Monday, September 14, 2009

A night out with the (Pet Shop) boys


It was a fantastic show Saturday night at the Chastain Park Amphitheater in Atlanta … really happy that we weren't left "wondering why we traveled so far."

We got to meet them in the pre-show meet and greet. As we approached and the previous group was getting their last few seconds, Chris seemed to be saying that The Weather Channel is the greatest thing on American television — "It's nothing but the weather all day long!"

When our turn came, Chris, apropos of nothing, welcomed us with a hyper, "Are you from Nashville!?!?" I told them we're from Mississippi, near Tupelo, ("Such pretty names these places have," Neil observed) and told them we'd love to see them play Memphis sometime. They were sure that they've never played Memphis because they would have gone to Graceland. "We've been in Mississippi," Neil said, and proceeded to describe some geography to Chris.

I asked if they would be doing any more television while on the U.S. tour, and Neil said that there is a possibility they might be on the new Jay Leno show (yuck — they should go on Craig Ferguson's show again). "I don't think it's going to happen, though," he said. Chris commented that American TV doesn't seem to be very interested in them and said that Late Night with Jimmy Fallon didn't want to provide them video screens for last week's performance, so they ended up purchasing televisions for the performance.

I also told Neil how much I love the "Love Etc." video with its video game influences.

And that's that. Never thought I'd meet them nor have my favorite CD signed. Amazing.