And, with a career spanning five decades, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have plenty of those to share at the first night of the Heritage Live festivals.
Support act Scissor Sisters set the scene with a typically colourful and energetic set, including hits such as I Don’t Feel Like Dancing and Laura.
But as darkness fell, on come the Pet Shop Boys, clad in white lab coats with strange metal masks obscuring their faces.
They start with the synth-and-samples driven Suburbia, one of their earliest 1980s hits and then move on to Can You Forgive Her, from their number one album Very.
Singer Tennant then removes his mask, grinning from ear to ear, as he launches into the satirical Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money), to a rapturous reception from the crowd.
The hits keep on coming, with the disco-infused cover of U2’s Where The Streets Have No Name, followed by Rent, I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Anymore and So Hard.
After a quick costume change, a euphoric Left To My Own Devices is a highlight, as is Domino Dancing, where Tennant doesn’t need to sing the chorus as the crowd belts it out for him.
The pair slip in a few newer songs including Dancing Star, The New Bohemia, Pop Kids and Dreamland, where Jake Shears from the Scissor Sisters duets, among familiar favourites such as Jealousy, What Have I Done To Deserve This and Heart.
There’s no Go West, but the imperious It’s A Sin, with its NASA countdown and theatrics, is a fantastic end to a hit-packed set.
The encore brought us West End Girls, the number one single which, all those years ago, set the pair on the way to stardom.
A hugely enjoyable night is brought to a close by fan favourite Being Boring – something The Pet Shop Boys have most certainly never been.
