chris, Chris called to say that he’d just read a story in a new translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales that he thought would make a great ballet: “The Most Incredible Thing”. This eventually led to the Sadler’s Wells production, choreographed by Javier de Frutos and starring Ivan Putrov, Clemmie Sveaas and Aaron Sillis. All ten performances sell out.

May 2011

On May 27 the Pet Shop Boys appear at the Sunderland Stadium of Light, joining Take That at their invitation as “special guests” on their first reunion concerts as a five-piece on what will be the biggest British tour ever – 29 British stadium shows – followed by a short European leg. “45 minutes of intensity,” says Chris.

December 2011

On December 31 the Pet Shop Boys appear at a New Year’s Eve concert on an island in Sydney Harbour.

On this day

1998

Neil records the vocals for ‘Screaming.’

2007

An early-morning automobile accident in Moscow takes the life of PSB bodyguard, personal assistant, and good friend Dainton Connell. Known among friends as ‘The Bear,’ Connell had accompanied Chris to Moscow for a DJ’ing gig. (Chris was not involved in the accident.) Neil and Chris are, in their own words, ‘devastated’ by the news.

2009

Still in Chile enjoying a brief break from the South American leg of their Pandemonium Tour, the Boys take an afternoon drive up into the Andes.

2011

Continuing from the previous day, the Boys resume work on their demo of the song ‘Winner,’ changing its rhythm track to (as Neil states in his diary) ‘make it more electro.’

2012

For the fourth day in a row, they work on ‘Natural Wonders Every Child Should Know’ for A Man from the Future.

2013

The Pet Shop Boys perform the first of two shows at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California.

2019

Neil appears onstage ‘in conversation’ with poet Andrew McMillan at RNCM Theatre, an event that’s part of this year’s Manchester Literature Festival.