The infernally catchy ‘Girls & Boys’ is arguably Blur’s best pop song. So what happened when the world’s best pop band covered it in Rio in 1994? Why, everyone went nuts, as you can see in the footage above.
From their earliest inception, PSB have been pop magpies, always excited about what’s happening in the cultural milieu around them, and in 1994, they paid homage to Blur just as that band were about to hit the big time. Essentially the performance has everything you’d want from the Pet Shop Boys – Neil looks amazing in a big white shirt and black waiscoat! Some lads come onstage in Brazil football strips to do keepy-uppies! Chris looks nonchalant in DKNY hat and sunglasses!
The cover version is taken from the film shot in Rio during PSB’s 1994 Discovery tour, which saw their first visit to Brazil. Previously only available on VHS, the new release comes with an interview by PSB biographer Chris Heath that took place during tour rehearsals, as well as an on-tour diary by Neil Tennant. The live album also features on CD, featuring PSB favourites such as ‘Paninaro’, ‘So Hard’, ‘It’s A Sin’, ‘Being Boring’, ‘Can You Forgive Her?’, ‘West End Girls’ – it goes on.
Speaking about the tour at the time, Chris Lowe said: "We’re more free-spirited on this tour. We party on down. It’s not a totally choreographed, staged and rehearsed show. I suppose it is more rock & roll in its attitude. You get to express yourself. And to take your clothes off."
Neil Tennant added: "In the past we were always removed from the audience by theatrical convention. This time we are us onstage."
x2 will release Discovery: Live In Rio 1994 April 30, 2021.
